Pakistan Telecommunication Authority estimates that number of Cellular subscribers shared by mobile phone companies (that is put publically by PTA, almost every month) are often reported inaccurately as much as 5% to 20%.
PTA, therefore thinks that a standard definition is required for the industry after which operators shall be bound to provide their active subscribers number on the basis of that specific standard definition.
For the purpose, through a consultation paper, PTA has asked the industry to respond by best defining an active subscriber.
There are number of reasons why accurate Active Subscriber data is required by all stakeholders, for instance
- Operators need to devise business strategy
- Public Policy & Future Planning
- Spectrum Efficiency
- Putting the ARPUs Right
- Mismanagement Of Numbering Resource
Current Definition of Active Subscriber
Mobilink
Under the new unlimited validity regime a subscriber is considered active who has made any traffic generating activity (less incoming SMS) in last 90 days. However, those subscribers who have not yet joined this regime (by reloading after announcement of the new scheme) are still considered active due to validity period of their last reload. Transition from limited to unlimited validity will be completed in next about 11 months.
Telenor
All subscribers that have made any activity in last 90 days i.e. receive or made a call is considered active and total count is termed as Active subscribers base”. In case the subscriber does not do any activity i.e. make or receive a call in the period of 90 days, the subscribers is discounted from financial and accounting records and is termed as Churned Subscriber. This does not necessarily means deactivating the account. However, the churned subscribers are subtracted from the total amount for the same period. In case the churned subscriber joins in after 90 days it is reported and booked as new subscriber.
Zong
A customer is considered active if he/she has balance irrespective of his last activity date. However, if a customer does not have balance in his account, he is counted as active ONLY if he has a revenue generating activity in the last 60 days. By revenue generating it means Outgoing Call, Outgoing SMS or any revenue generating VAS and Incoming Call (both on-net and off-net)
Warid
SIM activated by subscriber by doing at least one network activity.
Ufone
SIM gets inactive in case of no network activity with-in 90 days
Industry can send its opinion to PTA with-in next 15 days.
