All Companies to Charge Balance Inquires from Tomorrow, Except Warid

Most of you must have received a text message from your respective cellular operator about charges on USSD balance inquiries, for better services, this is just a reminder call that you will be charged from tomorrow (September 1st, 2009) for yet another not-chargeable item.

This first of its kind charge, has been approved by authority, saying that companies can charge whatever thing they want to, but only after giving their customers a 30 days’ notice.

Warid hasn’t confirmed us for any balance inquiry charges so far. Their CSR said they will not charge their customers, as per information he had till now. Their spokesperson also verified that they are not charging any balance inquiries – that’s pretty good on their part.

Just to mention, Cellular companies in Pakistan charge help line calls, again unique attribute for Pakistani companies only – moreover, they charge balance reload too.

So what is next?

  • Charges on Miss Calls?
  • Spectrum Access Charge (Meaning that if you are accessing any network, you may get charged)
  • Charges for calling more than 10 numbers a day
  • While going from one City to another city, Roaming Charges
  • Good Morning charges and then maybe Good Evening charges too
  • Also Eid and Shab-e-Barat charges.

You can share your feedback in comments.

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • Salamz everyone !!

    i had been noticing this information of balance charge…..

    in Ufone it was already started….i had been using ZoNG since 4 years and i thought that it was the best network but now i have ported to Warid and im quite impressed that the packages of Warid are so different from all the other networks !!

    In ZoNG i was alwayz unable to send and receive text messages frequently !!

    anywayz if the balance check charges are in afew paisa’s then itz worth acceptable otherwise NOT !!

    thanks all !!

    Wish u all Saa’dat of Fasting !!

    [Comment partially edited by Admin]

  • ahhhhhh
    what’s next?

    i must say that these companies are just playing with their valued customers, as i use warid and i am happy with it.

    • Yes it don’t look like that, if you leave this thing, register a complaint against any company in most cases they will respond after a month.

      So, don’t seem for people. Just nearly fulfilling few of critical jobs like other govt organizations.

  • This way Telecom companies provide low call and sms rates, Plus cheaper “ghanta package”, cheaper “SMS package”, and BLA BLA….

  • One thing i want to ask, whether these companies going to charge on voice balance inquiries, or text balance inquiries(like *444# for Telenor)… or for both…

  • This just goes to show the amount of “CUSTOMER SERVICE” we have in our country. people have no say, we are forced to be eat hay yet not complain about.
    Too frequently we read and hear “Pakistan has the FASTEST GROWING TELECOMMUNICATION SECTOR”, and since we are why not eat much as possible out of these helpless people who have no immunity over their own rights…
    Pathetic and disgraceful….

  • Warid is the best network and best operator i think they will not get into this kind of activities

  • This may decrease the load on networks but surely it will add into goodwill of warid.
    I discourage this practice. . .

  • Next time if you think to check your balance they will be charged you whether check or not.
    My suggestion is that now you should keep a pen and note book with you and after any call, sms and any usage, use your mobile calculator to calculate your used amount and write it on your note book and deduct it from your balance amount. After every month reconcile your statement with your operator.
    Best of Luck !

  • where can v complain to PTA? what r all cellular compaines charging 5% for, while loading a balance………

    For Ufone Balance inquiry would b still free as ufone said they will charge on *123# but v can check our balance through *706# ;)

  • For Ufone Balance inquiry would b still free as ufone said they will charge on *124# but v can check our balance through *706# free of charge ;)

  • I HAVE JUST PORT OUT TODAY FROM JAZZ TO WARID
    Because there are 6 pakages to suite ur self
    I love it
    Warid
    Life ka network

  • They are looting customers and doing nothing to facilitate the custmoers only they are charging miscellenous charges as I have viewed the mobile services usage charges @ 10% on zong website.Please if some one has visited that site please clear it.

  • People are the customer of Cellular Companies.. If they should care their customer rather then take advantages…
    they just multiply single piny to the total users they have… & earning millions..

    so sad : (

  • I am in Saudi Arab.. When i charged 100SR i got exact 100SR.. no charges for help line.. checking balance.. 3.5G available.. Good offer in Ramdan & Haj.. : )

  • Bad News! Old days coming back when we used to pay for balance check!
    But then, telecos rates are so low that they can’t help charging in weird ways.
    They don’t want to go for new opportunities.

  • warid is really best, specially it’s newly introduced package GLOW.. it’s so cool, sms bundles plus good call rates and weekdays and weeknights call discounts of 10 family members

    love you warid

  • May be companies are charging due to thier advertisement, because whenever we check our balance, there is any new advertisement.

  • Aslam O Aliukum!

    I just want to ask, why another charge after the Telecom networks are already deducting 5% service charges. Is that not enough for them? Yet another charge on Balance check. PTA is just an Authority which cannot control cellular networks. I think so each n everything should be charged….. Afterall we are not getting better services :(

    Thanks & Regards
    Tayyab Ramzan

  • This “Ramazan package” will be a great boon for Warid. They should look to seize this opportunity to reinvigorate their stagnating growth and resist the temptation to join the Ramazan lootmaar. They should use this fact to their advantage in adverts and encourage others to port in to Warid. And, needless to say, also resist the temptation to compromise on Quality of Service). Perhaps in a few years, Warid will look back at this time and wonder if this was the defining moment which enabled them to establish themselves at the top.

  • i guess , PTA is charging cellular companies for nothing, that’s a reaction in response to some action by PTA or Pakistan’s govt…

  • Might be one more charge, i.e on switching off the mobile and the restarting it :) … Charges pay kar k geo.

  • looks like by discouraging this service charge by Warid they are going to get a lot of subscribers now as they have introduced the GLOW which meets the requirments of every teen in this country
    A great management strategy by warid…

  • For those who are students and manage their little pocket money to keep their cell phones going, i think they will be little unhappy otherwise it will be a step towards better services and why do i say that is because people lets say 10 have the real good reason to check their balance and rest 90 have developed their habit of checking their balance over and over again. It might improve the services from the service providers side.

    • No, this old excuse (to provide the best services) was also given when Ufone, Telenor and Zong quietly took back the SMS delivery report service.

  • apni tamaam atiyaat aur sadqaat mobile companies ko day q kay itna profit kamanay kay bawajood yeh bhookay, nangey hain aur bhookay ko khana khilana or nangay ko kapra pehnana sawab ka kaam ha

  • Bohat Khoob Dosto…Thanks to warid that i have warid prepaid connection…but…i just..want to say that…may be in future…charges on SMS Delivery Report…or Charges on Blah Blah Blah…

  • Itnay paisay laga kar services phir b null, yai sub telenor ke karstani hai jis ko PTA nay ijazat day rakhi hai dosri companio ko mashwaray denay ke masheray khas PTA bana ker, fittay muh tera telenor looteri.

    Warid walay paisay laga ker kia karain gay? un k to har transaction per balance show hota hai LOL

  • Mobilink and warid still not charging any USSD
    How ever telenor provides free balance check via 555
    But ufone and zong charge both ivr as 61 paisy and ussd as 12 paisy

    PTA ko sirf tax or paisa zarorat hay
    Unhen awam k khal say kia in ka bus chaly to fone k button press krny par bhe charges laga den
    Sub bhoky han
    Rates pora krny ka chakar hay sara
    Warna kia postpaid waly asman say utry han
    100 my 100 ki bat karen
    Na FED na service charges
    To kia hum he mlay han in ko jo sirf hamari service he behtar krni hay

    Zardari samed sub bhoky
    Lotary or chor han

    Pakistan tum he to ho

    Jis my sub k khal utarti hay

  • Soon Telenor & Etisalat(Ufone) is launching their services in India. It will be interesting to see whether these companies have the guts to impose such un-ethical charges in india. Ya ye sirf Pakistan specific taxes hain.
    Telenor, Mobilink are also working in Bangladesh with more or less same usage pattern but they havn’t impose such taxes there.Pakistan main sahab & Authority ko kch pay kro aur jaise marzi LOOTOOOOOOOOO

  • No Zaffar its we who bear everything, koi tax lage, koi utility na mile ham bardaasht karte hain tou we ALL are equally responsible for every fault

  • Whay You Charged For Balance Chack Because You Have alrady Charged 5%Service Charges
    This is A Very Bad Decision Of Company.

  • These are all bull shits. ufone charge 12 Pasaa, iss ki koi worth nahi, per ye compania iss ka bad or kisim ka tax lagay gi.. lagta haii.. ka ya company cahtii hai k sub log ab ufone sa warid join karla..

    : – )

  • Telecommunication companies have started sucking the blood of customers. all companies have taken decision to charge 10 paisa upon every balance check without permission of PTA. PTA is there to secure customer rights.

    i am user, i need to check balance and my amount will be deducted upon every balance check and i have no way to escape into. this is imposition on us and we are compelled to bear this exploitation so there shud be some one who may bring some flexibility for us and this is none else but PTA.

    i think warid has been doing best. it used to tell the call cost after every call and also remaining amount. and many times it happened to me that they deducted extra money and when i checked i called to CSR and had my rebate. but now warid has gone one step down and only tell remaing amount.

    i request to authorities that plz secure our rights too. and make such a plan which is neither against these telecommunication companies and nor harmful for customers. for e.g PTA shud direct all companies that:-

    1) show the remaining balance after every call to the customer so that he may recharge if amount is low or get rebate if wrong deduction (low amount criteria differs from person to person. for a business man 500 is low amount and for a commoner 20 is a low amount).

    2) three balance checks shud be free in a day.

    3) it should tell also that its ur first balance chack try and 2 tries remaing and so on every time.

    if PTA applies these rules then these campanies will be happy and customers also will not be exploited. both parties will be happy.

    if PTA debates with these companies and advise them to impose anything but with a limit, ethics and flexibility then it shows PTA as an authority and influential entity and its beneficialness for public and if PTA lets these companies apply rules partially then who will secure our rights? and moreover ppl will not be checking their balance and these companies will get open field to play blunders with trillions of rupees and possibly one day some scandal may emerges in newspapers, PTA might be held in court to support this rule which leads to corruption. so plz create a balance in both side rights. dont let them do whatever they want and let the people do audit of their amount themselves.

  • For check free balance from all companies just visit franchise and say “Balance maloom karna hai” so if it take rush on office for only balance inquiry than companies will do free balance check again. That is stupid tip but for keep companies right this kind of stupid tip needed.

    Kind regards,

    Vicky

  • **444## is not working now for balance inquiry, telenor
    plz if any body know new coad so inform me plz

    • Ali dont worry yaar. just register even with your prepaid connection with telenor.com.pk/weblounge and check free balance of your connection free from your web account.

  • Whay You Charged For Balance Chack Because You Have alrady Charged 5%Service Charges
    This is A Very Bad Decision Of Company.


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