PTCL to Permanently Retire its Vfone Services

PTCL-Vfone

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has decided to roll back Vfone, company’s wireless phone service, from August 31st, 2014.

Vfone, company’s wireless voice and SMS service, that operated under PTCL’s Wireless Local Loop (WLL) license will be permanently disbanded, we have confirmed with the sources.

PTCL is currently in process of communicating its Vfone customers about the decision. Vfone customers in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad are being offered to obtain wired phone service from the company after August 31st, 2014.

With closure of Vfone, PTCL is apparently aiming to increase spectrum for its wireless broadband EVO services, company’s major revenue generating segment.

With abandoning Vfone, PTCL will be able to allocate its entire WLL spectrum for EVO services.

It must be noted that a lot of customers used to prefer Vfone wireless service over PTCL’s landline wired phone services due to comparatively lesser technical issues as wireless services do not require any physical network which is usually prone to various natural and otherwise damages.

Moreover, Vfone services were used in areas where wired-line landline connections are not available, hence not all Vfone customers may switch to PTCL landline numbers.

According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, PTCL had more than 1.1 million Vfone customers, as compared to 2.9 million landline wired customers till Q4 of 2013.

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • Dear PTCL,
    How do you compensate Customers for your SIM + Handsets which can only be use for CDMA 1x. :/
    Quite Disappoint Step!!!!

  • hmm! definitely a good step as long as the Urban areas are concerned.. Not sure the need to retract the service from Rural places though..

  • Wow! another nail in the coffin. PTCL is in hands of some serious chaos. The next step would be to terminate all old evo 3g services to compensate for the users of Chaar gi.
    Pathetic company, Pathetic decisions.

    • You are right. Their think tanks are pathetic. They leave out their loyal customers just to get new customers.

      • today i called ptcl CS to complain about their reduction in volume of 3g evo for azadi packages and the call centre person was like “sir for life to koi cheez nahi hoti” i really hope the telcos introduce smart 3g 4g packages to get us azadi from these scumbags at ptcl

        • lol PeeeTCL is such a fraudulent company. In case of EVO their only goal is to sell maximum number of devices – no the service. #Pathetic Telecom company limited

    • Ptcl is charging rs 600 as line rent from those who refused to use ptcl broadband i am one of them. Ptcl is saying minimum bill for ptcl connection is rs 600

  • not only this one..but I came to know about closure of WLL phone service in entire country…due to some security issues etc…

  • So what to do with vfone set i had purchased back then. Throw it away? PTCL is best at disappointing its customers and worst on everything else.

    • Perhaps you know Vfone set can be unlocked, it means after unlocking you can use any SIM (perhaps only UIM SIM). If there is any company that supports UIM SIMs then the set is useful.

      • hey can we use as a landline (bhaar me gae WLL service we need to re-use the device for sake of garbage) coz what i was thinkning that now this vphone not in use but can be altered into landline, coz ye pakistan hai jugar to hona chaye. these kina things/devices shouldnt be recycled

  • No need to worry pals .. CMPAK will give tough time to PTCL as it get all licences 2,3,4G LL ,LDI and will deploy worlds fastest optical fiber on land directly from china to pakistan.
    then PTCL will surely cry !!!!

  • This is a result of unfair(commissioned) Privatisation
    These Arab Business men like East India Company does not care for Poor Pakistanis. If they are given free hand they will close land lines, sale real estate and flee.

    • East India comprises best brains loyal to their company. What about these camel jockeys? Except money they have got nothing. This is why once prestigious PTCL is soon going to become thing of past. The decision of handing over its management to Etisalat was merely political as the company does not possess necessary managerial expertise to run such a larger infrastructure. Their sole focus is simply real estate and no one can challenge them as they are above the law of the land because of their royal contacts. Any body who dares to step into their domain is bound to face the music as recently the have got secretary MOIT laid off. So far the Etisalat has paid 20% of the total bid money but no one can dare to demand the balance amount whereas the are reaping all the benefits.

  • Thank you PTCL for this amazing 14th August, Azaadi Gift. A final nail in the coffin. Thank you proving again and again, how unreliable you are. Who knows, who might end the evo service or landline/broadband servies for your own personal reasons. The most unprofessional corporate company. We have only 12 clothes, we’ll get 24 employees to be half naked, and share those 12 clothes, we wont get them 12 more. Instead of improving their services, they keep on cutting down services. There will soon be a day when they will have an FUP of 5 – 10GB per month, mark my words! RIP PTCL.

  • I got a call from 0512069013, recorded msg offered 2 options nd informed about Vfone closure by 31st Aug. What about phone #s if i opt switch on landline. Anyone having clue, plz lemme know .. thanks

    • @areeb:disqus
      You got same Vfone number or not?????

      I am using 02136050177 I was offered Option of same number on landline.I applied on 17 April 2015 and operator assured me of Same Vfone number on Landline but they issued me different number.After complaining lot Now PTCL is barking we can’t give you same Vfone number, No empty Slot in North Karachi Exchange,Vfone Coordinator emailed me that NOW WE ARE NOT OFFERING SAME VFONE NUMBER AS ALTERNATIVE.Worst Customer Service Experience I have ever faced.
      MARD KI AIK ZABAN HOTI HAI PER PTCL WALO KI NHI…Q K YE LOG KUTTEY HAIN

      • You are right probably. I happened to be abroad when I got that msg. Let me be back home, will apply for landline because I suppose that vfone is dead. If they don’t issue same numver then there’s no point using it anymore. I wish they guys stop joking with us :(

  • Very sad today to listen to this news and receiving the AVR from PTCL. I live in a suburban area with no PTCL landline infrastructure. Ufone, EVO have poor reception/signals here. It’s the worst decision by PTCL. I despise this Sheikh’s business concern now. Goodbye Vfone!

  • The dictator sold the only billion $ company of Pakistan( until 2006 PTCL), on a kick back deal . Etisalat paid only 10% of bid amount($250 M) to GOP and took over management against only 26% shares in 2007.
    Etisalat paid installments by earning huge revenues from Pakistan in 2008 & 2009. After that they have stopped paying installments on the ground that they want real estate in their name. They placed illiterate people mostly Arabs on top management of PTCL on a very high establishment cost and looted Pakistani wealth.
    Now they are watching a revolution in Pakistan and they know that in future they can not sold PTCL properties, so they are trying to close low cost services, sale the company to Chaina and flee.

  • Where the heck is the regulator. Where the heck is PTA. Ain’t there no consumer rights in this country?

  • They are going to disconnect 1.1 million users in just 15 days time? Sounds like a load of bull to me.

  • Here I would like to bring 2 things in notice.
    1). Just two days back I was at PTCL exchange and they were still selling Vfone sets to customers, couple of customers bought in front of my eyes. So what if they are shutting down their service how can they accommodate them?

    2). I have one of the PTCL employee close in connection with me, he told me that the Vfone service was fore fully mismanaged by some of the internal line man mafias. This service was a threat for them because people started to use this in order to get rid of wired lines.

  • PTCL’s annual targets included increasing the number of landline subscribers from 2.8 million to 4 million and the only way to achieve this goal is to have the impacted 1.2 million subscribers switch to landline — quite pathetic approach if PTCL’s sales & marketing can’t sell wireline.

  • The network shutdown deadline has been extended till Nov 30, 2014. Just confirmed from their helpline.

  • i did not find any notice of Vfone service termination on PTCL website.
    if anyone finds it please share it with us.

  • hey can we use as a landline (bhaar me gae WLL service we need to re-use the device for sake of garbage) coz what i was thinkning that now this vphone not in use but can be altered into landline, coz ye pakistan hai jugar to hona chaye. these kina things/devices shouldnt be recycled

  • PTCL is just misguiding its customers by saying ”FREE REPLACEMENT OF VFONE WITH SAME NUMBER TO LANDLINE” .I have applied and line man came just after 2 hrs of Order…AMAZING….but after 1 day when we checked our number it was new one and when I called 1236 Operator said ”SIR Vfone ka number Landline me kase milsakta ha….Bull shit…..PTCL Sucks


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