According to the information we have got, Mobilink will deduct 10 paisas, as call setup charges, on every call made by Mobilink customers after January 1st, 2013.
This charge of 10 paisas will be deducted for each call and will be applied to all Mobilink customers.
Just to mention, call setup charges are per call charges and not per-min charges. Call setup charges will apply for answered calls only, even if they last for just one second.
For example, if your usual call rate is 70 paisas per 30 second then after this new “Call Setup Charges” your call rate will become 80 paisas per 30 second for first thirty seconds and 70 paisas per 30 seconds after initial 30 seconds.
All operators are already charging 7 percent extra fee – by naming it maintenance fee, admin fee or operational fee – on every card reload. Similarly, charges on balance inquiry and paid helplines were also imposed by one operator after another.
In view of past record of Pakistani cellular industry, it is believed that other networks will follow the suite by imposing call setup charges. Hence, the customers of all networks should remain prepared to pay extra for each call they will make in coming time.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is likely to not to hinder the decision, as it had once explicitly said that cellular operators are free to impost charges on the services they offer.