The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has offered Long Distance International (LDI) licenses to two more companies as a part of the ongoing deregulation of the telecom sector.
Sources in the PTA said that the authority offered LDI licenses to Dynasty Telecom Private Limited and HG Telecom Private Limited. PTA offered the LDI licenses after the companies paid a license fee of $0.5 million and fulfilled other requirements.
Both companies are now in the process of submitting $10 million in bank guarantees for the laying of a 1,500 km optical fiber cable, and they will be issued LDI licenses after the submission of bank guarantees.
The sources said that no clearance is required as both companies are local and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The clearance from the Ministry of Interior is mandatory for international firms or companies with foreign directors.
After the issuance of the LDI license, the two private companies will be able to provide fixed-line telecommunication services in the country. With the addition of the two companies, the number of LDI operators will increase to 19. Currently, 17 LDI operators, including Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and National Telecom Corporation (NTC), are providing services in Pakistan.
The PTA opened LDI licenses after eight years, and the first LDI license in eight years was issued to Cyber Internet Service Private Limited on 14 June 2022.
