950820

PTC launches

free phone

service

for 3 cities

KARACHI: Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation (PTC) has launched its Free Phone 0800 Service in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad with 1000 lines network all over the country.

This was stated by the General Manager Karachi Telecommunication Region, Captain Mohammad Zahir in a briefing to the press here on Sunday. He said initially 1000 lines each will be available for subscribers in three major cities and the service will be expanded to other 13 major cities in the country in future.

The PTC has also arranged a workshop for its technical staff 'including engineers here at a local hotel. A PTC technical team headed by the Chief Engineer, Public Sector Project (PSP)' Nooruddin Baqai explained the function of the 0800 service to PTC staff. Team included Pervaiz Akhtar, Director Technical Assistance Centre Islamabad and Ansar Qureshi.

Captain Zahir said it was a pilot project, initiated with the help of existing facilities at PTC, adding that this will be expanded in future for eight additional facilities at a cost of $10 million.

He said under the facility, a caller can call its required telephone number in the country without paying any charges. He said PTC will bill this call to its subscriber who registered its number with PTC, after its approval.

He said any individual or business concern can register itself with PTC for availing this facility after paying a tariff, which will be 10 to 15 percent lower than the NWD rates.

He said financial sector, including banks, newspapers, airlines, hotels, shipping lines, utility services, stock exchange, travel agents, trading companies, industrial concerns can get benefits from this service.

He said about 100 leading business sector subscribers were availing universal access number in the city.

He said total telephone subscribers has risen to 2.4 million all over the country, of which Karachi has six lakh subscribers against the capacity of 7.5 lakh.-APP