The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued an advisory to the telecom companies as parts of the country are reeling from flash floods and landsliding amid the ongoing monsoon spell.
For this end, according to the advisory, the PTA has established a National Emergency Telecommunication Coordination Centre (NETCC).
All telecom companies have been instructed to activate contingency plans for emergency situations, the advisory states.
The PTA has directed that uninterrupted provision of mobile and internet services must be ensured in flood-affected areas. It has also instructed operators to secure telecom infrastructure in sensitive areas.
In case of a major technical disruption, immediate notification must be given to PTA Headquarters, the advisory notes.
Operators are also required to submit service restoration reports every six hours, as per PTA directives.
Mobile operators have been instructed to provide flood-related awareness and evacuation plans to the public. Emergency contact numbers and flood-related information should be made available in national and regional languages, PTA directed.
The advisory further states that priority communication support should be provided to relief personnel in emergency situations.
Where necessary, temporary mobile units should be deployed in flood-affected areas, it adds.
Local loop operators must activate their franchises in flood-hit regions to address customer complaints, the PTA said.
Teams should be deployed at top-up points to handle user complaints, the advisory added.
PTA also instructed that continuous provision of basic services, including SIMs, balance recharge, and others, must be ensured.
Lastly, trained personnel should be deployed at local and regional levels for field operations, the advisory concluded.
