Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has expanded the registration time frame for cell phones to 90 days and explained that there are no limitations on the utilization of video conferencing applications for instructive organizations or industries because of the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.
All the institutions and organizations can utilize legitimate Voice over Internet Protocols (VoIP) and Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and video conferencing applications to proceed with online exercises without limitations and need not to bother with extra consent, the PTA has stated, in the wake of inquiries from institutions about beginning online classes.
PTA stated that, “All legal VoIPs and VPNs and video conferencing apps such as WhatsApp, Skype, Google Meets, Zoom, Blue Jeans, Cisco WebEx, Team viewer, Meraki VPN and a lot more are accessible to be used for online education and business”.
A senior official said that there had been misunderstanding among numerous internet service providers about online classes and conference calls for the education sector and businesses.
Furthermore, the official said “there are some business consultations that needs overseas calls too – and it has been explained that voice transfer facility can be gained from all the licensed service providers and licensed LDI operators,”
The Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (ISPAK) also expressed doubts that the PTA has blocked the related IP addresses and the registration process is hard.
But the authority denied the ISPAK’s concerns and said voice traffic over illegal means are spotted by the PTA’s web management system. “PTA is only taking action against those using VoIP and VPNs for terminating illegal traffic. All virtual solutions have to be routed through the legal channels which the PTA calls the white list.”
PTA further said that in a meeting with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT) and the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) to streamline the IP white listing process and address stakeholder concerns.
The PTA educated the gathering that its IP white listing guidelines were accessible on its website and requests are prepared inside 24 hours by the controller.
According to PTA he procedure for IP whitelisting is basic and the candidate needs to move toward its specialist organization which will hold up its whitelisting demand with PTA alongside fundamental technical detail.
The authority has additionally expanded the period for mobile devices enrollment by a month, carrying it from 60 to 90 days. It said that on account of the remarkable conditions, the hindering of unregistered mobile set IMEIs that should have been obstructed between March 18 and April 18 will currently start from April 19 relying upon the due date of every gadget.
Under the Device Identification Registration Blocking System, every single mobile set associated with nearby systems utilizing neighborhood SIM cards are dependent upon enlistment inside 60 days from first use on nearby systems in Pakistan.