LDI operators primarily provide international incoming and outgoing telecom services. Most of the 10 operators’ licenses are set to expire between July and August 2024. The operators include Worldcall, Redtone, ADG-LDI, Telecard, Dancom, Wiscomm, Circlenet, Wateen, 4B-Gentel, and Multinet. Many of these operators have not yet paid their overdue contributions to the Universal Service Fund (USF), which was part of their 20-year license agreements.
The total outstanding principal amount reportedly stands at Rs24 billion, and the PTA has urged these operators to settle their dues to renew their licenses for another 20 years. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications has reconstituted a steering committee to address this issue.
Earlier media reports suggested that the PTA had expressed concern during a meeting of the IT standing committee, warning that the non-renewal of LDI licenses could have a significant impact on the telecom sector. According to documents presented at the meeting, the potential effects included disruptions to mobile traffic, internet services, banking operations, and international communication services.
However, the PTA has issued a statement dismissing these reports as “fake news.” The authority clarified that there is currently no issue regarding the non-availability or closure of LDI networks that could impact the IT or financial sectors, including ATM networks. The PTA emphasized that the operations of the LDI licensees with expired licenses have not been suspended or shut down.
