PTCL DSL: Broadband Billing Blunders
PTCL sucks! Everybody knows this but we are still lusted and tempted by their marketing hype and sales gimmicks. While PTCL management has re-branded the exterior with new slogans, designer furnishings and cool advertisements, it is still the old cobweb-dangling bureaucratic dinosaur.
I had the misfortune of applying for PTCL DSL (aka Broadband) in June 2007. As noted earlier, it took them a month to activate the connection. At that time I thought better late than never and maybe PTCL is going to deliver this time. However, the honeymoon period ended in few days and I have started having issues with the connection, ranging from frequent disconnections to poor quality of service.
Frustrated with the service and making several attempts to get it resolved, I decided to call it a day in last week of October 2007. I requested for a disconnection and got confirmation from their IVR that the account is terminated (details here).
To my surprise, next month’s bill still got DSL charges into it. I went to my exchange and asked them to sort this out. After spending good time with the Accounts, DSL and Customer Support departments and winding up and down hundreds of stairs, they determined that DSL account is really terminated and eventually the bill was adjusted accordingly.

Three months passed and I almost forgot about PTCL DSL blues. However, my joy was short-termed as PTCL still had me in its books. I got shock of the month when I received latest phone bill, because PTCL has thumped hefty amount as DSL charges. So, started another journey to the exchange and following happened afterwards:
According to DSL Support person at my exchange, while my DSL connection is terminated, billing is not stopped and I have to personally visit Broadband Head Office at Clifton to sort this out. On my inquiry as to why I was billed after 3 months, he said there was some fault in the system and many DSL consumers have not received DSL charges in past two months.
According to DSL Control Room person at PTCL Broadband Head Office, Clifton, I have not returned my modem, that’s why I am getting billed. I asked him that if I have not returned the modem, why my account is terminated as per PTCL policy they do not close account unless they get their things back (Modem, Splitter etc). Also, why I am billed after two months? He had no answers for that. Eventually he decided to remove DSL charges, made comments on the bill and asked me to go to Accounts Department.
The Accounts Department guy issued me a letter from ‘Senior Manager Broadband’ which stated that they had considered my case in a meeting of Regional Vigilance Committee meeting and decided to issue a waiver. This is big lie as clearly there was no such meeting and letter was printed off the cuff.
The letter also stated that the service was not closed earlier due to ‘stuck in BNCC‘. I fail to comprehend why the guys at Clifton are unable to close the account when it was clearly terminated in October, as confirmed by DSL people in my exchange.
The letter was given to me and I was told to take it to SRO and get my bill adjusted, which I did. Coming back to my elements, I checked the letter closely and it was dawned on me that the letter had incorrect phone number. Due to a typo the last four digits were jumbled up. Fortunately, the SRO was unable to notice it.

I have observed that while PTCL Customer Support staff (Front Office) has plush environment, the Back Office staff (Accounts, DSL Support, Customer Support) is working in miserable conditions. They do not have proper cooling, drinking water for customers was not seen any where. The DSL support people were sitting in a small room with cobwebs hanging and wires dangling every where. Their computers were without UPS and restarted twice during my 30-minutes stay.
Note: Certain information on the bill and letter is hidden to protect privacy
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March 14th, 2009 22:58 GMT
INCREASE YOUR DSL INTERNET SPEED
if your connection is getting low speed then doo following it surely helps,.
1) apnay ghar ma jo ptcl ka black wire araha hai…us say aur apkay computer tak jo taaar araha hai usko dobara say naya jor lagain….. becoz wire per carbon ajata hai….ya wire loose jor laga howa hota hai….ya telephone ki dabbi k screw dhealy hongay……..
2) ptcl ka black wire jo ghar ma araha hai… us say computer / telphone tak k wire ko alag kardain….aur direct telephone black wire per laga kar check karain k line main shore tou nahi…..distortion..
3) appka ghar apkay area k telephone exchange say 2 - 3 km k andar hai…tou appp kay paaas achi speed aeee gi..
4) ya ptcl k line man ko 100 Rs do aur kahao k meray computer tak sary wire check karooo…. line main shore nahi hona chahiya….
5) app kay computer tak jo taaar araha hai wo achi qaulity ka hooo……………
I am saying all this becoz i was previously using MAXCOM…. unkay admi nay oooper sari batooo k maday nazar rakh kar connection lagaya tha…. aur computer tak achi quality ka wire dala
jab k ptcl k admi aya aur bekar sa connection bana kar gaya tha…..
January 30th, 2009 21:50 GMT
PLEASE SEND ME EVERY LEAVE POLICY OF PTCL STAFF
January 12th, 2009 12:42 GMT
Hi Shumail,
You can use LINKdotNET also services Avalible in Karachi.
fotr details:www.link.net.pk Call:111-600-111
i am also enjoying LINKdotNET (DSL,SMS4NET,Gaming Portal and Hello Community)
So you can avail all like me. i am using LDN from Last year and never ever faced any critical isue.
January 5th, 2009 23:30 GMT
well i live i khi and in my are ptcl broadband is not available is isnt starange..they say tht they will start it soon.after eid…but EID never comes..