The government has approved a major increase in charges for radio-based services (RBS) after nearly 25 years, aiming to recover rising administrative costs. The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approved the new fee structure last week, affecting around 1,100 radio networks and mobile stations across Pakistan.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) revealed that RBS fees had remained unchanged since the year 2000, despite inflation climbing over 700% during this period. The updated rates now bring a 361.3% rise for 748 private radio stations, increasing their license fee from Rs76 million to Rs350 million.
Mobile station users, such as aircraft and ships covered by 144 licensees, will face a 300% fee hike. Their charges have jumped from Rs713,000 to Rs2.852 million. Meanwhile, amateur radio license holders, Inmarsat users, and microwave DRS link operators will now pay double their previous amounts.
As a result of this new fee structure, PTA expects its revenue to rise sharply from Rs131.4 million to Rs463 million—marking a 252% overall increase. However, foreign exchange earnings are expected to decline by 18%, dropping from $2.021 million to $1.66 million annually.
The ECC criticized the long delay in revising the fees and directed the Ministry of IT and Telecom to ensure fee adjustments every three to five years. The committee emphasized the importance of staying updated with economic changes and telecom sector advancements.
The PTA is responsible for assigning frequencies, issuing licenses, and managing the fee structure for all RBS-related services. Officials stated that the outdated rates no longer covered the growing costs of regulation and spectrum management, making this revision necessary.