Government Hikes RBS Charges After 25 Years

Islamabad, July 28, 2025, 10:31 PM PKT — After nearly 25 years, the government has approved a landmark increase in radio-based services (RBS) charges, including mobile stations, to offset administrative costs, decided last week by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), impacting 1,100 radio networks, per media reports. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) noted fees, unchanged since 2000 despite over 700% inflation, now see a 361.3% hike for 748 private radio networks (from Rs76 million to Rs350 million per license) and a 300% rise for 144 mobile stations (from Rs713,000 to Rs2.852 million) for aircraft and ships. 165 amateur radio licenses, 17 Inmarsat, and 19 microwave DRS links fees have doubled to Rs320,000, Rs1.25 million, and Rs107.84 million, respectively.

The PTA anticipates revenue soaring to Rs463 million from Rs131.4 million (a 252% jump), though foreign exchange revenue drops 18% from $2.021 million to $1.66 million. The ECC, frustrated by the outdated structure, mandated the Ministry of IT and Telecom to revise fees every three to five years, aligning with economic shifts and technological advances, as previous costs no longer match license management or spectrum oversight. Web context shows telecom policy shifts, while posts found on X reflect concern—some note revenue needs, others question impact. Critically, the narrative of “cost recovery” may mask economic strain—web data hints at past delays, and X sentiment suggests distrust in fair implementation, pointing to potential backlash.