Check Your Home Internet Contract: What PTA's Standard ISP Contract Gives You in Pakistan
PTA's standard ISP contract lets you leave any time and sets deposit, outage and disconnection limits. Check your home internet form against it before you sign.
Short answer: PTA publishes a standard contract for internet service providers. In it you can leave at any time, get a device deposit back within 30 days, receive 15 days' notice before disconnection, 7 days' notice of a price change, and have service restored within 24 hours after you fix the cause. Use it as a checklist before you sign.
The installer arrives with a form and a pen. Fibre goes in the same day. The fine print you never read says what happens when the line fails or you want to leave. PTA already wrote a model for that fine print, and it is public.
We read PTA's Standard Contract of Service for Internet Service Providers and the Code of Commercial Practice for class value added service licensees, which covers ISPs. Both are on PTA's website. They are templates, so your signed copy may differ, and this guide shows you what to compare.
Confirm the provider is licensed before you pay
PTA publishes lists of licensees. Home internet companies usually hold a fixed local loop licence, a class value added services licence, or a new district level internet licence. Check the company name against these lists before you give any deposit.
PTA's list page has separate files for each licence type, and one for the "Class License for Internet Services at District Level". When we opened that list on 11 October 2026 we counted 103 licence numbers in it. A name that appears on none of the lists is a warning sign. Ask the company for its licence number, then look for it. For how district licences work, see how the district internet licence is applied for, and for what happens to unlicensed operators, the PTA and FIA raids on illegal ISPs.
The standard contract lets you leave at any time
Clause 6.2 of the standard contract says the customer may withdraw usage at any time during the billing period without giving a reason or notice. The provider may terminate only by prior written notice, if you default on payment for three consecutive months.
If your own contract sets a lock-in period or an early exit fee, point to this clause and ask the provider to explain the difference. The template also says the device stays the provider's property, and you must hand it back in good working condition when the contract ends.
| Topic | What the standard contract says |
|---|---|
| Leaving the service | You may withdraw at any time during the billing period, without a reason |
| Device deposit | Returned within 30 days after the service ends |
| Warranty on the device | Repaired or replaced at no cost during the term, with listed exceptions |
| Planned outage | 30 days' prior notice |
| Price change | 7 days' prior notice |
| Disconnection | 15 days' notice with the reason and the steps to avoid it |
| Restoration | Within 24 hours after you take the remedial steps |
Money terms must be disclosed in advance and in writing
The contract says all charges shall be informed to the consumer in advance in writing. Deposits for a device are returned within 30 days once service ends. The Code of Commercial Practice adds that bills are free, and an itemised soft copy is emailed at no cost.
The code says a security deposit paid at installation is adjusted in the final bill, and any remaining amount is paid within 30 working days. Where the contract says 30 days and the code says 30 working days, ask the provider which one its form uses.
Bill disputes have a set path. You must still pay the bill by the due date and tell the provider the invoice number, the amount, the reason and any supporting document. If the provider decides in your favour, the amount is adjusted in the next month's bill. Non-payment for two months can lead to suspension, and for three consecutive months to termination.
Outages, suspension and restoration have time limits
Planned outages need 30 days' prior notice. For an unplanned fault the provider must tell you the reason and expected restoration time. Disconnection needs 15 days' notice with reasons, cannot be used for a service you have paid up, and must leave emergency numbers working.
Restoration should come within 24 hours after you take the steps to fix the cause. That is the figure in the ISP template. PTA's December 2025 amendment for mobile operators sets a tighter four hours, as we explain in the guide on services started without consent. Do not assume the mobile figure applies to your home line. Check your own contract.
For speed and quality, the contract points to PTA's standards. Our guide to the 80 percent speed benchmark for home broadband shows the numbers.
Complain in order: provider, written complaint, PTA
The contract says the provider must address a complaint within 48 hours. If it is not resolved, put the complaint in writing, and the provider must investigate and resolve it within three working days. After that you can go to PTA's Consumer Protection Directorate.
- Call or message the provider and ask for a ticket number. Note the time.
- If 48 hours pass with no fix, send a written complaint by email or the provider's form. Keep the copy.
- If three working days pass, file with PTA. The contract names complaint@pta.gov.pk and PTA's zonal offices.
- Attach the contract, bills, ticket numbers and test results.
- If both sides cannot agree, the template provides for one arbitrator agreed by both parties.
PTA's complaint system and app have their own steps. We cover them in how to complain about a telecom operator.
Common questions
Can I cancel my home internet at any time?
The standard contract says yes: the customer may withdraw at any time during the billing period without giving a reason or notice. Check whether your own contract adds anything.
How long does the provider have to return my deposit?
The standard contract says deposits for a device are returned within 30 days after the service ends. The Code of Commercial Practice says 30 working days for the remainder after adjusting the bill.
How much notice must I get before disconnection?
Fifteen days, with the reason and the steps you can take to avoid it, delivered by a listed channel such as SMS, email or the invoice.
Is this contract binding on every ISP?
It is PTA's standard form, and amendments need PTA approval. Your signed copy is what binds you, so compare it with this model clause by clause.
Who do I complain to when the provider ignores me?
First the provider, in writing. Then PTA's Consumer Protection Directorate or a zonal office, by post, in person or by email.
Does this cover mobile data SIMs?
No. It covers fixed home and office internet providers. Mobile operators have separate consumer protection regulations.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on Sunday 11 October 2026. We read the Standard Contract of Service for ISPs and the Code of Commercial Practice for VTS and ISP licensees from PTA's Code of Commercial Practice and Standard Contract page, and the district internet licence list on PTA's list of operators page. The documents are templates, and their file names carry the date 8 March 2022. Your signed contract and any later PTA directive prevail.
About the author
Technology Journalist & Multimedia Producer
Ahmad Ali is a technology journalist and multimedia producer at Pakistan Era, joining the team in October 2026. He covers consumer technology and digital life for Pakistani readers, combining research with hands-on product testing.
