The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has begun issuing licences to virtual private network (VPN) service providers under the restored Class Value Added Services (CVAS-Data) regime, formally opening the market for regulated VPN services in the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the PTA said the initiative aims to streamline the provision of secure and lawful VPN services while ensuring compliance with national regulations and data protection standards.
As part of the first round of licensing, the authority has granted CVAS-Data class licences to Alpha 3 Cubic (Steer Lucid), Zettabyte (Crest VPN), Nexilium Tech (Kestrel VPN), UKI Conic Solutions (QuiXure VPN) and Vision Tech 360 (Kryptonyme VPN).
According to PTA, these companies are authorised to provide VPN services to individuals and organisations strictly for legitimate use.
The authority added that users can now obtain VPN services directly from these licensed providers without approaching the PTA separately for the registration of IP addresses or mobile numbers — a requirement that had been in place for several years. The measure, it said, is expected to enhance regulatory facilitation, improve user convenience and strengthen cybersecurity.
Last year, PTA allowed freelancers to register their VPNs using mobile numbers after the government decided against banning VPNs, following a legal opinion by the Law Ministry that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 does not grant the federal government authority to impose such a ban.
Discover more from Brackly News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
