ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has proposed the freelancer category for the commercial use of virtual private networks (VPN).
The development after the government started banning VPNs, the use of which surged as people used them to access X, for several reasons. Authorities claimed the private network is also being used to bypass restrictions to access pornographic content and other immoral content.
PTA spokesperson said any individual can register a VPN on their device for commercial use and applications can be made in the category of freelancers.
The regulatory authority statement, further, said that the process of registering VPNs has been easier, adding that IT companies, banks and freelancers can register private networks through the PTA website.
Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) members can also benefit from this facility, the spokesperson said. It also stated that “more than 20,000 companies and freelancers have registered VPN so far.”
How to register device to use VPN
To register with the telecommunication authority to use a VPN, it is necessary to complete the online application form with provide basic details. The details include identity card numbers, company registration details, and taxpayer status.
For freelancers, it is mandatory to provide proof of affiliation with their project or company for verification. Applicants will have to provide an IP address for VPN connectivity.
Call centers have the option to whitelist IP addresses to improve security and functionality. For video conferences, companies can whitelist IP addresses to facilitate seamless communication, PTA said.
The applicants may visit the PTA portal to apply for registration or IP whitelisting. Moreover, the spokesperson said the VPN registration process is free and approval takes 8 to 10 hours. However, a fee is required for whitelisting five or more IPs.
