Golden era PTCL. A small thread.

The generation born after 2000, late 90's would NEVER understand the importance of PTCL in our lives. The time when we did not have that little self remote controls in our hands. Communication needed struggle to run to the landline first.

One phone bell had a meaning. Only those can understand that meaning who feel nostalgic after watching the movie "Dil chahta hai"
After that specific phone bell, one would be present in the diameter where phone call could be recieved quickly and by themselves

There used to be a race to pick up the phone depending on the number of teenagers in the family lol.
The art to talk on landline in the lounge with controlled voice so that you cannot be heard or understood.
If parent(s) are in the lounge then it's a wrong number!

What if abu/ami picks up the phone then you would hear someone asking for someone random and apologizing for dialing a wrong number.
Sometimes it used to be a dead call. And the elders would wonder "ye Pata nahi kon hai jo awaz sun ker phone band ker deta hai"

In around 1999 there came CLI. People got excited and bought CLI. It was a paid service. Young hearts were hurt. But soon they learned to delete the call log. Some families didn't get the service cuz "hamain kon sa Bill Clinton ki call ani hai"
Young hearts there were happy.

PTCL had its importance in late 90's, early 20 the most. We all remember that annoying and soothing sound of dialup connection. Mirc, orkut, hi5, msn messenger were all dependent on our landline. We couldn't browse n walk like you thankless brats.

We had to have a balance between our internet usage and landline usage. Cuz the only means of communication, our PTCL used to be busy due to the dialup. Mobile phones were there in many houses but we didn't have the auqat to own one. Incoming calls were even charged

Then in 2000- 2002, normal bouyses started having their own cellphones. Incoming was free. BUT BURA WAQT BATA KER NAHI ATA.

One fine day we woke up. And our PTCL BILL had all the mobile numbers dialed. Many eyes were wet, many faces were swollen. It was a dark dark day.

That day was like a karma. Parents had the PTCL Bill in their hands and we had no explanation why that one specific mobile number was dialed 300 baar a month.
We denied. Called it an error. Called it calls chori. Even our parents got confused.
WE REFUSED TO ACCEPT!

It took some time to normalize the things. Urgent 2nd hand cellphones were bought and exchanged n hidden. Those who couldn't would prefer recieving the calls rather than dialing.
And one more important part was the midnight calls where we mastered the art of talking in whisper

It was an art to turn off the shrieking bell of the phone set and pick up the call at exact 1am, Keeping and eye on the light from your parents room, talking in a whisper. We couldn't walk n talk like you guys do outside the house. We struggled and the struggle was hard!

In 2003, ptcl had a massive downfall cuz the DSL connection came and nokia 3310 was hidden safe somewhere. We could talk on phone while being in our room and no one would know lol. But the Golden era of PTCL cannot be forgotten.
Thank you!