Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has partnered with ConnectHear to improve customer service accessibility. The company will install SILA, an AI-powered sign language agent, at selected customer care centers. The rollout will begin in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
The new system will help Deaf and hard-of-hearing customers communicate with PTCL representatives through sign language. It aims to make telecom services easier to access for people who face communication barriers. The companies announced the partnership on September 15, 2026.
How SILA Will Improve PTCL Customer Services
SILA will bring sign language support directly to PTCL customer care centers. Deaf customers will be able to use the AI-powered system to communicate their questions and service needs.
The technology is designed to support more direct communication between customers and service representatives. It may also reduce the need for customers to depend on family members or human interpreters.
PTCL has not yet shared the complete technical details of SILA. The company has also not confirmed how many customer centers will receive the system or when the rollout will expand to other cities.
What PTCL Officials Said
PTCL Chief Marketing Officer Amad Khan said the partnership builds on earlier efforts to improve accessibility. These efforts included training customer-facing employees and using technology to address communication barriers.
He said PTCL wants connectivity to be meaningful for everyone, including customers who need accessible communication services.
PTCL and ConnectHear’s Earlier Accessibility Work
The partnership between PTCL and ConnectHear builds on their previous accessibility projects. In 2025, ConnectHear and Ufone 4G launched SUNO, an AI-powered early warning system for the Deaf community.
SUNO delivers emergency alerts in Pakistani Sign Language through WhatsApp. The system was developed to help Deaf and hard-of-hearing people receive important information during emergencies, including natural disasters.
The project received support from the GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Fund. It also used Ufone’s network to distribute sign language video alerts.
PTCL’s sustainability reporting has also documented collaboration with ConnectHear on sign language training for customer service representatives. This shows that the companies began working on accessibility before the launch of SILA.
When Will SILA Be Available?
PTCL will begin installing SILA at customer care centers in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. However, the company has not yet announced the complete rollout schedule.
Details about additional cities, customer access and the number of participating centers are also pending. Customers should wait for official PTCL updates about availability.
The initiative adds to PTCL and ConnectHear’s ongoing work to make telecom services more accessible for Pakistan’s Deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
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