Fact Check – Reports of Play Store Services ending on December 1st are not true

The reports of Google Play Store services to be ending in Pakistan on December 1st, 2022 turn out to be false and are only based on speculations. The Android app store services will keep working for the users in country with no interruption.

Google, however, may end the mobile carrier billing due to non-payments to the services provider by the telco operators in Pakistan. For people who do not know what’s this “mobile carrier billing”, shouldn’t really be worried about anything as it won’t hurt them for not even knowing.

On the other hand, the users who were using this method as their payment method on Play Store will not be able to continue using this method to buy apps and services.

The reports of the blockade of the services popped out as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) stopped the payments of $34 million to global companies such as Google, Meta, and Amazon. The country’s central bank had to do that in order to prevent the outflow of the US currency.

It is worth noting that the restrictions of using Play Store services only apply to using the payment method “Mobile Carrier Billing”. Users will continue to be able to buy apps and services through credit or debit cards.

MoITT has released a statement of advising the finance ministry to take immediate action and instruct the State Bank to continue making payments. The minister, Amin ul Haq also advised to include its ministry in the future decisions about IT and telcom industry.

“A letter was written to the IT Ministry on behalf of all the telecom operators,” the minister stated, “in the letter, concerns were expressed regarding the suspension of payment to Google by the State Bank.”

It’s suggested that the mobile carrier billing option will be restored in the Google Play Store if SBP allow the payment of the pending $34 million.

Financial experts explain it as to keep the rupee value in control temporarily for as long as possible. A similar strategy came to our knowledge in June 2022 when the State Bank reportedly held the inflow of dollars before releasing them in local currency to freelancers and IT services exporters in the country. That also included AdSense payments which were reportedly delayed for up to five days.