Checking a PTCL internet or Flash Fiber bill online can stop on this line, even when the account details are correct.
Not a Valid Account ID 1Subs according to msisdn XXXXXX query does not exist.
This means even if you entered a correct phone number, but now PTCL requires area code. So if you did not enter the area code, you may see that error message. Before the PTCL bill checker tool was working even without area code, but entering area code is compulsory.
- Local number only, with no area code Used to work. Fails now.
- Area code immediately followed by the local number, no spaces and no hyphen What works now
What the mesage is telling you
The checker sent the number you typed and did not find a matching account. The words “query does not exist” mean that lookup failed. Now the PTCL requires area code/city code before the phone number.
The area code change from city to city. For example, 051 is the area code of Islamabad, 021 for Karachi, 042 for Lahore and so on. Check Area Code Directory for to find area code of your city.
Why a correct account can still fail
A correct account can still produce this message. The cause is the phone number, not a wrong account. Some people enter the local number and leave the area code out. That used to work. It does not work now. The checker only works if the full number includes the area code.
Example: what used to work, and what to enter now
Use the figures below as an example of the pattern. They are not a particular customer’s account, and they are not a number to look up.
| Part | Example |
|---|---|
| Local number | 540590 |
| Area code | 0547 |
| What used to work | 540590 |
| What to enter now | 0547540590 |
The number must include the area code. Do not leave a space between the parts. Type the area code first, then the local number immediately after it: 0547540590.
How to tell the area code from the local number
The area code is the city code at the front of the full number. The local number is the rest. In the example, 0547 is the area code and 540590 is the local number.
On an old bill the two parts are sometimes printed separately. You can also use the digits you already add in front of the local number when you dial that line from another city. Keep the leading zero that belongs to the area code. In the example, that zero is the first digit of 0547, so the full entry starts with 0.
Do not enter a hyphen (-). Some people type the phone number like 051-5234335. Enter 0515234335 instead. Take out spaces and brackets the same way. 0547 540590 and 0547-540590 are not the same entry as 0547540590.
What to type on the bill check
- Write down the area code, including its leading zero.
- Write the local number straight after it.
- Delete every space and every hyphen. A number written as 051-5234335 has to be entered as 0515234335.
- Enter that single number in the phone field. If the form also asks for an account ID, enter the account ID in its own field.
On BillHelp, the PTCL phone field is labeled “Phone No (Also add area code)”. The sample in the box is 0511234567. Use your own area code and local number in that same joined style. Open the check on the PTCL bill page.
If it still fails
Try these in order, and stop when the bill opens.
- Full number with the leading zero. Type the area code and the local number again, and look at the first digit. For the example, the entry is 0547540590. Dropping the zero makes 547540590, which is a different number.
- Confirm it is the Flash Fiber or internet account. This guide is for a PTCL internet or Flash Fiber bill check. A landline voice account can use a different lookup. This article does not say voice landline bills fail with the same message.
- Ask PTCL. If the full number and the account ID are both correct and the message is still there, contact PTCL. The duplicate bill page prints this line: “Call us at 0800-80-800”.
What PTCL’s duplicate bill page says
There is no PTCL notice about this “Not a Valid Account ID” message, and no notice that explains why the digits change.
The live duplicate bill form is at dbill.ptcl.net.pk/PTCLSearchInvoice.aspx. The phone label is “Enter Phone No:”. Under it, in red, the form says “(With Area Code)”. The next label is “Enter Account ID:”. The phone box has no placeholder text.
The searching guide on the same site still has an older landline sentence. Under “PSTN (PTCL Landline)” it says: “You have to enter the correct phone number without area code e.g. 234567.” That page is BillSearchingGuide.aspx. It does not match the red line on the form.
If you are checking an internet or Flash Fiber bill and you see the error at the top of this guide, follow the red line on the form and the example above. Enter the area code immediately followed by the local number, with no spaces. Do not stop at the local number because the older guide says “without area code”.
Three quick answers
Can the account be correct and still show this message?
Yes. It happens when the phone number is entered without the area code. That used to work. The checker now needs the area code and the local number joined together.
What exactly should I type?
In the example, area code 0547 and local number 540590 become 0547540590. No spaces. Use your own area code and local number the same way.
I don't know my area code, where can I find it?
For your convenience, we have published a full list of area codes of all cities in Pakistan. Click here and enter your city name to find your area code.
