News Analysis |
Telenor, one of the four major cellular mobile operators in Pakistan (others being Zong, Mobilink and Ufone), has so far contributed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of more than $3.5 billion to expand its network and provide modern telecom services, said its CEO to a publication. “Aggressive investment is now in the pipeline to shift 80% of its network to 4G-compatibility by next year”, Telenor Pakistan CEO Irfan Wahab Khan said.
Wahab said that it took twelve years to roll out 2G in the country, three years to roll-out 3G while one-third of the country was covered with 4G in a year and it was envisaged to reach 80% by the next.
CEO Wahab also spoke about Telenor Pakistan’s new office 345, saying that Telenor was transforming its workplace to be innovative and inspire great ideas, adding that for them, innovation goes beyond sophisticated equipment and high-tech settings.
The CEO said that it would require huge chunks of investment, as it would connect far-flung areas through voice as well as data connectivity. Rejecting the notion of building monopoly in the telecom sector, the CEO said that Pakistan was one of the most competitive markets, with lowest voice and data tariffs. “Telenor had emerged as Pakistan’s primary digital lifestyle partner as it continues to lead the country’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-powered digital revolution.”
Also gracing the occasion, Telenor Pakistan Chief Technology Officer Khurrum Ashfaque said that the center makes real-time reconnaissance of network possible to cater to any changes on the go. He also gave a demo of License Assisted Access (LAA) trial of 4.5G services active in selected areas of 345.
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“As we aim for our 4G services to cover over two-thirds of our network in 2018, we are constantly introducing new and improved services for our customers that supplement our expansion efforts,” Ashfaque added.
In Pakistan, cellular mobile subscribers increased to 142.4 million at the end of October, a data regulator report revealed, up 1.12% from 140.76 million in September 2017 with total tele-density standing at 70.71%.
The office is pre-equipped with facilities such as a cafe, library, gym, gaming zone various other rooms to conduct different activities. The new office also has its own water conservation system and solar power to help conserve energy of Islamabad.
Pakistan has seen mammoth growth in the telecom sector, especially in the mobile broadband technology segment owing to the arrival of 3G/4G services in the country in 2014. Meanwhile, the subscriber base of Mobilink, which acquired Warid a few months ago, remained the forerunner in the market with 53.4 million at the end of October, up 1.5% from 52.6 million in September, according to data available on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority website. Telenor remained at the number two position, growing to 40.88 million from 40.73 million in the previous month.
In April 2017, Telenor revealed that its new fabled head office that had been under the works in Gulberg Islamabad, off Islamabad Expressway, was set for a big reveal. The new office covers 15 acres of space costing Telenor a whopping $80 million (approximately PKR 8,426,800,000). For the past several years Telenor’s home has been in the upscale Markaz of F-11, Islamabad.
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The rather small building for a force that exceeds 12,000 employees has always been just a temporary home to one of Pakistan’s largest telecommunication companies. “With such a large employment force came many problems, especially with the parking space of the Markaz which was mostly occupied by the employees of the company. But now, everything has changed as Telenor has opened the doors of its new Headquarter office in Islamabad” an excited Telenor employee told GVS.
In Pakistan, cellular mobile subscribers increased to 142.4 million at the end of October, a data regulator report revealed, up 1.12% from 140.76 million in September 2017 with total tele-density standing at 70.71%.
The new office occupies 15 acres of land and has cost a whopping $80 million to the company for its construction. But the result of spending so much time and money in constructing the office has paid off. The new HQ of Telenor titled ‘Office 345’ is unlike anything Pakistan has ever seen. It’s an architectural marvel from both inside and outside and provides more facilities to its employees than ever before.
The office is pre-equipped with facilities such as a cafe, library, gym, gaming zone various other rooms to conduct different activities. The new office also has its own water conservation system and solar power to help conserve energy of Islamabad. The office space is nothing like the corporate culture in Pakistan has witnessed; with fountains and ponds to a glazing glass structure, the building is everything Telenor boasts of; innovation and style.
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CEO Wahab also spoke about Telenor Pakistan’s new office 345, saying that Telenor was transforming its workplace to be innovative and inspire great ideas, adding that for them, innovation goes beyond sophisticated equipment and high-tech settings.