Ufone announces major cut in rates all-over Pakistan
Pakistan Times Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Amid growing competition among different mobile phone companies of Pakistan, Federal Minister for Information Technology Awais Leghari Friday announced a major reduction in state-run Ufone’s prepaid tariffs saying that from now onward all the Ufone connection users can call anywhere in Pakistan at the rate of Rs 3 per minute.

Ufone is a limb of Pakistan Telecom, the PTCL.

Awais Leghari accompanied by the CEO Ufone Babar Khan was addressing a press conference Friday. He announced a further 50 pc off after 10 pm that would cost Rs 1.5 on outgoing calls. In addition, Leghari said that Ufone prepaid customers would benefit from the lowest SMS rates ie every SMS sent to any Ufone number would now be priced for Re 1 only.

New Trends in Cellular Industry

The reduction in tariff, according to the IT Minister, would set new trends in cellular industry. Ufone has created a benchmark that clearly demonstrates Ufone’s strategy towards providing its customers the best value for money in the market, he added.

Babar Khan while talking to the journalists said that Ufone would provide further benefits to the Ufone community the Ufone customers will get the best rates and service in the market.

He ensured all the Ufone customers the best network quality and most efficient customers’ service. He said, in addition to over 22 owned Ufone service centers, Ufone would shortly have over 150 franchised sales and customer service centers in Pakistan, and it would offer, and provide the same range of exemplary customer services. A second cell centre would be introduced shortly, with expanded capacity to handle and satisfy Ufone customers’ queries and complaints.

Privatization of PTCL

Replying to a question regarding PTCL privatization assuring transparency and level playground, Awais Leghari said that both Ufone and PTCL would be privatized together and ‘for that purpose different companies, some of which are world leading players in information technology, have come forward in open bidding’.

He said Ufone, being an entity of the PTCL, would compete the leading IT operators not only in lowering the rates but also to ensure coverage and quality network.

The minister said with the privatization of PTCL all the problems regarding appointment of the executives on contract basis will be resolved. He added that all the managerial rights and authorities with the privatization of the PTCL would be given to the private sector and in order to capture the market they would take steps necessary for the uplift of the corporation.

The WLL

To another question, he said it is because of the deregulation policy, that call rates have seen unprecedented decrease in a very short span of time. WLL is another example of new trends introduced in the telecom sector, he said.

Today PTCL too like other private sector players is offering packages and lowering rates in order to ensure its presence in the market. Like other five players PTCL also wants to grasp maximum number of market shares and gone are the days when people used to rely on a single service. Now they have options and can easily switch over to other service for better and stronger performance.

Later talking to 'Pakistan Times', Babar Khan said Ufone owns 25 pc market shares. He hoped the privatization of the Ufone and PTCL would open new opportunities in the IT sector and the competition would guarantee further lowering of prices as well as improvement in the networking.

Mobile Phone Users

With almost 8 million mobile-phone users, there are three other cellular companies, operating in Pakistan. Of them, Mobilink, a prestigious and status-symbol set-up is currently in the processes of up-gradation but with almost flawless service.

Paktel

Another one, Paktel has recently introduced its GSM service, yet comparatively with limited services, if compared to Mobilink or Ufone.

Though, Paktel’s newest venture did receive a wonderful response from the people, who showed leaning towards this company due to its lesser rates of out-going calls, the fresh rates of Ufone, which are lesser have posed a new challenge to the Paktel.

Mobilink

Likewise, Mobilink which still sticks to far-higher rates shall have to revise its rate index by bringing it down to a great extent to attract customers. Else, Ufone shall clutch maximum users, leaving both Mobilink and Paktel far behind.

Instaphone

Instaphone, another cellular operator has not introduced GSM service so far. Resultantly, its clientage is minimal, in a way nominal, if compared with others.

New Companies

Two new mobile companies -- Telenor and Warid, which have been granted license to operate, are close to surface. It is hoped that with the initiation of service by these companies, the call rates of all the mobile set-ups in Pakistan shall reduce to a great extent—expectantly at par with the rates of a land-line PTCL telephone connection, which are Rs. 2.01 per local call during the day and Re 0.51 after 21:30 till 06:30 Pakistan Standard Time.

This facility of quarter rates applies throughout Pakistan.●