Business

Mobilink to invest $1 billion over 5 years

After merger with Warid, telco looks to expand infrastructure in Pakistan

Peer Muhammad July 13, 2016

After merger with Warid, telco looks to expand infrastructure in Pakistan. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: After taking over Warid Telecom, Mobilink is set to invest $1 billion over the next five years, with $300 million to be invested in the current year on the expansion and up-gradation of the cellular services in Pakistan.

Talking to a group of journalists here, Group Executive Officer of Mobilink Jean-Yves Charlier said that the company has a robust investment plan for Pakistan and will make an investment of $1 billion in the next five years.

Merger of Warid-Mobilink now complete

Under the investment plan, 1,500 new franchise outlets will be opened across the country and 5,000 new jobs will be created besides improving the digital and cellular services.

A major chunk of the investment will be made to expand cellular infrastructure, establish franchise outlets and introduce new IT services. Yves further mentioned that the company will also spend a substantial amount on capacity building of youth in the digital services.

Yves said that Mobilink, as a leading cellular company, wants to have a transparent and professional regulatory regime in the country. He said the government needs to provide a pro-business atmosphere with transparent and fair competitive corporate environment so that business plans can be smoothly implemented.

Warid-Mobilink set to serve over 50m customers as merger completed

“We will work with the government and there is also a need to promote public private partnership to expand the cellular services for 50 million customers,” he said.

He said that after the merger of Warid and Mobilink, the customer of the former will largely benefit from the expanded infrastructure and network of the latter.

Talking about the merger, Yves said it is a win-win situation for both companies as well as for the consumers.

“We have no interest in increasing prices of our products. Rather [we are] much interested in introducing new digital services for customers,” he added. “It is also our ambition to introduce digital entrepreneurship in Pakistan,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2016.

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COMMENTS (2)

irfan | 8 years ago | Reply I donot know what are Mobilink Plans . They are the Slowest Cellular company in Pakistan in terms of providing new services to customers.

Asim Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Used to be with Mobilink but after their pathetic customer and mis-guidance and mis-communication by their account representatives moved over to Warid. Extremely with their service, call quality and 4g services(Improvement need but much better than others). But, now with this merger I am hesitant what will happen to quality of service, call quality and 4g services.

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