Pakistan’s telecom sector has welcomed the approval of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for a long time between Ufone and Telenor Pakistan, calling it a step towards a more sustainable and effective industry.
Industry leaders say the move can help telecom companies focus on increasing services rather than spending resources on maintaining a separate network. Aamir Ibrahim, CEO or Jazz, congratulated PTCL on receiving a green light from CCP.
He said,
“Stability can make the telecom industry more sustainable by investing resources rather than copying networks. Now the real priority should be the release of the spectrum, which is essential to unlocking Pakistan’s digital growth and enzymes that millions of people benefit from fast, more affordable contact.”
Telenor Asia also praised the CCP’s careful review before approving. In a statement, the company said,
We believe that this transaction will strengthen Pakistan’s telecom sector. The approval of this CCP is an important milestone in the process, which will now move forward for the approval of the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA). We look forward to the timely approval process and the final complete completion of the transaction soon. Telenor Pakistan will continue its business as usual, focusing on providing services to its 43 million customer owners. “
The merger is one of the most important changes to Pakistan’s telecom landscape in a decade. For years, four national mobile operators competed for the market share. With this deal, the number will shrink to three. Experts say it can lead to strong networks and better services, but it has also been warned that fair operators can mean low choices and potentially higher prices for consumers.
CCP approval is a set of terms for protection of competitiveness and ensures that consumers and rival operators are not backward. The industry is now awaiting the next steps, including the approval of the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority.