Cellular provider Ufone's rebrand awaits govt nod
https://www.dawn.com/news/2030013
ISLAMABAD: Following its acquisition by UAE-based telecom giant ‘e&’ (formerly Etisalat) and merger with Telenor Pakistan, Ufone’s rebranding awaits government authorization, informed the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom. PTA Chairman Maj Gen Hafeezur Rehman disclosed to the panel that the Privatisation Commission has obstructed the PTA’s approval for Ufone’s proposed name change to ‘e&’.
The rebranding would require approval from the governments of Pakistan and UAE. Ufone management sought to align their brand with the UAE operator post-PTCL’s acquisition of Telenor Pakistan. PTA Chairman cited connectivity issues, particularly in major cities, attributing them to the Ufone-Telenor merger and 5G rollout, promising resolution by next month.
The committee also expressed concerns over Pak Datacom’s shift from the national PakSat system to UAE-based Yahsat, warning of potential national security implications. The committee postponed discussion on Starlink’s licencing issue, stating no licence application was pending with them and the matter required clearance from other government departments.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
