Warid Pakistan
|
Life Ka Network (lit. Network of life) | |
Native name | وارد |
|---|---|
Formerly called | zem, zahi |
| Telecommunication operator | |
| Industry | Telecommunication |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Karachi, Pakistan |
Key people | Muneer Farooqui[1] (CEO) |
| Products |
Mobile services Data services Mobile banking Blackberry solution |
| Slogan |
بات بڑھائے ساتھ Talk lasts togetherness |
| Website | www.waridtel.com |
Warid (Arabic: وريد Urdu: وارد) is a GSM, LTE [2] based mobile operator in Pakistan. Warid is the seventh mobile carrier to enter the Pakistani market. It commenced commercial operations in May 23, 2005. Warid is cent percent owned by Abu Dhabi Group, which is a business conglomerate in the Middle East and a major investor in Pakistan. It is the first venture of the group in the field of Telecommunication.[3]
Warid is Pakistan’s fourth largest GSM mobile service provider and fifth largest mobile service in terms of subscriber base of over 12.9 million.[4] It has a market share of 9% among cellular operators.[5] On November 26, 2015 VimpelCom and Dhabi Group agreed to merge Mobilink and Warid into a single company.[6]
History
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority awarded two mobile telephony licenses to Telenor Pakistan and Space Telecom on April 24, 2004.[7] The license for Space Telecom was cancelled after it missed a dead line to make a 50% down payment of the offered price. Thereafter PTA offered next highest bid winner company, Warid.[8]
The license was bid and acquired through parent company of Warid, Abu Dhabi Group led by the then CEO Mr Bashir Tahir for US $291 million.
On May 23, 2005 Warid commercially started operating. Mr Hamid Farooq is appointed as the CEO of the company. Initially it covered 28 major cities of the country, which is so far the largest coverage in the first phase of roll-out by the first investment of US $150 million. Within 80 days, Warid secured 1 million customers with 7% market share.[9][10]
In second phase of investment of US $1 billion, Warid launched operations in other cities of Pakistan. It secured another 3.4 million subscribers with 10% market share. First anniversary of Warid marked 9.7 million subscribers.
In 2007, Singapore Telcommunications bought a 30-per cent stake in Warid for about $758 million. That stake purchase gave Warid an enterprise value of about $2.5 billion.
Warid's first CEO Hamid Farooq resigned in November 2007. Mr. Marwan Zawaydeh joined the company as the second CEO. Warid further invested US $1 billion in network expansion by the end of 2009.
Warid got a new CEO Mr. Muneer Farooqi in October 2012.
SingTel sold back that stake in January 2013 for $150 million and a right to receive 7.5 per cent of the net proceeds from any future sale, public offering, or merger of Warid.[11][12]
Network
Warid has invested more than US $2.5 billion to build up network infrastructure in Pakistan. It has set-up more than 5000 base stations.[13]
Warid is the sole operator in Pakistan deploying Ericsson as vendor for its network base stations, microwave links, IT support and transmission towers.[14]
Emitac Mobile Solutions under the terms of a distribution agreement with BlackBerry leverages its global integration services and local presence in the region to provide Warid with end-to-end implementation, launch, delivery and support services for the BlackBerry solution in the Pakistani market.[15]
Mobile industry body GSMA said Warid Telecom Pakistan achieved energy savings of between 30 and 60 percent during the second Mobile Energy Efficiency (MEE) Optimization project. After rolling out the energy-saving technology across Warid’s network in Pakistan, the annual savings are expected to be more than $6 million and 19,700 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.[16]
Radio frequency
| Frequency | Protocol | Class |
|---|---|---|
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Next generation mobile services
Warid refrained from participating in next generation spectrum auction in April 2014. Warid launched 4G LTE services in Pakistan by the end of 2014. The Abu Dhabi Group had been in talks with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, the telecom sector’s regulatory body, for launching LTE service on its existing technology neutral license.[17]
Number schemeing
Warid uses the following numbering scheme:
+92 3 2 N1N2N3N4N5N6N7N8
Where 92 is the ISD code for Pakistan and is required when dialling outside the country, 3 is the mobile access code, and 2 is the prefix for Warid allocated by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Omitting +92 would require 0 instead to represent local call, hence 032 is the general prefix and N1N2N3N4N5N6N7N8 is the subscriber number.
Marketing
Business centres
Warid operates 12 business centres, over 350 franchises, 1,000 Warid Supershops, and 200,000 retail customer points nationwide.[18]
Products
Warid presents prepaid, postpaid, and youth plans branded as zem, zahi, and glow.[18][19][20] Moreover, it also offers data plans and branch-less banking.
Originated from an Arabic word meaning fun, zem caters the needs of pay-as-you-go customers. Likewise, zahi means royal or leader and is an array of postpaid tariff plans.
Glow is a youth oriented brand. It offers online content via its portal, which is set-up in collaboration with Arvato. It was launched by Warid Telecom CCO, Mr Ali Tahir.[19] Its main rival is djuice.
Slogans
Warid has previously used these slogans 'be heard', 'we care', 'zem it!' and 'Life Ka Network' in Pakistan between 2005 and 2008 but has now switched to بات بڑھائے ساتھ meaning talk lasts togetherness and دوستی کے رنگ meaning colours of friendship.[20]
Awards
On March 14, 2014 Warid received Corporate Social Responsibility Award.[21]
Corporate social responsibility
Warid has been recognised for corporate social responsibility projects. Some of these include
- In August 2010, Warid donated PKR 800,000 in University Endowment Fund Trust of Government College University Lahore.
- Warid has collaborated with Sundas foundation and Pakwheels for blood donation compaign.[22][23]
- Warid supports National Polio Immunization drive.
- In May 2013, Warid donated PKR 1 million to GCU Lahore Endowment Fund Trust.
Mobile banking
On January 1, 2014 Warid in collaboration with Bank Alfalah launched mobile banking service namely 'mobile paisa'. Mobile paisa allows its users to pay utility bills, transfer money to specified recipients anywhere in the country, deposit and withdraw cash and carry out account transfers.
See also
References
- ↑ "Warid rising". ITP.net. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Warid 4g Lte Telecom". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "About Warid Telecom". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Telecommunications: Zong overtakes Ufone as CMOs’ market share changes". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ Bilal Brohi - Agencies. "Warid Telecom up for sale: sources". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Mobilink, Warid Telecom announce merger". DAWN. November 26, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
- ↑ RCR Wireless News. "Pakistan awards two new mobile licenses". RCR Wireless News. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Space Telecom bid stands cancelled: Cell phone licence". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "News Center". Ericsson.com. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Analysis of the telecom sector in Pakistan". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ Reuters. "Abu Dhabi buys Warid Telecom stake". Emirates 24/7. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Abu Dhabi Group now sole owner of Warid". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Cell locations rise in FY09-10". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Ericsson, Warid Telecom strengthen managed services partnership in Pakistan - AAJ News". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Warid and Emitac Mobile Solutions partnership". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "MEE Optimisation case study: Warid Pakistan expects to save more than US$ 6 million per year after trialling energy efficiency solutions". Public Policy. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Warid plans to launch LTE technology". The News International, Pakistan. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Warid Telecom Business Centres & Franchises". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Warid Telecom ::Media & Press Release". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Warid Telecom :: Warid: Brand with the Service Character". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Warid Telecom recognized for its Corporate Social Efforts -Wins SKMT CSR AWARD". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Warid Telecom :: World Blood Donors Day". Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ↑ "Warid Telecom :: Blood Bank services". Retrieved 19 November 2014.