Warid conducts successful 4G LTE trials with plans to invest USD 400 million in Pakistan

Warid set to launch 4G LTE services, with PTA approval

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) accepted Warid Telecom’s plea to permit it to launch 4G services in the country.

The PTA had held auctions for 3G and 4G network licences on April 23 - a process in which Warid did not participate in. The bids of four mobile operators of Pakistan qualified for the auction of 3G and 4G namely Mobilink, Telenor, Ufone and Zong.

Warid had previously already obtained a spectrum that would allow the roll-out of 4G. The company's existing licence, which was acquired in 2004, is also technology neutral.

While Warid planned to launch 4G LTE (long-term evolution) to compete with the 3G/4G licence-holders, the PTA had insisted that the company needed permission from the regulator for the introduction of the new service.

It was earlier expected that PTA may withhold Warid's request for permission to go for the launch of 4G (LTE) considering the interests of other cellular companies who bought the (3G/4G) licences for $1.12 billion.

Zong and other cellular companies have serious reservations over this decision by the PTA, as they paid heavily during the bid and also invested their time.

Reacting to the announcement, Zong held a press conference and lashed out at PTA's decision. While Zong would require at least a year to offer a complete new array of services to its customers, Warid could easily launch its service within months after the PTA’s permission.

Warid goes public with its 4G LTE deployment plans

Warid Telecom of Pakistan today went public with press ads (produced above) about its plans for going 4G LTE, to possibly become the first operator in the market to deploy 4G LTE network in the country.

A single sentenced message along with mention of 4G LTE clearly indicates that Warid is pretty much done with its homework and is now all set to go up with the 4G plans.

Despite not participating in recently held 3G / 4G auction, Warid has decided to go 4G LTE with its available spectrum that it had bought in 2004.

While there were hints that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority might not allow Warid for deploying 4G LTE, today’s press ads hint that PTA and Warid have reached a settlement. I don’t have confirmations from PTA on this though.

Last I heard was that PTA might not allow Warid to deploy 4G since it could unbalance the industry. Moreover, according to IM for 3G and 4G licensees, no new operator would be allowed to launch 3G / 4G services for 18 months as part of government’s agreement with spectrum winners.

While I don’t have official confirmation on regulatory approvals. It is now certain that against all odds Warid has managed to convince PTA for the 4G LTE deployments.

I know that Warid CEO was to meet with Chairman PTA during this week and apparently things went successful on Warid’s part.

If sources are to be believed then Warid is aiming to run the test on 4G LTE in last week of May 2014, while its already in process of deploying 4G LTE network in 5 cities, which it will announce after successful tests accordingly.

On a related note, Warid sent an SMS broadcast to its customers the other day to tell them that Warid will announce new data technologies in days to come.

Warid has currently around 12 million subscribers. It has 8.8Mhz spectrum from 1800Mhz band in addition to 5Mhz in 900Mhz band, which it had bought at the time of launch in 2004.

Not to mention, Zong has said that it may take several months to launch 4G network, however, this may change after Warid’s announcement today. Zong was only 4G spectrum winner in April’s 3G and 4G Auction.