The iconic Telenor Pakistan name has been removed from the telenor headquarters of Pakistan, closing a chapter for one of Pakistan’s most recognisable mobile brands after more than 20 years in the market.
The removal follows the completion of Telenor Pakistan’s legal merger into Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML), part of PTCL Group’s acquisition of the Norwegian operator. The Telenor brand had entered Pakistan in 2005. Over the following two decades it grew into one of the country’s leading mobile network operators.
Additionally, Telenor brand became an affordable mobile connectivity and gave widespread network coverage during an important period of growth in the country’s telecommunications sector.
Telenor company’s milestones over the past two decades
- Invested billions of dollars in network expansion and services
- Expanding a subscriber base exceeding 40 million customers
- Rolling out 4G coverage across majority of the country
- Played a central role in intensifying competition within the telecom sector
Moreover, the rebranding is being viewed as one of the most notable shifts in Pakistan’s telecom history. Combining the strengths of both organisations could improve operational efficiency, optimise network resources and strengthen service delivery for customers. The integration is also expected to help the merged company better compete in Pakistan’s rapidly evolving digital communications market.
On the other hand, previously, Norway’s telecom major Telenor company reportedly considered selling its controlling stake in Easypaisa Bank, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter.
This would mark Telenor’s complete withdrawal from Pakistan’s financial services sector, following its earlier exit from telecom operations in the country.
Last year, Telenor finalised the sale of Telenor Pakistan to PTCL Group in a deal worth around Rs108 billion, or roughly $385 million. However, its digital banking in Easypaisa was kept out of that transaction at the time, leaving the company’s fintech footprint intact.
Read more: Telenor reportedly eyes sale of controlling stake in Easypaisa
