Re: Pakistan cell phone subscribers tops 70 million
Ufone to invest $150m in network expansion
KARACHI: Ufone has announced to invest US$ 150 million in network expansion, which will add up more than 1000 additional cities towns and highways in its footprint. It is estimated that by the end of June 2008 the company will be covering more than 4500 cities, towns, villages and all major highways in the country, a press release said here Thursday.
The contract has been awarded to Huawei Technologies, which is one of the most rapidly growing telecom vendors globally and awarding another contract to Huawei shows the company’s confidence in professionalism and state of the art technology. Huawei is the vendor of choice in latest 3G Telecommunications Networks, 31 of the world’s top 50 operators worldwide are using their technical infrastructure.
Walid Irshaid, President and CEO of PTCL while speaking at contract awarding ceremony said that an expansion contract of this magnitude indicates Ufone’s aggressive strategy towards market growth and expansion, in the wake of tremendous growth and potential of Pakistan’s cellular market. The previous Network Roll-out phase of $550 million was the single largest expansion plan in the history of Pakistan and this region. That record-breaking execution by Huawei is near completion now and this new contract shows Etisalat’s commitment to the Pakistani market and will also boost investors’ confidence towards Pakistan. The project was approved by the Board of Directors to invest in infrastructure and to provide best quality network and facilities its customers. In addition to the major investment commitment, Etisalat brings its extensive experience of Telecom Industry to Pakistan to ensure that THE company has the best network in the country.
Yi Xiang CEO Huawei Pakistan stated that Huawei is fully committed to Pakistan telecom industry as well as implementing this new network expansion contract in the fastest and most seamless fashion. staff report
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\11\30\story_30-11-2007_pg5_5