



The Pakistan Telecom-munication Authority (PTA) has accepted Warid Telecom’s plea that it has no need to obtain a new licence to launch 4G services, said PTA Chairman Ismail Shah, while talking to The Express Tribune.





Shah said that Warid Telecom had approached the authority to start 4G service without obtaining any new licence. “However, we have asked the company to share its detailed work-out plan with the PTA,” said Shah.So far Zong, a subsidiary of China Mobile, is considered the sole proprietor of 4G services after successful auction held on April 23. Despite not participating in the April 23 spectrum auction, Warid has decided to launch 4G LTE with its available spectrum that it had bought in 2004.An official of Warid said that after obtaining permission from the PTA, Warid will soon launch its next-generation services in Pakistan and the work-out plan will also be shared with the PTA and media. He said that Warid is capable of addressing all the PTA concerns about dividing the spectrum for 4G services.Presently, Warid has around 9 megahertz (Mhz) spectrum to roll out 4G technology while it has installed long term evolution technology at important points across the country. Sources said Warid’s existing spectrum is capable of running the 4G technology and it is likely that the PTA would allow the telecom company to operate 4G services in the country.It merits mentioning here that unlike Warid, the other three cellular companies Ufone, Telenor and Mobilink did not have 9 Mhz, which they had to acquire prior to participating in the 4G spectrum licence auction.An official of Warid told The Express Tribune that PTA has formally given the notification to the company for rolling out 4G services in the country.Published in The Express Tribune, May 4, 2014.