Breaking: Wateen and Qubee to Consolidate Operations

Qubee_Wateeb

Wateen and Qubee have decided to merge operations to re-energize the wireless broadband market, said a press statement issued by both companies.

Merger plan, which is subject to necessary authority approvals from PTA and CCP, is announced along with planned investments of more than US$25 million for the improvement and expansion in coverage of the combined network of both companies.

The agreement will see Wateen and Qubee forming the second largest broadband service provider in Pakistan, with over 200,000 subscribers.

Not to forget, Mobilink Inifinity handed over its customers to Qubee last week to exit the WiMAX market.

After the transaction, Wateen/Qubee and wi-tribe will become only two WiMAX operators in the industry.

Statement from merging companies said that their network upgrade will make the operation a best in class high speed broadband network with the phased upgrade to 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology that will contribute to a broadband revolution in Pakistan and significantly enhance its position in the new digital economy.

Wateen and Qubee to Merge Operations
Naeem Zamindar, CEO of Wateen Telecom and Nasir Khan, CEO of Augere/Qubee at the signing Ceremony of the MoU announcing their intent to consolidate broadband businesses in Pakistan
Wateen and Qubee to Merge Operations
Wateen and Qubee have announced to upgrade their network to 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution)

The new business also intends to make investments available to introduce innovative value added services and devices to improve broadband penetration in Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Naeem Zamindar, CEO of Wateen Telecom stated “We are confident that the formation of the new broadband business will usher in a new era of collaboration for the broadband industry and leap-frog the challenges in its aim to provide access to high-speed 4G data, seamless connectivity and cutting edge digital services for the people of Pakistan.”

Jamal Nasir Khan, CEO of Augere’s business in Pakistan said, “We are delighted to announce the formation of this new stronger broadband business in Pakistan. We believe that the combined business will be able to better serve customers by providing high capacity affordable broadband connections which will drive up penetration in Pakistan, allowing an ever larger number of people to join the digital community with superfast access to the internet.”

The transaction is subject to the requisite corporate, regulatory and governmental approvals, and is targeted to be completed within the first half of year 2014.

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • WiMax will go bust as soon as 3G/4G is launched in Pakistan. That is what I think, and this is why this is happening.

    Edit: I should have read the whole article first :/

    • 3G and 4G is too expensive here, so don’t think regular users will switch to those networks. Only mobile users would prefer those ..

  • better they should work along with Telco’s for high speed internet and it would definitely reduce the cost of installing 3G / 4G infrastructure in different areas of the country specially unserved…
    Let’s see what they do but their high price is also a barrier for their progress…

  • Witribe is also up for sale. They must know of this collaboration in advance because this is all a game of spectrum. No Wateen-Augere combo will have 63 megahertz spectrum and Witribe only 21 megahertz so Wateen-Augere can offer huge speeds of 10 megabytes plus.

    Witribe is going to be sold or will wind up.

  • Currently Wimax broadband main competitors is ptcl broadband and evo. After auction of 3G in Pakistan, they also have to compete with telco for data services. This merger will help both companies to compete in future with telco and ptcl.

  • First sensible move in Internet industry. I am hearing after Warid is sold, Wateen is going to be next and many companies are studying to buy Wateen after this Wimax part is taken out and marged with Qubee.

    This is very good news. Wateen has very excellent asset of nationwide fiber optics. Multinet is dominating over here and should watch out!!!

  • The real competitor for all these is PTCL, having higher bandwidths with quite huge volume limits for wireless users. Being in the telecom industry, and working on LTE for PTCL, I have personally tested speeds up to 30 Mbps on the new Huawei dongle that is not available in the market (that will be advertised as Char-ji). It is a simple LTE dongle that does not have any WiFi compatibility yet.

    So WiMax operators have to buckle up and start working hard on their networks as soon as possible because it is not far that LTE will be launched by PTCL in ISB/RWP Region…..

  • Finally, if this deal get Signed there would be Some Competition and Variety of choice in Internet Market so that Not every ball is thrown in the PTCL’s court.

  • hahah 3g launch hoa nahi hai and ye sb log pichlay kai years se 3g and 4g device de kr logo ko “Pagal” bana rhay hai :D

  • It is optimistic initiative to strengthen the Wi-MAX in Pakistan & precautionary measure to face the forthcoming 3G tempest in the country that will change the entire scenario of internet market. Hope for the best Wateen.

  • Notwithstanding the merger of two of WiMax industry’s biggest failures, I am curious to know who will head the new business. May be its Jamal, with Naeem focusing on what’s left of Wateen/Infinity in LDI & fiber!

    With Arfeen Group sitting behind Augere, I think it’s safe to assume that this venture will not deliver on its promises — if these two companies couldn’t be successful individually, why should we believe they can be successful collectively? — it’s a zero sum game!

    • No Arfeen group. They sold out to Augere. Arfeen group has only 10% shares that even may be sold off now. See Telecard annual report.

      • Actually, Augere is operating on a 10 MHz spectrum leased from TeleCard – an Arfeen Group company and Jamal is their hand-picked CEO and sits in the TeleCard office building in Karachi. Their Islamabad office is also housed in a building owned by Arfeens.

  • First steal your share holders money by destroying more than half of your share value then excel on same money with new partners. So sad and no one is there to question them… people with money and power they can do what ever they want. What a country.

  • i think ptcl always with us, i am right ? and good step wateen and qubee but sorry to say you are not every where so i think PTCL is winner in this war.

  • Good news for Pakistan Telecom Sector, we needs more such mergers. With combine energies they can become serious contenders for 4G/LTE.

  • I have been a customer of wateen and i feel they are loosers in this field as far as pakistan is concerned.

  • i think govt give foc license to pakistan local cvas operators to give wireless broadband services on wimax and cdma technology.


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