Ufone Upgrades and Doubles its 3G Network Through Spectrum Refarming

Ufone has enhanced its 3G services by almost doubling its 3G spectrum through refarming, we have confirmed with the company.

Ufone’s 3G network was previously operating through 5MHz of spectrum in 2100 MHz band which it had bought during 2014’s spectrum auction. Through spectrum refarming, Ufone has now managed to almost double its 3G spectrum to around 9.2 MHz.

With this development, Ufone will be offering 3G services through its 900 MHz spectrum that will also ensure better, deep and farther 3G coverage throughout its service areas.

The 900MHz spectrum offers deeper, stronger and farther 3G services as compared to 2100MHz band.

For reference, below is the spectrum allocation table for Pakistani operators:

“We have successfully upgraded 3G services in Lahore and surroundings including Kasur, Sheikhupura, Raiwind and all the highways in the area”, said Rainer Rathgeber, CEO Ufone, while speaking with ProPakistani.

Rainer said that Ufone customers in these cities are already experiencing better speeds and quality on company’s 3G network.

CEO said that along side refarming spectrum, his company also invested on network expansion in Lahore region as Ufone has become first and only operator to have converted all cell sites in the city to 3G.

Mr. Rainer explained to ProPakistani that this will mean only better services and enhanced speeds throughout the city.

Ufone’s network in Lahore — during peak hours — gave us following speed-test results:

Via SpeedTest

Ufone said that it had already enhanced the network in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, Sialkot and Quetta where its subscribers are now enjoying clear voice and faster 3G internet experience.

The CEO confirmed to ProPakistani that Ufone will be upgrading and refarmed its 3G network in other parts of Pakistan within the next few months.

Mobile Network is a Living Animal

Mr. Rainer said that they will continue to work and enhance Ufone’s cellular network. He said his company is constantly working on optimizing the network with an aim of offering best-in-class services to customers.

Without sharing any numbers, since Ufone is a private company, Rainer said that they will keep investing into network to make it a better offering.

Subscribers’ Numbers are Not Relevant

When we asked Rainer Rathgeber about decreasing number of Ufone’s customers, he said that SIM numbers are not relevant because they do not necessarily mean new customers due to the fact that now customers carry multiple SIMs in their name.

“Our focus is on real customers who enjoy our services and remain with us for a longer duration”, said Rainer.

Increasing the number of SIMs is not difficult, the CEO said, adding that ‘what’s the use of customers who sign-up, consume free resources and then leave your network without growing your business?’

“That’s pure dumping and wastage of resources”, he added.

“Luckily PTA has realized this now as well and that is why they removed ZERO priced SIMs from the market”, said Rainer.

He told ProPakistani that his company is doing better than before in terms of revenues and ARPU and that he is very satisfied about how his company has been performing lately.

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • Telenor has also refarmed its 1800 MHz for 4G and using 3MHz of 1800 MHz for 4G along with 5 MHz of 850 MHz. So now their 3G is 10 MHz and 4G is 8 MHz. You can check in Islamabad.

    Dear @Aamir,

    Please also confirm that Since Ufone and PTCL are merging, can PTCL launch LTE band 2 services on its 1900 MHz band for Ufone by spectrum refarming as well? This spectrum was being used for Charji services which are no more exists

    • For your information Telenor 2x10MHz of 850 MHz. How you can say telenor has 5MHz 850 MHz. Telenor can’t use 1800 MHz for 4G without approval from FAB and PTA. There is no such news. Ufone recentlh shifts it’s network on energy neutral technology. That’s why they ufone has been given approval to use 3G services on this band as like warid in the past

      • 10 MHz is total (downlink and uplink) frequencies. 5 MHz up and 5 MHz down.

        Telenor is using 5MHz (only counting downlink here) for HSPA+, and the other 5 MHz for LTE.
        You say Telenor can’t use without approval, but they are. In limited areas of Islamabad, Telenor is testing LTE on Band 3 (1800 MHz) with a 3 MHz chunk of bandwidth.
        They aren’t going to make it public yet, but it’s happening and they’ll probably announce it soon enough.

        • Dear
          10 MHz Up Link
          And
          10 MHz Down Link
          In 850 Band 5

          Ha Telenor k pas

          Up Link : 824 to 834
          Down Link : 869 to 879

          • Total to 10 MHz hi huwa na phir, for each different network type?
            They call it 2×10 MHz because it’s 10 up and 10 down, which is their total allocated amount in the 850 band.

            Out of that, it’s divided this way:

            10 MHz for HSPA+:
            5 MHz up and 5 MHz down

            10 MHz for LTE:
            5 MHz up and 5 MHz down

            However, if you check using ServiceMode, or NetworkGuru, it will always show available bandwidth as 5 MHz, since network apps only show Downlink bandwidth, not uplink.

            • Ap confuse ho rahy hein LTE or 3G k spectrum say , jo 5MHz show hota ha wo 3G 2100 ha LTE 850 nhi

              • Telenor is using half of 850 MHz for 3G and remaining half for 4G. So Telenor 3G is on both 2100 and 850. He is right.

        • 2x10MHz 10MHz for uplink and 10MHz for downlink. Don’t confuse us Telenor can use this 850MHz band for 2G/3G/4G. Frequency Allocation Board is not allowing use of 1800 MHz for 4G without approval. Network must have to defined parameters before upgrading frequencies. Change of technology means it can make noise/distortion for other operators as other operators have to install barriers for network interuption unless network upgrade it’s infrastructure to energy neutral.

          • 3 MHz of 1800 MHz 4G is currently being tested by Telenor in Islamabad not officially launched all over the country. Once they will successfully test, they will show the standards of service to PTA and FAB for necessary approval. How can they get approval before testing and how PTA can give approval without testing service?

      • Brother Telenor has 10 MHz in 850 MHz. Telenor is using half of this spectrum for 3G and half for 4G. So basically Telenor 3G is running on 5 MHz of 2100 MHz and 5 MHz of 850 MHz which makes Telenor 3G 10 MHz. Telenor is using remaining 5 MHz for 4G and also refarmed 3 MHz of 1800 MHz for 4G which Telenor currently testing in Islamabad. Once it will be tested, They will show it to PTA and FAB and get neccessory approval to roll out all over the country.
        This is what I was trying to say. Telenor 3G 10 MHz and 4G on 8 MHz (including 3 MHz of 1800)

        • Aap se 1st comment mein ek question poocha tha uska please reply kar dein ho sakay toh.
          BTW email is less sensitive than personal mobile sir :D

  • Ufone Tum he to ho. Loving Ufone 3G services in Lahore. Speed is more than double now (average 8Mbps)

  • Getting Download speed of 9Mbps in Lahore city but upload speed a bit less (2Mbps). Still better than other networks

    • Maximum practically acheived upload speed of 3G is around 4-5 Mbps. So your upload speed is good according to 3G standards. Upload speed on 4G is lot more than 3G.

  • I am really frustrated from Ufone. I at Tariq Road, main centre of Karachi, even dont get 3G , my cell phone runs on Edge.

  • Aamir, do you mind mentioning the source of this information?

    I ‘tipped’ off ProPK about this a few months ago, and you decide to write about it now, with no credit.
    Thanks.

  • ek bat batao bhai…mn Burewala City se 20 km door village mn Ufone ka 3g service full signal bar aty hen With Anteeena laga kr…or speed bhi 3Mb tak ati ha…mgr jab mn Zong ke sim dalta hoon to Network search krta hoon.. Zong 3g likha ata ha mgr Signal bar ek bhi signal nahi ata ha…. baqi Jazz ka bhi Full bars aty hen and Telenor ka bhi best signal and speed ati h.. agr map se sab network ka compare krta hoon to her tower map ka motabiq qareeb 13Km door haan from my Village…. baqi sab network ka signal aty haan …Zong ka koie signal nahi ata ha… Help line wala kehta ha Grunted area nahi ha …..

    • Yes. Zong has this signals issue. Even if cell phone is receiving signals in far away villages, it does not connect.

      • mery pass huawei ke portable $g Device ha … Sath 30feet high gain Anteena outdoor laga ha.. baqi sab network ka signal aty hen connect bhi hota ha internet…mgr Zong sab nahi chlty na he signal na he connect mode… even i set up only 3G mode….and some Time set up the mode To 4G it will show Zong $g… but there is no signal and no connect … i Dont’t understand.. Even CMpak Is Goring then the other’s

        • Signals nhin aa rhe to is ka matlab hai ya coverage nhin hai aur agr hai to restricted hai. Vaise bhi agr aap ke baki networks chal rhen hai to chalao yar. Zong koi itna khas nhin hai.

          • Hmmmmmmm Nice …ye bat theek ke ha …but meri jo jkoshish thi keh Zong ka daily 1 Gb wala offer use kron… baqi koi network esi offer nahi de raha hay… Telenor ne bhi apny raate barha dia hen and Data volum kam kr dia ha… ab daily srif 300 mb per aa gey ha…and 2 Gb weekly 70 Rs…it means ke 100 ka card load kro or 2 Gb loo… es thara 1500 ka 30 Gb.. markeeting wala bhi tor mor ka wohi hesaab le aty hen…well yar ap na acha reply key thanks

  • AAMiR Bhai me kafi arsy say apki site visit kr raha hoon , first time mujhy samjh nhi i k uy kesy mumkin ha , ap thorra explain krein ta k samjh aa jay , spectrum kesy use kia ja raha ha ?how it is possible ?

    • Dear Ufone has 6 MHz in 1800 MHz and 7 MHz in 900 MHz for 2G services. And 5 MHz in 2100 MHz for 3G services.
      5 MHz in 2100 MHz was not enough for 3G services and causing congestion issues in service which lead to slow speed.
      Their 2G spectrum of 1800 MHz and 900 MHz was excess for 2G services and was not fully used. So they reduced their 2G spectrum from 900 MHz and refarmed half of 900 MHz 3.4 MHz for 3G services.
      Now Ufone 2G is on 6 MHz of 1800 MHz and 3.5 MHz of 900 MHz. And 3G is on 5 MHz of 2100 MHz and 3.4 MHz of 900 MHz.

      • Acha Zafar Bhai Mobilink ka btay ga k kitna spectrum use kr rahy hein for 2G ,3G, 4G ? Aor pury country mein same ha ya cities k hisab say ya tower k hisab say ?

          • Dear Zafar, mujhe yeh batao k abhi main agar warid ki 4g sim leta hun tou us pe jazz k packages use kar sakta hun aur phir complete merger k baad yehi sim kaam karay gi ya phir se change karni paray gi?
            In short abhi sim leni hai jis pe jazz k package run karnay hain tou jazz loun ya warid? Aur jazz li tou kiya uspe 4g chalay ga?

            • Jazz aur Warid k packages ek hi ho gaye hyn. Aur Warid ki new sim Jazz office se mill rahi hai ab. Jin logon k pas b warid ki new ya old 4G sim ho gi unko sim change karwanay ki zarurat nahin. Just 2G/3G sim ko replace karwane ki zarurat hy.

        • Kuch apps hyn like network signal guru. Laikin yeh sabhi mobiles pe kaam nahin karti. Agar aap k pas samsung ka phone hy to aap service menu open kar k check kar saktay hyn without any app.

  • satisfied user of Ufone since 2005.its serving me well from the day of purchase till present day:)

  • mn khud motmien hon Ufone or Telenor ke speed se… and even mera bhai Rawalpindi mn rehta ha woh nokia E72 se 3G use krta ha… bta rha tha keh speed 800kb/s se 1mb/s tak jati ha…aj se 15 din pehla ke bat bta raha hon…1mb/s means 8Mb ke speed … yahaan village mn mn city se door about shourtcut distance 16Km left…. speed come up 3 Mp …its better then Ptcl EVo charji etc etc …. hehehehehehe

  • oo Ptcl waloo Allah da wasta hay ja…. Ptcl and Ufone Tum he to ho…to ham ko kun zaleeel key hua ha… Ptcl Evo ufone ke he Speed le loo…. Ufone ka mint Ptcl per use ho sakty hen… to Ufone ka 3g bhi Ptcl Evo pr use ho jiye kesa;)…..

    • CMPak ko sale na kr dein Ufone ???
      Apki problem b hal ho jay ge ?
      Wesy b jb warid jany wali the tab LTE chala de the warid ny ab Ufone b jany he wali ha CMPak k pas isi wajha say zara rate barrha rahy hein

      • Right… wesy dekha jie to loot mar he chal rhi ha… Ptcl walon ne khoob lota Evo Charji and other… phr Zong ko loota gey 4G ka spectrum per…. zong ne bhi sahi loot machiye ha..Warid pehla se he Lte tha… mgr zahir tab hua jab Spectrum nelam hua….ab Telenor sab bhi medaan mn apna 4G le ayi hen…. bus yahaan sab loot khasoot chal rashi ha…

        • Yar wesy telenor walon ny full pay kia ha , or CMPak ny to buhat ziada invest kia ha or kr b rahy hein asal mein ab problem ptcl or ufone he creat kr raha ha , in 2 companies ke wajha say baqi companies disturb hein , aik tarf CMPak or telenor itni ziada investment kr k medaan mein utry hein dosri tarf ptcl waly free mein chaar ji b medaan mein utaar chuky hein , ab ufone walon ny b free mein 900 MHz pay 3G chala de ha ,,, hadd ha wesy ,,, (Warid ka license technology neutral tha wesy, agr ijazat na milti to court case b kr sakty thy wo )

          • yep….yahi sab ho raha ha…. shoroo mn Ptcl walon ne $g ke nelami se pehla apna charji lunch kr ka khoob loota… phr Invest zong se acha khasaa lia ….Warid sahib ne sab kuch ye hal dekha to woh wesy he rafo-chakr ho gey… Arabic company thi :P

      • Ufone is not going anywhere. Etisalat has denied officially that there is no talk going on with any company regarding sale or merger. Its Zong and Telenor which are merging soon if you hear any new from past couple of weeks.

  • ap sab bhai jan se ek bat yahaan poch sakta hoon…mne mashwra leena ha… wesay yahaan pochna to nahi chaiyee …kunkeh yahaan jo disqus to 3G ke ho rhi ha mgr mn Uber or Careem ka bry mn Mashwra leena chahta hoon. agr ejazaat ho to sahre kron? Amir bhai

  • Ap Bhaiyon ka mashwra chaye.Mn ye 2 company Uber and Creem. in mn se kesi ka sath kam krna chta hn…mery pass apni car ha…or islamabad Area join krun ga…ap ye bata den keh Uber ka sath kam kr ka fiyda hasil kr sakon ga ya keh Careem ka sath…. Careem islamabad mn last week Lunch hui ha…or Uber abhi tak nahi ayi….or ye companies Lahore mn Already chal rahi haan…ap sab mujhe kia Suggest kro gay … Amir bhai plz ap bhi apni Raiee mashwra zaroor deen. meri bhalye and Allah ka Ajar ap sab ko zaroor mila ga…. thanks

    • I have used Uber. Careem is much expensive than Uber. In Faisalabad Careem is charging way more than it should. So I think Careem gives more share to driver than uber. If there is no Uber in Islamabad than you have only option of careem. Otherwise you can visit and get detail from both that how muchbthey are giving to driver.

      • hmmmmm…Thanks…. Any one know about that so please share the suggestions… Different mind and different think…

        • Careem is much better then uber, giving great incentives too, as a rider i used to get promo codes as well which when i apply it goes cheaper then uber, had more than 100 rides, All the captains are very happy with careem! May careem get success each passing day in our beloved country Pakistan. Pmln make it happen in Pakistan, no doubt abt it. Love from Karachi.

  • Kindly tell me aamir bhai ke 3g 2100 se 900 pe kese manually switch kiya ja sakta hai!!!!

    • You cannot. Agar aapka phone 2100 aur 900 dono ko support karta hai to most probabaly aap jitna tower se door hon gay ya indoor basement type room myn jayen gay 900 connect hone k chances increase hotay jayen gay. But trust me 900 pe indoor coverage to achi ho gi magar speed 2100 k muqablay myn shayed kam ho.

      • Bat ya ha janab ke hmary area me Jazz or telenor 3G ke covrge aye hove ha or 2no ke tower jo ha wo 1km ke fasly sy bhi kam par lagy ha magr dono ke signal 2100Mhz band par par bhi phone par nahi aty sirf ak signal ata ha room me wo bhi gaib ho jata ha agar room sy bahir jao to pher 2 ajaty ha yaa haal ha 2100Mhz ka.pher to 3G 900Mhz ke signal use karny ke lye hmesh tower ke nechy bathina pary ga.

        • Nahin bhai. Jitni frequency ki power barrhti jati hai utni us ki range kam hoti jati hai yeh physics ka rule hai. Es liye 900 MHz ki range 2100 MHz se ziada ho gi aur indoor coverage k liye 900 bohat acha hai.

      • Thanks bro! Mean ke cell me 900 n 2100 frquency ho bi to ham khud se change nae kar sakte yh auto hi hoga according to range!

      • @disqus_f4KOfxsOH9:disqus AOA Can you tell me are there apps which can tell me cellphone towers location or can point out about 3G/4G services offered in my area by towers. I am using iPhone.

  • “Bohat daire kar di merhaban aatey aatey” (Become late to come into the market)

    this UFONE step is just like the NOKIA’s step to make Android phone now after the Samsung become the Smartphone giant.

    Hope for the best.

  • I am receiving Ufone 3G signals now in my Village, I am at 27Km Talagang Mianwali Road. Previously there were no 3G signals of Ufone.


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