The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has granted Phase-II approval for the proposed acquisition of Telenor Pakistan by Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), marking a major milestone in the telecom sector’s ongoing consolidation.
According to a notice sent to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), PTCL and Telenor Pakistan BV (TPBV) entered into a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) on August 14, 2024. The deal covers the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Telenor Pakistan (Private) Limited and Orion Towers (Private) Limited.
“We highly appreciate the Commission’s thoroughness in safeguarding the future outlook and long-term sustainability of Pakistan’s telecom sector. We are especially thankful to our customers, partners, and the wider telecom community who have been eagerly looking forward to this historic announcement,” said a statement issued by PTCL.
PTCL is grateful to the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for successfully concluding Phase II of the review of its acquisition of Telenor Pakistan, it added.
PTCL fully cooperated with the Commission throughout the review process and remains committed to advancing the acquisition in complete alignment with the directions of all regulatory bodies on this matter, along with necessary compliance with the applicable laws of the country.
This intra-sector consolidation is a pivotal step forward for Pakistan’s telecom industry, which will draw strengths from both PTML (Ufone) and Telenor to deliver best in class customer experience, enhanced network quality, broader coverage, and innovative digital services for their customer base, while enabling the sector to achieve greater efficiency, resilient infrastructure, and a more competitive landscape, the statement added.
Moreover, the consolidated entity will strengthen nationwide connectivity, drive innovation, and support the government’s vision of a digitally empowered Pakistan.
The CCP’s approval follows a detailed review of the pre-merger application filed by PTCL and TPBV, in line with the Competition Act, 2010 and the Competition (Merger Control) Regulations, 2016. The commission’s Phase-II order, issued today, confirms that the transaction complies with all relevant legal provisions.
However, the notice clarifies that the transaction is still subject to other corporate and regulatory approvals, completion of formalities, and the signing of necessary agreements and instruments before it can be finalized.
The CCP’s review is among the most comprehensive in its history, applying the Substantial Lessening of Competition (SLC) Test to assess whether the merger would distort market dynamics. The Commission examined multiple sub-markets, including cellular mobile services, long-distance and international (LDI) services, fixed-line, leased lines, and IP bandwidth.
Between September 2024 and August 2025, the CCP held at least five open hearings and several confidential sessions with PTCL, Telenor, and other stakeholders. The Commission demanded extensive data, ranging from regulatory separated accounts to interconnection agreements and business plans, to address concerns about potential market dominance. Despite repeated delays and technical complexities, the CCP pressed for clarifications until it was satisfied with the information provided.
Officials familiar with the process said the CCP faced significant external and corporate pressure to expedite the approval. However, Chairman Dr. Kabir Sidhu insisted on full transparency and refused to proceed until all statutory requirements were met.
In February 2025, a stakeholder’s counsel argued that the CCP had become “functus officio” on the matter, a claim the Commission rejected, maintaining that statutory timelines were being observed and that public interest required a thorough probe.
The PTCL-Telenor review mirrors global precedents in telecom mergers. For example, the Vodafone/Three UK deal took nearly 23 months for clearance, while the Sprint/T-Mobile merger in the U.S. underwent a 22-month review. In this context, the CCP’s 18-month examination aligns with international best practices and highlights the complexity of mergers that reshape competitive landscapes.
Stay Connected with ProPakistani
Get the latest tech news, telecom insights, and product launches wherever you prefer.
Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.
کفر ٹوٹا خدا خدا کر کے۔
ZAfar saab here your comment from Aug 29 2023 for the context of new viewers:
By merging both companies Ufone can launch better services with huge spectrum. After merger both companies will have following spectrum
Frequency band: Ufone+Telenor= Total
1800 MHz band 3: 15+8.8= 23.8 MHz
2100 MHz band 1: 5+5= 10 MHz
900 MHz band 8: 7.6+4.8= 12.4 MHz
850 MHz band 5: 0+10= 10 MHz
.
With this spectrum Ufone can Launch 4G/3G/2G in following frequency and bandwidths
Carrier Aggregation 4G+= 20 MHz band 3+ 10 MHz band 1+ 10 MHz band 9 or 5 Total 40 MHz
DC-HSPA+ 3G= 10 MHz band 9 or 5 (whichever not used for 4G)
GSM 2G= 3.8 MHz band 3 and 2.4 MHz band 8
.
This is more spectrum than Zong and Jazz in every categary either 4G/3G/2G. So their merger is in favour of not only these companies but also their users. Telenor has vast 4G coverage but lacks spectrum and Ufone has spectrum but sloppy coverage. Both issues will be resolved
The merged company will only benefit with the additional 850 MHz spectrum.
In the other bands, they are on par with Jazz in terms of total holdings.
The only downside is that 850 MHz stands out as an uncommon band on this side of the world, so introducing it for carrier aggregation poses a challenge because of compatibility with other bands in terms of CA combos and with the phones that are sold here.
Time will tell and I’m curious to see if Ufone/PTCL continue to pay the license renewal fees for 850 MHz because it seems like it will be underutilized post merger.
Mr Murtaza saeed knowing how pathetic PTCL and its parent company etisalat is I tend to agree with you on the point that they can ditch 850Mhz rather than paying fee to renew it.
as for using it in carrier Aggregation telenor was doing CA already on this band but since their overall spectrum was so low, it didn’t help them whatsoever.
Hopefully this merger will force atleast one of the other two (jazz and zong) to also bid for mmwave band. just to one up the others.
With the addition of the 850 MHz band, Ufone will gain significant advantages after the merger with Telenor. Most modern devices that support 2-way or 3-way carrier aggregation are already compatible with combinations involving 850 MHz alongside other mainstream 4G bands. This means the old drawback of 850 MHz not being usable for 4G+ is no longer a limitation.
The greatest benefit for Ufone is that the 850 MHz band can handle its low-band 4G coverage needs, effectively freeing up the entire 900 MHz spectrum. This 900 MHz band can then be strategically reserved for 5G deployment, enabling better indoor coverage, deeper penetration, and seamless VoNR (Voice over New Radio) services.
In contrast, Jazz and Zong will have to rely on acquiring 700 MHz spectrum (either one of them can get because of only 1X15 MHz spectrum availability) for similar 5G coverage objectives, a band expected to be the most expensive in the upcoming 5G auction.
Total number of towers decrease because only one tower will work in one (Ufone/telenor). So increase unemployment
It won’t, 5G needs more towers
4g exists and still operating at 40% to 8% speed . So no, you’re wrong
Are you done with your pr ? Kindly come back to earth .
You can’t just add frequency band just bcz a company was acquired. It doesn’t increase anything except company valuation.
And on what basis did you add them ? If I place a ps2 over a ps3 that doesn’t make it a ps5 .
If I place a bike under a v8 sun, that doesn’t make it a super heavy bike.
Kindly come back to earth. Promise of better service without actual proof is misleading
Wow!
you’re wasting your talents here teaching us how Frequency bands(which is a limited resource) work. You should be the consultant to Frequency Allocation Board.
I think maybe in your dream world that’s how these bands work. meanwhile here on earth bands can be combined by the process known as carrier aggregation. to widen the spectrum.
Hope you don’t delete this gem of a comment that you made. so that people with ment*l disabilities can also feel good about themselves after reading it.
He is not worth a reply dude. Never saw a positive comments from this guy. He is a kind of person who will even find something bad in God’s Jannah!
What’s asserted without evidence is rejected without evidence
Claim is not proof
Nice try . But you forgot few things. Band width and frequency depends
Upon the infrastructure in place and the tech used to make it.
Not by acquiring another company.
When Chrysler acquired so many brands. They didn’t become the best or even the most innovative. Toyota remained on top still.
When tesla created cyberjunk with steel. It didn’t become the safest vehicle.
Band width depends upon the infrastructure for 4g connectivity and govt regulation and license.
I don’t and CAN’T delete comments. By disabilities, do you mean yourself ? Bcz you’re currently the only 1 in that category
Stop embarrassing yourself boy. You have no idea what you are talking about.
Prove it . Waiting.
If spectrum cannot be used after a telecom company merger, then how did Jazz manage to use Warid’s 4G spectrum? Ask this question to ChatGPT and you will get the complete answer.
Mobilink merged with Warid at the end of 2015. After the approval, it began using Warid’s 4G spectrum.
Mobilink had not bid for any 4G spectrum in the 2014 NGMS auction. However, after merging with Warid, Jazz was allowed to use Warid’s license, which enabled it to become a 4G network by utilizing a 5 MHz block in the 1800 MHz band.
In May 2017, Jazz succeeded in the 2017 NGMS auction conducted by PTA. In this auction, it acquired a 10 MHz block in the 1800 MHz (FDD-LTE Band 3) for 4G.
Later, on June 30, 2017, PTA also awarded Jazz additional 4G spectrum.
Assalam Alaikum Zafar sab hope youre fine.
Although as you know back in 2023 when this merger news first came out i wrote under your comment that ZOng should’ve been the one to buy telenor as that made more sense to me cuz i don’t like PTCL as they have tendency to sh*ot themselves on the foot by overcharging.
but now that its done I think this merger will only fuel Jazz and Zong’s desire to go for maximum spectrum in 5g Auction. and we might as well see one of these companies also go to for millimeter wave band as well. this merger will force their hand. what do you think. millimeter wave 5g will also mean speeds over a gigabit wirelessly.
mmWave 5G will only be viable in metro cities, and the carrier that acquires the higher mid-band spectrum, i.e., 3500 MHz or 2600 MHz, will gain an advantage. This also requires very heavy investment from telcos, and gigabit speeds are still far from being achieved with the currently available spectrum.
Zong’s revenue remains on par with the combined Ufone–Telenor entity. When it comes to 5G, it is expected that all three operators will receive an equal share of spectrum. However, whichever of Jazz or Zong manages to secure the 700 MHz band will gain a significant advantage over the other.
Jazz still has the option to refarm 10 MHz of its 900 MHz spectrum for 5G at any time, giving it additional flexibility. Zong, on the other hand, must acquire 700 MHz to ensure deeper 5G coverage, which is why it is likely to bid aggressively in the upcoming auction.
Zong’s revenue remains on par with the combined Ufone–Telenor entity. When it comes to 5G, it is expected that all three operators will receive an equal share of spectrum. However, whichever of Jazz or Zong manages to secure the 700 MHz band will gain a significant advantage over the other.
Jazz still has the option to refarm 10 MHz of its 900 MHz spectrum for 5G at any time, giving it additional flexibility. Zong, on the other hand, must acquire 700 MHz to ensure deeper 5G coverage, which is why it is likely to bid aggressively in the upcoming auction….
How can zong revenue be at par with Telenor ufone entity whiten that entity doesn’t even exist yet ?
Did you even go to school ? Bcz everything you said is wrong
Finally, hope this is good for Pakistan and its people.
Nope . It isn’t . The merger was out of necessity bcz no one was buying or acquiring it.
Same story as credit suisse and UBS
Another competitor gone . These Arabs love monopoly . In fact uae etisalat is government owned . our corrupt official helping them destroy competition
The CCP’s nod to this PTCL-Telenor deal, on paper, may seem like progress but unless PTCL and Ufone are legally and operationally separated, the merger is just a façade for dominance. Wireless and wired must not be merged under the same roof , the new entity risks cross-subsidization, unfair access, and stifling competition.
Wireless operations should be carved out as an independent business unit, overseen by true in-house wireless domain experts, with autonomy in strategy, capex, and governance , not shoehorned into PTCL’s legacy structure. Only then can regulators genuinely expect fair play, innovation, and consumer benefit // otherwise, the damage will be irreversible.
Good luck telenor.
Is not like they have a choice . The merger was bcz Telenor pakistan operations were dying out . They needed the merger otherwise it would be bad and might result in bad rep for pakistan companies.
So sad that many people will be made redundant due to duplication policy.
But it proves that trust in pakistan is at all time low.
plz investigate why Aliexpress has started charging TAX again.
What’s to investigate ? We are Charging the taxes . Pakistan destroyed the free delivery from china