PTCL Will Bid for 3G License Auction: Etisalat

Etisalat, a UAE based telecom operator, has reaffirmed its confidence in Pakistani telecom market by announcing that it will definitely bid for 3G license auction, planned by Pakistan government in next few months.
Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Etisalat’s chief executive, in an interview with UAE based newspaper hinted that PTCL will focus on wireless broadband services in Pakistan after wining 3G license, a market in which PTCL already holds major market share but still has plentiful of potential for growth.
“Pakistan is a market with close to 200 million people. The broadband penetration is very low and there are no 3G services. So the potential is huge,” Mr. Julfar was quoted as saying.
Etisalat is still considering the amount of investment it will inject into PTCL for network rollout and expansion of 3G spectrum. It said that final decision for investment will largely depend on 3G spectrum cost and terms set by the Pakistani government.
Earlier this year Mr. Walid Irshaid, President and CEO of PTCL, had also hinted that PTCL will bid for 3G license auction.