This landmark moment was witnessed by Prime Minister Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar Minister Finance, Mrs. Anusha Rehman, State Minister for IT and Telecom, Dr. Ismail Shah, Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
Ufone, Mobilink and Zong were represented by their respective CEOs while Mr. Aslam Hayat, Chief Corporate Affairs of Telenor, represented his company during the signing ceremony.
Dr. Ismail Shah, Chairman PTA, did the signing part on behalf of Government of Pakistan while Mr. Rashid Khan, CEO Mobilink, Mr. Abdul Aziz, CEO Ufone, Mr. Fan Yun Jun, CEO of CMPak and Mr. Aslam Hayat, Chief Corporate Affairs of Telenor represented their respective companies.
Mobilink, Ufone and Telenor were awarded three 3G licenses while Zong was given a 3G and a 4G license that they had won in last month’s auction.
It maybe recalled that Ufone and Telenor paid their 50% up front fee for the spectrum while Zong and Mobilink paid 100% up front fee for the spectrum they had won. Additionally, 10% withholding tax on license fee will be deposited to government as well.
After this license award ceremony mobile phone companies are all good to launch 3G and 4G services in the country.
Pakistan’s 3G and 4G spectrum auction received positive reviews from local and global analysts. Country generated US 1.2 billion dollars out of the auction with 2 unsold licenses worth US 505 million still in hands.