Paktel

Pakistani cellular operator

Paktel was the pioneer cellular operator of Pakistan. It was the trend setter company granted license to carry out cellular phone services in Pakistan, set up by Cable & Wireless. It carried out AMPS services until 2004 when the company switched to GSM technology. Paktel offered only mobile telephony service to its 2 million subscriber base. As of 2007, Paktel was ranked fifth mobile player of Pakistani market owing to low subscriber base and market share. After the completion of its acquisition by China Mobile, Paktel was rebranded Zong Pakistan on April 1, 2008.

Paktel offered prepaid and postpaid plans. It was initially offering only postpaid services with PKR 5000 (approximately $23 at that time) as initial security deposit. The call data was used to be stored on magnetic tapes, sent to the United Kingdom for printing and bills were then dispatched to the customers after a delay of 45 days. This ensued in non payments from many defaulters who fled away after using and receiving heavy bills. The call rate was charged to both the caller and the receiver alike. In April 2001, prepaid brand Tango was launched under the management of Mr Amees Ahmad. Paktel had customer service centres in major cities and country wide network of franchises further backed by retail channels. Paktel was the first company to waive off national roaming and incoming calls charges to compete with the rival Mobilink and Ufone. Later it uncovered another offer, the country's first offer of its kind – free credit on receiving incoming calls per minute basis. It came up with the slogan Call Suno Balance Barhao; Baqi Sab Bhool Jao (lit. Listen to the call increase your credit; forget the rest – )