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Telenor Pakistan sale finally completed 

Telenor Pakistan sale finally completed 

Telenor Group, a leading telecommunications and technology company in the Nordic countries and Asia, has successfully completed the sale of its Telenor Pakistan business to Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), a part of the global technology group (and UAE-headquartered) e&.

The sale was originally announced on 14 December 2023, when Telenor Pakistan was valued at NOK5.3 billion (about US$527.4 million) on a cash-and-debt-free basis. With adjustments, this valuation is now NOK5.4 billion (about US$537.2 million)

Telenor has also received NOK 0.9 billion (about US$89.5 million) in cash flow from Telenor Pakistan since the transaction was announced.

Telenor Pakistan launched 20 years ago. Its mobile division is better  known as Ufone. Telenor points out that since its launch the operator has provided essential connectivity and digital services to over 40 million customers. It has also introduced 4G technology to underserved areas.

Explaining the purpose behind the sale, Benedicte Schilbred Fasmer, Telenor Group CEO, says: “The completion of this transaction reflects Telenor Group’s strategy to focus on being an active owner of market-leading positions in Asia, while enabling consolidation and innovation in Pakistan’s telecom sector.”

In an interview with this publication in July, Telenor Asia head Jon Omund Revhaug put this slightly differently, saying: “Pakistan has some of the lowest average revenue per user (ARPU) rates in the world, high spectrum costs, low service profitability, and no regulatory outlook to support in-market consolidation. The reality for the business and the industry at large simply didn’t support continued investment.”

It has taken a long time to get here, involving a number of regulatory hurdles. However, as we noted in early December, the newly merged entity will certainly have a more powerful presence in the market, boasting around 70 million subscribers, making it the second-largest operator behind Jazz (which is estimated to have 74 million), and well ahead of Zong’s 52 million subscribers.



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