Warid Mobile has become the sixth provider of cellular services in the Pakistani market.

One of the most recent and dynamic entrants on Pakistan’s cellular telephony scene is Warid Telecom, a subsidiary of the multi-interest Abu Dhabi Group. Awarded one of two new cellular licenses by the Pakistani government in April 2004 for $291 million, Warid launched its mobile services in 28 Pakistani cities on May 23 this year. This included 12 customer service centers, which the company plans to increase to 33 within six months, reaching an additional 75 cities in the same time period. With a current capacity for 1.5 million subscribers, which will be expanded to 7 million by 2006, Warid is already capturing a substantial share of Pakistan’s lucrative cellular market.

Hamid Farooq Chief Executive Officer of Warid Telecom

“In a competitive market with six operators, it is important that we deliver something that has not been delivered before,” comments CEO Hamid Farooq. “Our proposition is to provide quality at competitive rates. We want to build up a base of satisfied customers that will help us expand.”
Prepared to invest more than $1 billion in total over the three initial phases of its start-up, Warid is determined to provide first-rate services. In addition to a state-of-the-art network, which it has developed in partnership with Ericsson, Warid has constructed the largest customer care call center in the business. Destined to offer after-sales services, it will house some 400 agents.

The company has set a sales ceiling that will always remain roughly 15% below capacity level, and has set up total price tariffs that guarantee users know what they are paying for. Mr. Farooq elaborates: “We aim to be very simple, transparent, and fair with our customers. Customers need to know that the rates and packages they are choosing do not contain any hidden costs that they will discover months later.”