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Zong (mobile network)

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For other similarly named articles, see Zong.

CMPak Limited,[1][2] doing business as Zong (Urdu: زونگ), is a Pakistani mobile data network operator, owned by China Mobile.[3]

Zong
Zong
China Mobile Pakistan
FormerlyPaktel
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryTelecommunication
FoundedApril 2008; 16 years ago (2008-04)
HeadquartersIslamabad, Pakistan
Area served
Pakistan
Key people
Huo Junli (CEO)
ProductsMobile services
Data services
Mobile banking
Telephony
ParentChina Mobile
Websitewww.zong.com.pk

It is the first overseas setup of China Mobile through acquisition of a license from Millicom to operate a GSM network in Pakistan in 2008.[4]

It is Pakistan's second-largest mobile service provider with a subscriber base of 49 million, among which 37 million are 4G/LTE subscribers. With over 14,000 4G enabled sites across the country, it has a market share of 25% among cellular operators in the country.[5]

History

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Zong commenced operations as Paktel by Cable & Wireless in 1991. It was the first company granted a free license to carry out cellular phone services in Pakistan. It carried out AMPS services until 2004, when the company launched GSM services.

In 2003, Millicom Corporation, who at that time were majority owners of Instaphone, bought Paktel from Cable & Wireless. Millicom installed a new management team headed by John Tumelty, former CEO of Instaphone, and Chief Financial Officer David Ordman.

On 22 January 2007, Millicom International Cellular S.A. stated that it would sell its 88.86 percent stake in Paktel Limited to China Mobile for $284 million, which includes the repayment of intercompany debt. The sale implies an enterprise value for Paktel of $460 million, Millicom said in its press release. Merrill Lynch advised China Mobile on the transaction.

On 4 May 2007, Paktel Limited was renamed to China Mobile Pakistan.[6] On 16 May 2007 China Mobile announced that it had increased its stake in CMPak to 100%.[7]

On 1 April 2008, Paktel was rebranded to Zong.[8]

Network

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China Mobile Pakistan has invested more than US$2 billion so far to build up network infrastructure in Pakistan since 2008.[9] It will invest US$1 billion in next two to three year for next generation service roll-out.[10]

Zong has built the third-largest cellular network in the country with over 10,000 base stations.[11] To go green, Zong has installed solar powered cell sites in various locations. It has country's largest solar power telecommunication network.[12][13]

 
Zong 4G (old logo)

Its cellular towers are mostly installed inhouse yet it also utilizes B2S towers provided by Tawal, E.co, and Infrashare.

Its network base stations, microwave links, IT support and transmission towers are maintained and provided by ZTE Pakistan.[14]

Zong currently uses GSM, UMTS/HSPA+ and LTE technologies.

Radio frequency summary

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Frequency Protocol Band Class Channel Width
900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G 7.6 MHz
1800 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G 1 MHz
2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSPA+ 1 3G 5 MHz / 10 MHz
1800 MHz LTE/LTE-A 3 4G 15 MHz / 20 MHz
2100 MHz LTE/LTE-A 1 4G 5 MHz / 10 MHz

Next generation mobile services

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On 23 April 2014, Pakistan concluded the auction for the next generation of mobile spectrum. Zong paid $516 million for a 10 MHz spectrum in the 2.1 GHz frequency range for 3G and a 10 MHz spectrum in the 1.8 GHz frequency range for 4G, making it Pakistan's first 3G and 4G operator.[10]

LTE Advanced (4G+)

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Zong has refarmed 5 MHz of its 2100 MHz 3G spectrum for 4G. They are currently deploying (via carrier aggregation) 15 MHz of Band 3 (1800 MHz), and 10 MHz of Band 1 (2100 MHz) for LTE-A.

5G Testing

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As of August 2019, Zong is the first of three mobile network operators in Pakistan to successfully conduct 5G trials.[15][16] In the trial, speeds of up to 1.14 GB/s were achieved.[17]

Number scheming

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Zong uses the following numbering scheme:

+92 3 1 N1N2N3N4N5N6N7N8N9

Where, 92 is the ISD code for Pakistan and is required when dialing outside the country, 3 is the mobile access code, and 1 is the prefix for Zong allocated by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Omitting +92 would require 0 instead to represent local call, hence 031 is the general prefix and N1N2N3N4N5N6N7N8N9 is the subscriber number.

Zong Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH)

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Zong plans to launch Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Broadband internet. Initially the service will only be available in select areas of Karachi.[18]

Marketing

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Stores

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Zong operates 22 customer service centres, 305 franchises, and 190,000 retail customer points nationwide.[19]

Slogans

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Previous logo of Zong with slogan

At the time of its launch in 2008, China Mobile Pakistan ran the advertising campaign for Zong with the tagline 'Say it all' (Urdu: سب کہہ دو). China Mobile Pakistan ran advertising for Zong with new tagline 'A New Dream' (Urdu: ایک نیا خواب). In February, the company announced its new tagline is "Let's Get Digital".[20]

 
New logo of Zong with its new slogan

Products

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Zong offers prepaid, postpaid, ladies, and youth plans. The postpaid, ladies, and youth plans are branded as bizXcess, Flutter, and Circle.[21][22][23] Moreover, it also offers data plans and branch-less banking.[24]

Mobile banking

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Timepey

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Timepey was the mobile banking service offered by Zong in association with Askari Bank Limited from late 2012.[25] Timepey lets users pay utility bills, transfer money to specified recipients anywhere in the country, deposit and withdraw cash and carry out account transfers.[26][27]

PayMax

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Discontinuing Timepey in 2017, Zong relaunched its mobile financial services with a new brand "PayMax" in association with Askari Bank Limited. PayMax lets users pay utility bills, transfer money to specified recipients anywhere in the country, deposit and withdraw cash and carry out account transfers.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "CMPAK LIMITED". opencorporates.com. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  2. ^ "China Mobile Pakistan Limited: Private Company Information". bloomberg.com. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  3. ^ Baloch, Farooq (5 March 2018). "Why 'no profit' still makes Zong happy". Profit by Pakistan Today.
  4. ^ "About ZONG". Zong Homepage.
  5. ^ "Telecom Indicators | PTA". www.pta.gov.pk. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Paktel renamed CMPak" (in Chinese). China Mobile Limited. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  7. ^ "May 2007 Archived Press Clippings : LTC International, Telecom Headlines and Industry News". LTC International Inc. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  8. ^ "China Mobile re-brands Paktel as Zong". www.telecompaper.com. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Zong ready to invest $ 0.6 million for LDI operations | Telecom Recorder". 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Inflow: Zong to make licence payment in dollars". The Express Tribune. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  11. ^ Staff. "Cell locations rise in FY09-10 | Pakistan Today". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  12. ^ Sik, Saleh; ar (22 December 2010). "Zong Plans to Develop More Solar-Powered Cell Sites". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  13. ^ "China Mobile plans to develop solar-powered cell sites - thenews.com.pk". 2 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  14. ^ "State of Telecom Industry in Pakistan » Expansion Of Telecom Infrastructure In Pakistan: ZTE And CMPak In USD100 Million Base Station Deal". 10 February 2009. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  15. ^ "Pakistan becomes the first country in South East Asia to test 5G". 10 February 2020. Archived from the original on 10 February 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Get ready for 5G as Pakistan conducts first successful test". Dunya News. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  17. ^ Hussain, Javed (22 August 2019). "'Pakistan on short list of 5G-ready countries with Zong's successful trial'". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  18. ^ Release, Press (25 July 2019). "Zong 4G Announces Zong Fiber, Its Direct-to-Home Fiber Optic Internet Service". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Zong prize for franchises". The Nation. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  20. ^ "Zong 4G Pakistan – Press Releases". www.zong.com.pk. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  21. ^ Mathar, M. (3 July 2012). "Zong Introduces Flutter, Ultimate Mobile Package for Ladies". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  22. ^ Mathar, M. (30 April 2013). "Zong Launches Postpaid Service BizXcess". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  23. ^ Attaa, Aamir (13 June 2013). "Zong Launches Youth Specific Offering: Circle". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  24. ^ Attaa, Aamir (23 May 2012). "Breaking: Zong, Askari Bank Step Into Branchless Banking". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  25. ^ "Askari Bank, Zong launch technology-based branchless banking - thenews.com.pk". 3 December 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Askari Bank, Zong offer branchless banking services". The News International, Pakistan. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  27. ^ "Branchless banking: Zong, Askari Bank officially jump on the bandwagon". The Express Tribune. 1 December 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
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