Telenor Pakistan’s journey began in April 2004, when the Norwegian telecommunications company, Telenor Group, acquired a GSM mobile service license in Pakistan for $291 million. On March 15, 2005, commercial services were officially launched in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Karachi, and within just a few days, the network was expanded to Lahore, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, and the Karachi-Hyderabad Highway.
In 2006, *djuice* was introduced for the youth. In 2009, Telenor Pakistan and Tameer Microfinance Bank jointly launched *Easypaisa*, which is recognized as Pakistan’s first branchless mobile money transfer service. Easypaisa transformed the way people sent money, paid bills, and accessed financial services, especially for those who did not have traditional bank accounts.
While it is technically inaccurate to say that Telenor "invented" all these technologies itself, the company played a significant role in introducing several digital services to Pakistan for the first time or on a large scale. These included Easypaisa, mobile agricultural information services, safe internet awareness, the Open Mind program for persons with disabilities, digital birth registration for children, *Khushhaal Aangan* for female farmers, Telenor Velocity for young businesses, and the expansion of mobile internet to remote areas.
In 2014, Telenor launched 3G services in Pakistan. In 2015, it worked on the Internet of Things (IoT) through the Connected Devices project, while *Khushhaal Zamindar* provided farmers with information on local weather, crops, livestock, market rates, and agricultural advice. In 2016, the Telenor Velocity program for Pakistani startups was launched, and in 2017, the digital birth registration project was advanced in collaboration with UNICEF and provincial governments.
According to Telenor's official historical record, the company became the first mobile operator to activate VoLTE in Pakistan in 2019, launched 4G services in Gilgit-Baltistan, and introduced Pakistan's first Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network. Later, it expanded 4G to remote areas like Hunza and claimed to have conducted Pakistan’s fastest 5G trial.
At its peak, Telenor Pakistan provided mobile and digital services to tens of millions of users. According to the company, its network reached over 80% of the country's population, with a subscriber base exceeding 42 million. Telenor played a vital role in promoting connectivity and financial inclusion in urban, rural, mountainous, and underserved regions alike.
In December 2023, PTCL signed an agreement to acquire 100% shares of Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers, with Telenor Pakistan's enterprise value set at PKR 108 billion. After completing all legal and regulatory processes, Telenor Group officially finalized the sale of Telenor Pakistan on December 31, 2025.
In July 2026, Telenor Pakistan was officially merged into Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML), operating as Ufone 5G. Following this merger, Telenor Pakistan’s separate legal identity ceased to exist, and its network, infrastructure, customers, and operations became part of the new joint entity.
Today, the scene of Telenor's nameplate being taken down from its head office is not just the removal of a sign board—it symbolizes the closing of a major chapter in Pakistan's telecom history.
Over more than two decades, Telenor gave millions of people their first mobile call, their first internet connection, their first digital money transfer, and countless memories of connecting with the world.
Farewell, Telenor Pakistan.
Your name may fade, but the memories attached to you will remain an enduring part of Pakistan’s telecom history.
#TelenorPakistan #Telenor #FarewellTelenor #TelenorHistory #Ufone5G #PTML #PTCL #TelecomPakistan #PakistanTelecom #viral
JD Vance:
I have joked that I have two very, very important people in my life.
An Indian and a Pakistani.
The Indian is my wife, and the Pakistani is Field Marshal Munir.