The merged Ufone-Telenor operation has moved closer to adopting a new identity after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority granted conditional approval for its proposed rebranding.
Sources familiar with the regulatory process said the approval depends on Pak Telecom Mobile Limited completing every required legal formality. PTML must then notify PTA before starting any commercial launch, advertising or promotional campaign under the new identity.
The regulator has not confirmed a launch date. PTA sources also said the authority knew nothing about reports suggesting a rebranding event on September 15.
Approval clears another regulatory hurdle
PTA approved the proposed brand modification through a letter dated June 16, according to earlier reporting by Business Recorder. The regulator later reiterated its conditions in a July 2 communication to PTML.
Those instructions required the company to notify PTA after the legal amalgamation took effect and before commercially introducing the brand. The rebranding subsequently faced delays amid questions about legal compliance and corporate governance.
Earlier, PTA sought documentation linked to the merged company’s directors and corporate structure. Dawn reported that an official from the Ministry of Information Technology explained why Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan records mattered.
“Ufone is a brand of Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML), and as Telenor Pakistan has been amalgamated into it, there could be a change in PTML directors,” the official said.
Ufone and Telenor combine under PTML
Telenor Pakistan has now been amalgamated into PTML, the legal company behind Ufone, following approval from the Islamabad High Court. The integration places both operators’ spectrum, mobile networks and customer bases under one operation.
The combined business serves more than 74 million subscribers, making it one of Pakistan’s largest mobile operators. Management has proposed retiring the Ufone and Telenor Pakistan identities and replacing them with the global “e&” brand.
The merger followed PTCL’s acquisition of Telenor Pakistan. The Competition Commission of Pakistan approved the transaction in October 2025, subject to extensive safeguards protecting competition and consumers.
Those conditions included separate management structures, independent oversight, non-discriminatory infrastructure access and restrictions on cross-subsidisation. CCP also required the merged business to pass claimed efficiencies to consumers through improved services, pricing and investment.
Customers still waiting for transition details
Despite regulatory progress, PTML has not publicly confirmed the final brand name. It has also not announced a launch date or detailed transition plan for existing Ufone and Telenor customers.
Customers still do not know when network branding, service centres, mobile applications, SIM packaging or promotional material might change.
PTA’s conditional approval indicates that the rebranding can move forward once PTML meets the remaining requirements. However, the company cannot begin marketing the new identity until it completes those steps and formally informs the regulator.
For now, “e&” remains the proposed name rather than a publicly launched consumer brand. Ufone and Telenor customers must wait for PTML to explain how the change will affect their services, packages and account management.
