Wateen


Wateen Telecom is a converged communication services provider based in Lahore, Pakistan, and was a sister concern of Warid Telecom. The company was incorporated in 2005 and began its operations in 2007 with the deployment of the largest fibre optic network in the country. Moreover, Wateen is the world’s first company to commercially roll out a WiMAX network on a nationwide scale.

Overview

Wateen Telecom delivers Internet, voice, multimedia, and enterprise Solutions. The company's strategic importance is gauged by the fact that Wateen owns the largestFiberoptic Cable Network stretching from Karachi to Torkhum and Chaman connecting Pakistan regionally with Afghanistan, Iran and recently with China.
Wateen is tier 1 fiber network with strategic importance as it connect over 200 cities in Pakistan. Wateen currently provides its services to over 250,000 WiMAX subscribers and enterprise solutions along with data services to over 200 leading organizations. Its cable network reaches over 125,000 households in the cities of Lahore and Multan.

History

2005 to 2010

Wateen Telecom is formed under the auspices of the Abu Dhabi Group; one of the leading business corporations in the Middle East and one of the biggest foreign investors in Pakistan. Initially in 2007, the company was set up as a "carrier's-carrier" providing a fine fibre optic network to mobile companies and offering long distance and telephony services. In areas where Wateen did not have a fiber network, it offered carriers connectivity through VSAT.
Wateen is the first company in the world to commercially launch WiMAX broadband internet services throughout the country, beginning with 24 major cities in Pakistan in 2007. Thereon, Wateen set forth to launch a range of services for individuals and modern enterprises and also signed as a re-selling partner for multinational solution providers such as Cisco, Huawei, EMC and Polycom amongst numerous others.

2010 to date

Due to the global recession and instability in the economic and political scenario in the country, the FDI in Pakistan slowed, adversely affecting the company. In order to raise capital, Wateen Telecom decided to go public with an IPO, which was oversubscribed. Unfortunately, right after the IPO there came a fall in the share prices and the stock index was declining. Realizing the situation, Wateen Telecom underwent a major transformation which also included a change in its management.
The goal for the new management was to revitalize the organization with skilled resources, re-establish the goodwill for the company and take up the challenge to improve performance. Some of the initial successes were included:
The total value of this project is around 2.4bn.
In 2011 Wateen re-launched with a new identity, "Hello Again" and moved its market strategy from being functional to building an emotional connection with the stakeholders.

Current services

Wateen currently services over 250,000 WiMAX subscribers, provides enterprise solutions and data services to over 200 organizations and its wired network reaches over 15,000 households in Lahore and Multan, along with 23 other cities across Pakistan.

Operations

Broadband Internet

Wateen has shut down its WiMax network and now only offers Fiber Broadband in areas of Karachi, Lahore and Multan.

Telephony

Wateen Telecom offers telecommunication services all across Pakistan as well as internationally. The services stretch out from Pakistan to,
Wateen Telecom's multimedia and interactive television services offer entertainment video channels in Lahore and Multan, which will be expanded to Karachi soon.