Privatisation Commission blocks Ufone’s proposed ‘e&’ rebranding, says matter requires intergovernmental approval
- Says it's a government-level decision, not a regulatory one, amid ongoing merger discussions
The Privatisation Commission has halted the PTA's approval for Ufone's rebranding to "e&" following its merger with Telenor, citing it as a government-level decision requiring further consultation.
- Privatisation Commission blocking Ufone's rebranding.
- Government consultations on Ufone's proposed "e&" brand change.
- Regulatory implications of the Ufone-Telenor merger rebranding.
ISLAMABAD: The Privatisation Commission has stopped the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) from granting approval for the proposed rebranding of Ufone as “e&”, saying the matter is a reserved issue between the governments concerned and can only be approved by the two governments.
The PTA chairman, responding to media questions, revealed that the commission had directed the regulator not to proceed with approval of the proposed change in Ufone’s brand name following the merger of Ufone and Telenor Pakistan.
The chairman said the matter involved commitments between the two governments and, therefore, could not be decided solely at the regulatory level.
The development comes as the government has yet to take a final decision on the proposed rebranding of Ufone as “e&”, with consultations among relevant authorities still under way.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, the Secretary IT and Telecom said Pakistan Telecommunication Mobile Limited (PTML) had approached PTA seeking permission to change Ufone’s brand name to e&.
He said the matter was currently under consultation, with different views emerging from the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and PTA regarding the proposed change.
“The consultation process regarding changing Ufone’s brand name is continuing,” the secretary said, adding that the government was examining the issue from different aspects.
He clarified that no final decision had so far been taken on replacing the established Ufone brand with e&.
The committee discussed the proposed rebranding in the context of the merger of Ufone and Telenor Pakistan and sought clarity on the regulatory process involved in changing the established Ufone brand.
The Secretary IT said the matter remained under consideration and further consultations would be held before a final decision was reached.
The committee also discussed the regulatory and policy implications of the proposed rebranding and the process through which approval for any change in the operator’s established brand would be granted.
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