Pakistan has a population of 15 million people and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited or PTCL is the largest telecommunication company in the country. PTCL provides phone, Internet, cable and mobile phones services to a large percentage of the population. PTCL offers landline service that include SMS in voice form, as well as voicemail and Internet hook-up, which includes 100 hours of free Internet use per month between 7am and 10pm. Caller-ID and international calling minutes are available. The international plus plans offers 1200 free minutes of international calls per month. Different plans have a flat monthly fee. The international country calling code for Pakistan is 92.
PCL also offers the Broadband Pakistan high speed Internet service, which includes a free modem and installation and high speed Internet downloads. There is also a Smart multi channel TV plan that delivers television programs via a broadband connection. PTCL also owns ufone, the mobile phone service that offers discounts, prizes and cash rewards for using their services. Ufone offers six different mobile phone plans that offer free minutes and SMS messaging, as well as international rates. Etisalat which is also part of PTCL controls the operations of ufone, which has network coverage in more than 5900 locations across the country. Etisalat has been a telecommunication provider since 1976 in the United Arab Emirates.
Another mobile phone service provider in Pakistan is Mobilink, which has several different plans that include free minutes and SMS messaging. Some of the plans offer free data services and unlimited Internet service. Mobilink offers their budget plan, as well as a time of the day plan, a family and friends plan and a ladies plan.
Telenor is another mobile phone service which has 3 basic plans. All of them include a deposit and are called the Easy, Simple and the Free plan. Warid which is operated by Abu Dhabi Group has been providing phone service in Pakistan since 2005.
Paktel and Instaphone are two phone service providers that focus on price and service. Instaphone offers 6 plans and they all come with SMS messaging and early morning and Sunday special prices. Each plan cost is based on the number of calls and the time the calls are placed. Call waiting, call forward, conference calls and do not disturb services are free. Paktel has less than 2 million subscribers and their services range from fair to poor in terms of plan value. For the most part Pakistan’s phone service providers are a competitive group that offers good services and plans that reasonably price.
