Ufone-Telenor merged company seeks PTA approval for e& rebrand

The new management of the merged Ufone-Telenor Pakistan entity has applied to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to rebrand the company as e&, following the legal amalgamation of Telenor Pakistan into Pak Telecom Mobile Ltd (PTML), Dawn reported. 

Earlier this month, Telenor Pakistan was formally merged into PTML, the brand name of Ufone, after final approval from the Islamabad High Court.

Sources in the PTCL said the proposed name e& reflects the merged company’s link with UAE-based state-owned Etisalat.

PTCL has written to the PTA seeking approval for the new brand name. However, the regulator has asked for a Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) notification regarding the directors of the merged entity before the brand can be registered.

The PTA issued a similar response to a letter from PTML, saying an SECP notification was required before the new brand could be launched or advertised.

An official of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications said Ufone is a brand of PTML and that, after Telenor Pakistan’s amalgamation into the company, there could be changes in PTML’s board of directors.

The official said the SECP would have to issue a notification confirming any change, or no change, in the board.

According to the PTA’s letter, PTML cannot launch or advertise the new brand until the required SECP notification is submitted.