Zong (mobile network)

CMPak Limited
Zong
China Mobile Pakistan
Native name
سی ایم پاک محدود
FormerlyPaktel (1991–2008)
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryTelecommunication
FoundedApril 2008; 18 years ago (2008-04)
HeadquartersIslamabad, Pakistan
Area served
Pakistan
Key peopleHuo Junli (CEO)
ProductsMobile services
Data services
Mobile banking
Telephony
ParentChina Mobile
Websitewww.zong.com.pk

CMPak Limited, doing business as Zong (Urdu: زونگ), is a Pakistani mobile network operator. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Mobile, marking the parent company's first overseas expansion following its 2008 acquisition of a GSM network license from Millicom. Zong is Pakistan's second-largest mobile service provider, with a subscriber base of 56 million, including 45 million 4G/LTE subscribers. As of 2024, it has over 15,000 4G-enabled sites across Pakistan, and a 26% market share among the country's cellular operators.

History

Zong began operations in 1991 as Paktel, established by Cable & Wireless. It was the first company granted a license to operate cellular phone services in Pakistan. The company offered Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) services until 2004, when it launched Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) services.

In 2003, Millicom Corporation, then the majority owner of Instaphone, acquired Paktel from Cable & Wireless.

On 22 January 2007, Millicom International Cellular S.A. announced the sale of its 88.86 percent stake in Paktel Limited to China Mobile for $284 million, a sum that included the repayment of intercompany debt. Millicom stated in a press release that the sale implied an enterprise value of $460 million for Paktel.

On 4 May 2007, Paktel Limited was renamed China Mobile Pakistan. On 16 May 2007, China Mobile announced that it had increased its stake in the company to 100%. On 1 April 2008, Paktel was rebranded as Zong.

Network

Between 2008 and 2014, China Mobile Pakistan invested more than US$2 billion toward network infrastructure in Pakistan.

Zong has built the second-largest cellular network in the country with over 17,000 base stations. To go green, Zong has installed solar powered cell sites in various locations. It has the country's largest solar power telecommunication network.

Zong 4G (old logo)

Its network base stations, microwave links, IT support and transmission towers are maintained and provided by ZTE Pakistan.

Radio frequency summary

Frequency Protocol Band Class Channel Width
900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 8 2G 2.6 MHz
1800 MHz 3 2G 1 MHz
2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSPA+ 1 3G 5 MHz / 10 MHz
900 MHz LTE/LTE-A 8 4G/4G+ 5 MHz
1800 MHz LTE/LTE-A/5G NR 3 15 MHz / 20 MHz
2100 MHz 1 5 MHz / 10 MHz
2500 MHz 5G NR n41 5G 60 MHz
3500 MHz n78 5G 50 MHz

Next generation mobile services

On 23 April 2014, Pakistan concluded the auction for the next generation of mobile spectrum. Zong paid $516 million for a 10 MHz spectrum in the 2.1 GHz frequency range for 3G and a 10 MHz spectrum in the 1.8 GHz frequency range for 4G, making it Pakistan's first 3G and 4G operator.

LTE Advanced (4G+)

Zong has refarmed 5 MHz of its 2100 MHz 3G spectrum for 4G. They are currently deploying (via carrier aggregation) 15 MHz of Band 3 (1800 MHz), and 10 MHz of Band 1 (2100 MHz) for LTE-A.

5G Testing

As of August 2019, Zong is the first of three mobile network operators in Pakistan to successfully conduct 5G trials. In the trial, speeds of up to 1.14 GB/s were achieved.

5G launch

In preparation for the launch of 5G, Zong acquired 110 MHz of spectrum in the 2026 NGMS/5G Auction including 60 MHz in the 2.6 GHz band and 50 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band.

Number scheming

Zong uses the following numbering scheme:

+92 3 1 N1N2N3N4N5N6N7N8N9

+92 3 7 N1N2N3N4N5N6N7N8N9

Where, 92 is the ISD code for Pakistan and is required when dialing outside the country, 3 is the mobile access code, and 1 or 7 are the prefixes for Zong allocated by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Omitting +92 would require 0 instead to represent local call, hence 031/037 are the general prefix and N1N2N3N4N5N6N7N8N9 is the subscriber number.

Zong Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH)

Zong plans to launch Fiber-to-the home (FTTH) Broadband internet. Initially the service will only be available in select areas of Karachi.

Marketing

Stores

Zong operates 22 customer service centres, 305 franchises, and 190,000 retail customer points nationwide.

Slogans

Previous logo of Zong with slogan

At the time of its launch in 2008, China Mobile Pakistan ran the advertising campaign for Zong with the tagline 'Say it all' (Urdu: سب کہہ دو). China Mobile Pakistan ran advertising for Zong with new tagline 'A New Dream' (Urdu: ایک نیا خواب). In February 2022, the company announced its new tagline is "Let's Get Digital".[non-primary source needed]

Logo of Zong 4G with its slogan

Products

Zong offers prepaid, postpaid, ladies, and youth plans. The postpaid, ladies, and youth plans are branded as bizXcess, Flutter, and Circle. Moreover, it also offers data plans and branch-less banking.

Mobile banking

Timepey

Timepey was the mobile banking service offered by Zong in association with Askari Bank Limited from late 2012. Timepey lets users pay utility bills, transfer money to specified recipients anywhere in the country, deposit and withdraw cash and carry out account transfers.

PayMax

Discontinuing Timepey in 2017, Zong relaunched its mobile financial services with a new brand "PayMax" in association with Askari Bank Limited. PayMax lets users pay utility bills, transfer money to specified recipients anywhere in the country, deposit and withdraw cash and carry out account transfers.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "CMPAK LIMITED". opencorporates.com. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "China Mobile Pakistan Limited: Private Company Information". bloomberg.com. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  3. ↑ Baloch, Farooq (5 March 2018). "Why 'no profit' still makes Zong happy". Profit by Pakistan Today.
  4. ↑ "About ZONG". Zong Homepage.
  5. ↑ "Telecom Indicators | PTA". www.pta.gov.pk. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  6. ↑ "Paktel allowed to switch to GSM". Dawn. 24 October 2004. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "China Mobile makes first foray abroad with Paktel deal". South China Morning Post. 23 January 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "China Mobile seeks PTA consent to change Paktel's name". Brecorder. 30 March 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Paktel renamed CMPak" (in Chinese). China Mobile Limited. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  10. ↑ "May 2007 Archived Press Clippings : LTC International, Telecom Headlines and Industry News". LTC International Inc. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  11. ↑ "China Mobile re-brands Paktel as Zong". www.telecompaper.com. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Zong ready to invest $ 0.6 million for LDI operations | Telecom Recorder". 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  13. ↑ "PTA/Licensing/Wireless/156/2024" (PDF). PTA. 30 November 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  14. ↑ Sik, Saleh; ar (22 December 2010). "Zong Plans to Develop More Solar-Powered Cell Sites". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  15. ↑ "China Mobile plans to develop solar-powered cell sites - thenews.com.pk". 2 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  16. ↑ "State of Telecom Industry in Pakistan » Expansion Of Telecom Infrastructure In Pakistan: ZTE And CMPak In USD100 Million Base Station Deal". 10 February 2009. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  17. ↑ "Inflow: Zong to make licence payment in dollars". The Express Tribune. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  18. ↑ "Pakistan becomes the first country in South East Asia to test 5G". 10 February 2020. Archived from the original on 10 February 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  19. ↑ "Get ready for 5G as Pakistan conducts first successful test". Dunya News. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  20. ↑ Hussain, Javed (22 August 2019). "'Pakistan on short list of 5G-ready countries with Zong's successful trial'". DAWN. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  21. ↑ Amin, Tahir (10 March 2026). "Pakistan raises $507mn in long-awaited 5G spectrum auction". Brecorder. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  22. ↑ "Zong 4G Announces Zong Fiber, Its Direct-to-Home Fiber Optic Internet Service". ProPakistani. 25 July 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  23. ↑ "Zong prize for franchises". The Nation. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  24. ↑ "Zong 4G Pakistan – Press Releases". www.zong.com.pk. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  25. ↑ Mathar, M. (3 July 2012). "Zong Introduces Flutter, Ultimate Mobile Package for Ladies". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  26. ↑ Mathar, M. (30 April 2013). "Zong Launches Postpaid Service BizXcess". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  27. ↑ Attaa, Aamir (13 June 2013). "Zong Launches Youth Specific Offering: Circle". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  28. ↑ Attaa, Aamir (23 May 2012). "Breaking: Zong, Askari Bank Step Into Branchless Banking". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  29. ↑ "Askari Bank, Zong launch technology-based branchless banking - thenews.com.pk". 3 December 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  30. ↑ "Askari Bank, Zong offer branchless banking services". The News International, Pakistan. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  31. ↑ "Branchless banking: Zong, Askari Bank officially jump on the bandwagon". The Express Tribune. 1 December 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2022.