Pakistan telecom sector faces test after Telenor-Ufone merger

Business dealsCan the industry raise rates and invest more in 5G? Executives aren't so sureConsolidation in Pakistan's telecom sector will not necessarily lead to higher rates, industry insiders say. (Source photos by Reuters and Ufone's Facebook page)ADNAN AAMIRJuly 31, 2026 11:22 JSTISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's telecom industry entered a new phase in July with the merger of the country's third- and fourth-largest mobile operators, reducing the number of operators to three and prompting expectations that those left standing will now have the leeway to lift their extraordinarily low rates.