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KARACHI (May 27 2010): With initial investment of $70 million, Qubee is planning to grab shortly the 3.4 million internet users' market through a simple strategy of introducing also a pre-paid package for the lower income class. With the brandname 'Qubee' it is a wireless broadband internet service provider of Augere Holdings Plc in Pakistan. It offers connectivity through a technology called WiMax [World-wide Inter-operability for Microwave Access].

The formal launch of the services is to take place on Thursday, May 27. In an exclusive interview with Business Recorder on Wednesday, the Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of 'Qubee Pakistan', Mubashir Naqvi, envisaged a greater share in the country's growing internet market.

He said that Pakistan's broadband market was likely to swell to 33 percent by 2014 while 'Qubee' has planned to become leader in the arena. He said: "Qubee aims to provide fast, reliable, and competitively priced broadband internet to customers using WiMax technology". Qubee also plans to reach the spheres of internet users of Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, mostly likely by the end of thee current year, Naqvi said.

Regarding WiMax tariffs, he said that Qubee had already chalked out a plan to reach out those areas, which the other players had not yet touched, primarily the lower class of the society with quality services at affordable rates in line with the market norms. He said that Qubee would not avoid complicated descriptions of rates, namely there would be no hidden charges and the consumers would pay in line with the pack fee. "Our strategy is clear and very simple to understand," he added.

The minimum package is Rs 750 a month with 512 Kbps speed and six GB downloading capacity, while the internet gadget is offered to costumers free of cost, he said. The other packages range between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 with different speed slabs and download capacity a month.

Naqvi said that there had been some problems at the initial stage, but no stone was left unturned to satisfy the consumers with quality services. He estimated that the country had broadband users between 600,000 and 700,000 and the number was expected to reach the mark of one million by the end of this year.

About the origin of the organisation, the Qubee CEO said, "Augere was established in September 2007 with a mission to deliver broadband access to consumers on three fundamental tenets ie availability, affordability & accessibility. Augere believes that delivering the above is achievable by developing strong local partnerships and building local companies with empowered local management".

He added that Qubee--the brainchild and trading name of Augere Holdings Plc--was a new entrant in the broadband market, aiming to provide fast, reliable and competitively priced broadband internet, using WiMax Technology. At present, it has access to spectrum in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Uganda, while licences in countries across Africa, South and South East Asia are being pursued, Naqvi said.

He lauded the government's policies, saying that they had been significant for the broadband growth in Pakistan, adding that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority was encouraging the private sector to promote the internet. He said "Qubee, with its established leadership team with over 150 years' experience in the telecommunications industry, is providing fast, reliable and competitively priced broadband internet services to emerging markets around the world, and we believe that everyone should be able to enjoy trouble-free access to the internet and the world of opportunities that it brings".

He said that the spread of broadband had spurred the socio-economic development in the country, and added that "broadband access is widely recognised as a catalyst for the economic and social development of a country. And, Pakistan has been termed as one of the most dynamic telecom economies in terms of internet penetration in South Asia by Unctad 2010 (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development)".

He claimed that Qubee had entered Pakistan's broadband market as a reliable internet service provider with the latest WiMax technology providing wireless access to high-speed internet at affordable rates. The Qubee CEO claimed that his company had so far undergone the lowest churn in the industry because Qubee's strategy was for providing its customers with quality services. He said that Qubee has no options to lose a user.

Qubee has directly employed 120 people, which is set to grow to 250 people by the end of 2010. In addition to that, Qubee has also created indirect employment opportunities for around 350 people, which is also forecasted to grow to 700 by the end of 2010.

He said that Qubee offers a range of post-paid wireless broadband packages supported by superior customer service. The service has been launched in Karachi in the first phase, while Lahore, Rawalpindi & Islamabad would be added to the network by the end of this year. Qubee is also providing business opportunities to over 30 local enterprises in Karachi. Qubee has opened four Qubee stores so far to facilitate customers in Karachi.

"Pakistan's broadband penetration is forecasted to grow to 33 percent by 2014 and we aim to be a facilitator in bringing the internet revolution in Pakistan", he said. With investment of $70 million, Qubee is set to revolutionise the Internet broadband market of Pakista. Qubee aims to provide fast, reliable and competitively priced broadband internet to customer using WiMax Technology, he said.

About the brand identity of the organisation in Pakistan, he said that Augere Holdings Plc had launched its broadband services in Pakistan with the brand name of Qubee Pakistan. Government policies to promote internet use in the country are the key factor behind broadband growth in Pakistan and the regulatory authority (PTA) is fully encouraging the entry and growth of new service providers while stimulating the growth of the existing ones at the same time, Mubashir said.

On effectiveness of the organisation he said that Qubee is providing fast, reliable and competitively priced broadband internet services to emerging markets around the world. He said that Pakistan has stepped onto the information highway with an increase of 48 percent in broadband subscribers during last six months of 2009 with 85 percent increase in WiMax subscribers recorded during the same time.

Comment

13.08.10
I am working at a telecom company in Islamabad,I see good future for the Qubee as the current service providers have alot of issues and Qubee can surpass them by offering service with care.

Posted By: Imran Nabi