How do you find Wateen as a company?
Syed Jibran Ali: Although most people knew it for its WiMAX services, it connects more people in a lot of different ways. Wateen has one of the largest fiber optic networks in the country enabling it deliver the most diverse product ranges to be offered by any organization in this sector. Its offerings for data, voice, media and networking solutions are unmatched, making it the most complete offer for connectivity needs.
Wateen is a company that has undergone a significant transformation, even in the short time I’ve been here. Although it was initially setup as being a ‘carrier’s-carrier’, recent progress has seen Wateen propel itself to become the largest fiber optic network, the largest WiMAX network, the largest reseller for VSAT services, the 3rd largest Long Distance and International telephony services provider and is geared to become the largest distributor of Cable TV services in the country. These are no small feats considering the current challenging economic scenario. These products help service the banking, media, telecom, healthcare, financial services and hospitality industries among others, which are the main engines for the economic and social progress in any country.
What is Wateen’s WiMax solution all about?
The WiMax Forum (a group that focuses on promoting and developing this technology) defines WiMax as “a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL”. In other words, WiMax is a technology that provides high-speed Internet access to both fixed and mobile devices in order to offer consumers the ability to access large amounts of data (such as video) at fast speeds whether they are at home, in the office or on the go.
Wateen is all about hi-tech, low cost solutions for connectivity problems. When looking to make telecom investments in countries like Pakistan, we found that WiMAX is the best solution which offers quick time-to-market at lower costs. It is also scalable, which means that the network deployment can be moved as and when required. For Pakistan, we believe that this is the right solution which will help bridge the urban-rural divide as the majority of the people of Pakistan (around 122M) live in rural areas. By bringing this technology to them, we hope to bring them all the benefits of broadband internet such as e-governance, e-commerce, e-healthcare and many more. This will bring more enlightenment and awareness in these areas to help the country prosper.
What is the USP of Wateen WiMax?
Wateen is the first in the world to deploy a WiMAX network on a nationwide scale which is a big achievement for Pakistan. We are also the largest network bringing all the benefits of a regular broadband internet to over 20 cities and towns across Pakistan. Along with internet, we are the only nationwide WiMAX operator to offer voice telephony services in a wireless broadband connection. This means that each subscriber has a personal voice line through which they can make their calls. This means a personalized phone through which you can get all the features of a regular phone such as call conference, call waiting etc, all at the most affordable rates. And it isn’t a fixed line. You can take it along with you wherever you want within a city.
How you find Pakistani market to sell technology?
Pakistan is always a challenging market because the problems here are completely unique. As an example, recently our technicians had to work around the clock in extremely difficult circumstances in flood affected areas in rural Sindh to continue service provision to our valued clients. Ours was the only network up and running after the floods since Wateen has a ring network that ensures that our customers do not face a down-time even if one of the fiber links gets disrupted.
That shows the technology market in Pakistan is actually much more mature than people looking in from outside are aware of. The growth of the blogosphere, particularly the tech-blogs, is a sign of how aware people are of technology and technological developments. There is a genuine interest in technology and how it can improve lives, and there is a giant market of people who are interested in buying. However, the industry is still in its growth phase and we see a lot of people in the future adopting these technologies as it has now become the basic necessity for every student when they conduct their research.
Customers do questioning about Wateen customer care. What are your plans to overcome this challenge?
Our customer care has also undergone significant transformation under our new management. We are in the process of revamping all our consumer touch-points and our customer care is extremely critical for us as they are the ones who represent the company whenever a customer contacts them. In order to meet these challenges, our strategic thrusts have been to create a lean operating model that is efficient in delivering the required results. We are inculcating a culture of excellence by developing a Winning Team that is innovative, responsive and responsible.
Although any organizational change is a gradual process, especially in these challenging economic times, we want to make sure that we deliver on whatever we commit on.
Language a barrier for promotion of broadband in Pakistan. Do you agree with this?
It is not just language. Language is only a barrier where people are able to read in the first place. Education is a large problem in Pakistan and Wateen sees itself as part of the solution to that problem. By using the internet, it is possible to promote education and provide the facilities required for education at a fraction of the cost. We can significantly improve the lives of uneducated people by connecting them to the resources that will make their education possible.
We are involved in projects with USF and are actively engaged with the Higher Education Commission for provision of broadband services to centers of higher learning in far-flung areas. These will help people gain computer literacy and help grow a new generation of Pakistani’s that is adept at meeting the challenges of a modern economy.
Are you satisfied with regulatory procedures?
The regulatory procedures in Pakistan have ensured that today we have a level playing field with competition in the market. The entry to market is very friendly for foreign investors such as the Abu Dhabi Group. PTA and the Government are working to ensure that there is access to nationwide service availability. We are seeking PTA’s help on development of chipsets and devices in Pakistan which will further enable Pakistan to develop its own workforce to meet the demands of the international market and lower the costs for consumers within Pakistan. This will further enable Pakistan to propel itself as a modern economy.
Dr. Yaseen is a great proponent of modern technologies which is evident from the latest blog that he has started in which industry leaders can present their opinions and views on adoption of policies that can enable a brighter and more connected Pakistan.
Is PTCL not offering level playing field to other players?
I think that’s an unfair statement. PTCL is an established name in the market and they have obviously been around for a very long time. For many years they had a monopoly on the communications market in the country and there are still remnants of that in how people view the company and the approach they have. These are the particular strengths that PTCL brings to the table and they are not unfair as much as a matter of circumstance. We will simply continue to provide the best service we can to all our clients and let them decide on how they want to get connected.
Would you like to suggest anything to your subscribers through Technology Times?
Pakistan is a young and vibrant country in technology with an average age of approximately 21 years. 122 million of our population lives in rural areas, most of them below or near the poverty line. This means more responsibility for us, who are fortunate to have an education and a platform through which we can impact the lives of others. My appeal to all Pakistanis would be to adopt a greener lifestyle as the country is undergoing challenging times. We can each help save more energy, water and other resources that can help someone else in the country.
