Qubee Bags 55,000 Subscribers: Mubashir Naqvi

Qubee has become the fastest growing broadband network of Pakistan with focus on excellence, customer care with global standards in service quality since the start of commercial operations from June 2010.
This was stated by Mubashir Naqvi, C.E.O. of Qubee, in an exclusive interview with ProPakistani.

“With an aim of providing uninterrupted broadband service to everyone, everyday without exception and in our first year, we have managed to acquire more than 55,000 subscribers”, revealed Mr. Naqvi.

Since inception, it has been my belief to stay committed and ensure best-in-class broadband services to the customers in pursuance of the company vision, “Broadband for All”.

The Qubee team has always kept a customer centric focus in all of its actions, maintaining a service quality standard which is at par with our international guidelines, said Mr. Naqvi.

Qubee with a cost-effective business model, standardized customer care & smart marketing has helped us gain a significant success in a very competitive broadband market of Pakistan, Mubashir said while explaining the success of Qubee in Pakistan.

The secret behind our achievement is the ambition to facilitate our customers at any cost. We have facilitated our customers with multiple package options to get affordable broadband along with immense opportunities to get extra services at no additional cost, which is supplemented by a good number of Customer Care Stores that serve customers and help them connect to a world of endless possibilities.

The core strategy is to keep operational expenditures (OPEX) tightly controlled as compared to other market players that contributes to success in a manner by which we earn better and spend less. The investment capital expenditures’ (CAPEX) is significantly heavy, which has allowed us to introduce the advanced technology of 4T4R on WiMAX with latest Consumer Premises Equipment (CPE).
We also try to keep our revenues not only growing but also safe with a low bad-debt ratio through smart planning, budgeting and overall business strategy, explained Mr. Naqvi.

In addition to that we have also kept the coverage challenge at bay economically by sharing BTS locations with different cellular operators without compromising on the quality of the service. Qubee has a total of 416 sites installed in four cities combined – Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Last but surely not the least is our personalized sales & marketing model through which we have developed a modified personal sales & distribution channel that currently has 71 sales points across the four metros, CEO Qubee said.

We have managed to retain our customer base with service quality by offering different packages, promotions & different benefits periodically for our subscribers. As a matter of fact, Qubee has the lowest churn per month as against 90-day churn policy followed in the industry.

Our subscriber base has crossed the benchmark of 60,000 as per PTA definition to subscriber reporting. However, we consider our customers base at 55,000, this is because our internal customer base policy is very stringent, due to which the company posted positive revenues & EBTIDA at the end of the first year of commercial operations in comparison to other WiMAX operators who are facing difficult financial challenges despite showing high subscription growth.

Furthermore, exceptional service quality and a personalized marketing and selling model have helped us generate great word-of-mouth. In line with our broad range pricing strategy, we target a relatively wide cross-section of the broadband consumer base of Pakistan.

Currently, our customers can avail a full-month of free internet services by paying three months line rent in advance. They can also enjoy additional 2 GB extra every month by paying their bills on time, and that’s not all. They can also refer their friends and enjoy 20% discounts on Qubee monthly bills. All of these offers have gained us very healthy response from customers.

To provide consumers with greater access to broadband, we introduced the 1st true prepaid broadband service in Pakistan. It is a very affordable with pay as you go facility that provides endless access to the world of Internet and technology.

Qubee customers are loyal, because as an operator, we provide uninterrupted broadband services with different packages and payment solutions for all segments, Mubashir concluded.

Cabinet Committee Formed for Auctioning 3G Licenses

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that the Government has constituted a Cabinet Committee for formulation of a policy to issue 3G Services Mobile Telephone Licenses and every effort will be made to implement the policy during the current fiscal year, said a statement issued by Prime Minister House. The Prime Minister was talking to Mr. Zubair Kasuri, Editor of ‘Flare’ magazine who called on him at the PM’s House this morning.

The Prime Minister said that the Ministry of Information Technology has been directed to speed up work on modernization of the telecom sector for providing modern facilities to the common man.
He said that the Government looks forward to suggestions from stakeholders as well as from the public to bring telecom sector of Pakistan at par with the developed countries.  PM appreciated the Editor’s efforts for publishing a high quality magazine on IT and telecom.

Mr. Zubair Kasuri also presented three pictorial books to the Prime Minister on Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto titled “Hope is Lost” President Asif Ali Zardari titled “Pakistan Khappay” and on devastation of earthquake 2005 titled “Paradise Lost”.

Government of Pakistan is aiming to raise Rs. 75 billion from 3G license auction, which will be used to cover the budget deficit for the current fiscal year. It is anticipated that Government will auction 3G license in next 12 months in any case to meet the budget funds.

From US$ 53 a month to 150 Person Company – Meet Muhammad Rohail Akhtar of Pearl Comm

“Luck always plays vital role in some ones success or failure but I believe that in my case major factor  was my honesty and devotion to my team and business.” – Muhammad Rohail Akhtar, owner of Pearl Comm Mobile Plus Pvt Ltd

Mr. Rohail Akhtar

Started his career in 1995 as a sales representative at a business directory service “Jamal Yellow Pages”, Rohail now owns a company worth Rs 150 million. The company currently has a turnover of approximately Rs 300 million, employing around 150 people.

“Job at Jamal Yellow Pages was tough. I was knocking doors to sell directory listings and advertisements. It was not so easy to bring new business. But that job taught me a key skill ‘selling’.

In 1996 Rohail got an offer from a local representative of a French telecom equipment manufacturers to work as “Commercial Manager”, a job he did for four years. During those days, Telecomms business was growing and payphone

sector was emerging in Pakistan. A local payphone company offered him a position as Marketing Manager. He knew the market that helped him expand the business across Pakistan. This job also provided him extensive travel opportuity and he managed to build contacts right at the end-user level.

In 2004, original investors wanted to pull out of the company. At that time company’s  worth was around Rs 3million. Rohail had about Rs 1 million in savings, but the opportunity was lucrative. He managed to raise another Rs 2million from a loan from his brother and bought the company.

All that shifted the game plan – Rohail was now the owner! Now was the time to put all efforts on business development to improve market share and eventually diversify into new ventures.

Strong networking helped Rohail to soon transform him business into what is Pearl Comm Mobile Plus Pvt Ltd, a company that is now lead representatives for major telecom services, partner in value added services and also runs a BPO.

Right from the beginning, the company had established a decentralized system in which each segment of Peral’s business runs as a separate entity, a model very similar to Virgin Group established by Richard Branson.


Pearl Comm Mobiles Plus Pvt. Ltd.


Rohail believes that there were two major success factors, one, his ability to develop trust with network partners, and secondly, timely diversification in to latest technology related to telecom business. In his views, his biggest marketing tool is “Trust”. His partners have been extremely supportive throughout, this bring in more business for his company. “My biggest strength is the belief of my customers in me as a reliable and professional business partner” – says Rohail.

“As an entrepreneur, you must know your business field and never think that you have done enough. Keep on learning and developing your business according to the future technology requirements.”