Irfan Wahab Khan from Telenor Pakistan discusses strategy & operations and the role technology is playing in coping with the recent Pandemic.
Irfan Wahab Khan CEO of Telenor Pakistan says, “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon increased dependency on data and connectivity as people work/study from home. Thus, areas of e-education, e-commerce, financial and health services, to name a few, continue to flourish. We exist to empower societies by connecting our customers to what matters most and to enable opportunities for people through our services.”
“Telenor Pakistan has always been at the forefront of innovation in this regard. Our focus is to adopt emerging technologies and deliver the most personalized, holistic customer experience. So, in addition to offering minutes and megabytes, our aim is to provide moments to the people.”
In response to the recent crisis and changing atmosphere of businesses and customer sentiments, Mr. Khan answered few questions regarding the key challenges that have arisen and how they are progressing forward and at the same time enhancing customer experience and helping society grow.
1. How did you respond to the COVID-19 crisis? What strategy did you adopt to pursue operations during the crisis?
In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we are experiencing, in many cases, the complete upheaval of our daily lives. We are all navigating new ways of educating our children, running businesses, maintaining critical societal functions, all while trying to ensure the health and welfare of those around us. To help our fellow citizens during this pandemic, we contributed PKR 1.6 billion, in cash and kind, towards COVID-19 relief efforts. With a donation of PKR 61 million we joined hands with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to provide food ration packs for 4500 underprivileged families in nine districts and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to doctors and paramedics in eleven districts of the country. Along with this we contributed PKR 50 Million to PM’s relief fund. The larger part of the package comprises of in-kind telecom and digital services which include affordable internet, access to digital learning platforms, customized packages, mAgri, special discounts & offerings, zero-rating of helplines, public awareness campaigns and advisories, and donation collection through the My Telenor App, among others. For us it is our commitment and responsibility to the society at-large and keeping them connected to what matters most has never been more relevant than today.
COVID-19 has highlighted the real importance of mobile wallets and digital payment platforms and Telenor Microfinance Bank is the pioneer in this field, designed to operate as a FinTech, by bringing cutting edge technology solutions to the financial sector through Easypaisa. Through digital payments and e-commerce, Telenor is not only helping every Pakistani manage their finances digitally but is also helping the government disburse cash relief payments and helping businesses survive.
As far as business operations are concerned, Telenor Pakistan has business contingency plans to deal with unprecedented situations, but no doubt, the overall scenario has brought challenges for us as well. However, we have been the pioneers of flexible way of work in Pakistan and have been practicing our Go Beyond work model for several years now promoting a working culture that is independent of employees’ physical presence, and enables improved professional output ensuring achievement of short and long-term goals. Our employees have been working from home since the onset on this pandemic. As COVID-19 continues to impact us, we have mobilized our resources to fight against the virus spread and safeguard service continuity. Our teams have re-shaped their way of work to ensure provision of uninterrupted mobile communication services and products to keep millions across the country connected.
2. What are the technologies that are playing crucial role nowadays? And how are you leveraging them to enhance consumer experience?
Since the onset of this pandemic, we have proved that we are a forward leaning, technology driven, innovative and digital organisation that has taken quantum leaps in connecting people to what matters most to them and embracing new working models for itself.
We are playing our part through various initiatives to ensure ease and accessibility to our customers during this pandemic. We have been strengthening digital distribution capabilities at an accelerated speed, forging strategic partnerships that are enabling new digital customer touchpoints. We increased our digital recharge options as well on various platforms, including My Telenor App, EasyPaisa, Daraz, Careem, Telemart and various banks, to enable customers to top-up their mobile balance without having to step out of their homes. Moreover, Telenor Pakistan extended recharge validity to more than 180 days and provided free of cost balance sharing with friends and family through a SmartShare string. We delivered yet another industry first initiative by introducing a new feature by the name of PIN IT in My Telenor App. The PIN IT feature, enabling digital collaboration for everyone’s safety, allows people to tag the status of essentials outlets such as grocery stores, pharmacies, petrol station, Telenor & Easy Paisa retailer etc.
We also ensured that we continue to create opportunities for the youth despite the ongoing crisis and launched our Summer Internship Progamme and Open Mind Pakistan Programme, virtually.
The pandemic has impacted students across the nation, but the circumstances have also resulted in a speedy transition to online learning, and e-education has become the need of the hour. Thus, we have made a significant investment in EdTech as well.
3. What are some of the main challenges faced by telecom operators currently?
Pakistan is not alone in battling this pandemic. We are seeing countries across the globe fight this massive health crisis. The countries, while providing healthcare services, are also ensuring their economic fabric keeps weaving and they stay connected. Connectivity is a necessity in this day and age; it should be treated like that too!
In response to COVID-19, governments of many countries such as USA, Ireland, Jordan, KSA and Panama, have released temporary spectrum to increase MNO’s network capacity and to ensure everyone and everything remains connected in these unprecedented times. In addition, regulators and governments worldwide are actively working towards enhancing connectivity further as mobile operators are facing an unexpected increase in traffic. For example, Canada, Romania and South Africa are delaying spectrum annual fee payments.
We at Telenor Pakistan value all our customers and are more than eager to provide them with the best possible service. However, this cannot be done without the assignment of additional spectrum. We hope that the government will make it available on high priority basis in order to reduce the digital divide currently being experienced by many. Especially the people of AJK-GB, with the schools and universities closing down, students have returned to their homes and classes have moved online however, the students in AJK-GB, region with one of the highest literacy rates in the country, are unable to catch up with their peers.
Telecom is one of the most heavily taxed sectors in Pakistan and now connectivity has become more important than ever before, in order to ensure easy on the pocket services for our people during these trying times, tax relief should be given to our consumers on cellular and data services. By working together, the operators and government can go much further in providing the people of Pakistan ease, access to quality services and opportunities to thrive.
4. How are you managing the surge in traffic and extra pressure on network infrastructure?
Telenor Pakistan has invested in technologies which are cutting edge and future proof. At the onset of COVID-19 related challenges, we saw a big shift in traffic pattern, where traffic was moved from business districts to residential areas, from urban centers to suburban and rural geographies. Telenor was able to cope with this traffic shift efficiently as it embarked on a bold transformation program in 2018 to modernise its network, operating model & organization based around Tools and Process, which is now paying dividends in these unprecedented times. Telenor has deployed its core network on the state of art Hybrid Cloud which provides flexibility and drastically cuts down the capacities additions timelines. Similarly, the Radio Access Network also enabled Telenor to do expansions in cell sites while WFH as the modern systems required configurational/license changes rather than physical interventions. One example is, in May alone we enhanced data capacities at 431 sites with re-farming of spectrum (LTE1800 on 431 sites enhance the LTE experience).
The investment that Telenor did in tools to support its digital transformation journey also helped in WFH during these testing times. Drive testing is one example, to constantly maintain and tune the network, an essential part of the network activity which is frequent and regular. With tools, we were able to execute virtual drive test, without sending people and without compromising on the activity.
Using Tools and Automations Telenor Pakistan was also able to react very quickly to transform its way of work, NOC, Network Operations Center, which is 24/7/365, the nerve center of any telco was operating virtually soon after the announcement of lockdown. The virtual set up allows people to continue collaborating as they would do in office, and all activities in the network are being performed as business as usual. Similarly, Network and IT back-office teams were able to quickly adapt to the new normal using the tool & process capabilities to virtualise their operations. Meanwhile, our field teams continue to work 24/7 being acquainted with desired preventive measures and safety kits to help them continue with necessary tasks. Telenor Pakistan will continue its significant investments despite the economic uncertainty created by COVID-19 in order to provide seamless service to its customers.
5. How are you helping new enterprises and tech companies to establish themselves?
Telenor Pakistan has remained a frontrunner in creating opportunities, aiming at value creation by introducing B2B services for SMEs, helping them grow their businesses. Telenor Pakistan is not only catering to the existing business needs in the market for new solutions but also anticipating more sophisticated demands of new business customers.
With the onset of COVID-19 we are offering our business customers various solutions including, the Telenor Smart Office solution for SMEs, the solution will help them make the most of an opportunity that comes with each call by ensuring 24/7 availability. This solution empowers SMEs to cater the customers’ requirements by routing their calls to the relevant departments without investment in expensive equipment. Moreover we are offering Bizmine, an analytical framework that enables start-ups and new business in identifying their business potential using market research and supports them to reach the relevant customers through targeted campaigns. We have also launched business continuity packages for helping businesses carry on their operations from the comfort of their home.
Moreover, under the Telenor Velocity initiative, we are facilitating startups that are ready to bring their product to the masses and focus on growth and expansion.
6. What further progress we can see in your Telenor Velocity initiative?
In Pakistan, startups are surfacing at a rapid pace, but most of them need guidance to identify the necessary steps required for sustainable growth. Through this initiative, we were successfully able to rally young, energetic, and talented individuals to gather and develop state of the art solutions for socio-economic progress. Through initiatives like these and public-private collaborations, we hope to continue giving our youth the opportunities to become change-makers.
7. What are the key partnerships and initiatives you have taken to enhance customer experience in recent times?
Collaborations are key in development of an ecosystem. To help customers during COVID-19 crisis, all players would have to work together to create a seamless user experience. Telenor Pakistan has so far partnered with several organizations to make sure customers enjoy the best services. Just recently we have collaborated with Google to train and upskill small businesses against the impact of coronavirus pandemic.
We have also partnered with the government on their DigiSkills Program, a joint program of Ministry of Information & Technology, OIT and Virtual University, aimed at equipping our youth, freelancers, students and professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to seize the opportunities available internationally in online marketplaces as well as locally. As part of our COVID relief package, we will be providing affordable internet to the 250,000 DigiSkills students for using their app/website – supporting them in gaining valuable skills to contribute to the society and economy at large.
Moreover, we have collaborated with EdTech start-ups to provide curriculum, STEM and skill-based education for school, college and university students, focusing on interactive learning through gamification of educational content and simulations. Similarly, we look forward to more collaborations to cater to the demand that has been created in the market especially after COVID-19 outbreak.
8. With 5G in the picture, how do you expect the business to change in coming year?
In this new era of intelligent connectivity, 5G will play a significant role, offering the chance to recast customer value propositions, stimulate industrial transformation, and reinvigorate the digital society. 5G paves the way for new paradigms of network operation and service creation. By leveraging new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in conjunction with 5G, we hope to offer a range of services across millions of end-points, backed by a significant change in network control, service quality and personalization.
However, Pakistan stands at the point where we need to focus on the adoption of 4G services in the country, which will enable faster adoption of 5G and its solutions when 5G is launched. For this to happen we require data uptake, development of use cases, smartphone penetration, spectrum availability at the right price to name a few. A number of stakeholders need to come together towards development of this ecosystem before 5G can be commercially introduced in the country.
