In the suburbs of Lahore, a prominent metropolis in Pakistan with a population of over 11 million people, a total of 336 AirNodes have been installed, and today, integrated on the WMTScan platform. This development has facilitated connectivity for approximately 25,000 customers, ushering in a new era of connectivity.   

This is an important milestone on the road to commercial launch as we continue to develop the sharing economy and explore new forms of cooperation, following our announcement in May 2023 to install and test World Mobile AirNodes in Pakistan.  

The fact that this feat was accomplished without the presence of any World Mobile engineers or employees on the ground makes it all the more remarkable. Let's explore the background of this deployment. 

Collaboration and Innovation to Close the Digital Divide in Pakistan

The first batch of AirNodes in Pakistan is strategically positioned across the suburbs of Lahore. The selection of these areas was guided by our partner, WorldCall, and future rollout plans will be shaped by their team.  

WorldCall, a company that started as a payphone service provider in June 1996, has evolved with the ever-changing landscape of technology and industry. Over the years, innovation has been at the core of their growth, leading them to offer a diverse range of services tailored to the needs of the local market. From Cable Broadband to Wireless Broadband, Cable TV to Video on Demand, LDI services, and fiber optic networks to wireless local loop telephony, WorldCall's journey has been a testament to their commitment to connecting communities in Pakistan.

WorldCall uses World Mobile's platform infrastructure to usher in a more accessible and affordable mobile network through this partnership.  

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Worldcall engineers installing network equipment on behalf of World Mobile

World Mobile AirNodes in Lahore

The 336 AirNodes in Lahore are strategically located in two clusters of residential and commercial locations. Each AirNode extends its wireless network range to cover approximately 75 meters in radius, creating an extensive wireless mesh coverage zone in the densely populated neighborhoods of Lahore. The AirNodes currently in use are upgraded Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) with World Mobile AirNode functionality. An ONT unit is a device that converts the signal from optical (typically FTTH) to electrical, and vice versa, in order to connect fibre optic cables to other wiring such as Ethernet and phone lines.  

The first users in Pakistan are joining the World Mobile network through an invite-only system. These exclusive invitations have been extended to existing customers of WorldCall's cable broadband network, as well as their friends and family. Currently, all users operate under a B2C (business-to-consumer) model via a B2C2C approach (utilising existing customer ONT infrastructure to provide widespread connectivity), with plans to expand into the B2B (business-to-business) sector in future rollout phases.  

This marks just the beginning of the full integration of the Pakistan rollout, as more elements of our ecosystem become interconnected. 

The Future of Connectivity

Our rollout in Pakistan serves as a prime example of how the World Mobile sharing economy model can be deployed and scaled across multiple backhaul providers in various geographies. As we move forward with the deployment of AirNodes in Lahore and beyond, we are taking a substantial step towards productising and scaling our innovative solutions. In our unwavering commitment to bridging the digital divide and connecting billions, we are actively working on creating truly decentralised and incentivised models.  

The expansion of World Mobile's network in Lahore is not just a technological feat but a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision of a more connected world.