ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: Paktel will launch its GSM network with an investment of $150m in 2004 and will cover at least 150 cities and towns across the country, the cell phone company’s chief executive officer Jerry Mobbs announced on Thursday.

“The first GSM call on the network will be made in March 2004 followed closely by a full-fledge launch that promises to revolutionise the cellular market in Pakistan,” Mr Mobbs told a news conference.

Mr Mobbs said that Paktel’s GSM network would have a capacity of at least two million connections. It will offer international roaming in more than 100 countries worldwide for post-paid and pre-paid customers. Moreover, it will offer a wide array of data services such as SMS, ring tones, etc.