Jazz, the largest telecom company in Pakistan, is stepping outside of its usual business affairs by introducing a ride-hailing service in Pakistan, we have checked with sources.
Dubbed mLift, Jazz’s ride-hailing service is going to connect drivers with riders over IVR or voice call, i.e. without any internet requirement.
This means that service will be at once compatible with those millions of customers who don’t use internet.
Additionally, mLift is also hoping to remove the threat that Uber and Careem are posing to conventional transport services, such as yellow cabs and other taxis.
These conventional taxi drivers — who were at a loss since Careem and Uber came in Pakistan — can get on-board with mLift and get riders over phone remotely. With mLift, usual taxi drivers will at once come in competition with app based ride-hailing services (Careem and Uber) and would be able to start earning from their existing cars.
Ride-hailing market in Pakistan is a huge market. More than 20-30 million Pakistanis commute daily without having their own car/ride. With Careem or Uber’s current expansion plans, it seems impossible to tap this market entirely, particularly when already operating transportation services are completely absent from their business plans.
mLift will address both the problems, i.e. by on-boarding the existing transporters and by stretching services in all parts of Pakistan without much effort.
mLift won’t require investors to buy cars and get on-board, instead, they will rely on currently available transporters and hence their growth can be humongous as compared to Careem and Uber.
mLift requires public-service license and a car to get anyone board. They verify the drivers by registering their thumb impressions and their phone numbers.
How mLift works
- Rider will dial 7555
- Based on riders’ location, a driver from vicinity will be connected to rider over phone
- Both rider and driver — when on call — will negotiate the trip price
- Driver will confirm the price and will confirm the ride
- Rider will pay the driver in cash at the end of the trip.
Launching with Islamabad and Rawalpindi
Jazz said that its launching mLift in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. They already have several hundred drivers who are on-board.
Company said that it plans to expand services to other cities very soon.
Exclusive to Jazz Customers for Now
mLift is currently an exclusive service for Jazz customers. However, with the launch of app, customers of other operators or anyone else will be able to use the service.
