6 min read
Pakistan’s telecom giant Ufone made headlines in September 2023 with the launch of ONIC, its digital-only telco brand promising seamless connectivity, e-SIM convenience, and app-based management for the tech-savvy youth. Marketed as a game-changer in a country with 170 million mobile subscribers, ONIC aimed to disrupt the market dominated by Jazz and Zong.
However, less than three years later, user experiences paint a grim picture: widespread complaints of unreliable signals, billing scams, misleading ads, and abysmal customer service have turned what was hyped as a “digital revolution” into a cautionary tale of fintech failure.
Drawing from Reddit rants, Facebook group outcries, and review sites, TechJuice dives into ONIC’s constant service complaints saga.
The Hype vs. Reality: ONIC’s Launch and Initial Promises
ONIC debuted as Ufone’s answer to declining traditional revenues, leveraging e-SIMs and an app for everything from activation to plan customization. A Profit by Pakistan Today article from September 24, 2023, described it as Ufone “dabbling into uncharted territory,” with potential gains in cost efficiency and youth appeal.
Early marketing touted “zero hassle” onboarding, affordable data plans (e.g., Rs. 500 for 50GB), and integrations with streaming services. Many YouTube reviews by targeted audience praised the quick signup but flagged early concerns like limited plan options and slower speeds in Islamabad outskirts.
However, the shine faded fast. Users soon reported that the “seamless” experience was anything but, with activation delays, network blackouts, and hidden fees turning excitement into frustration.
Was e-SIM Even A Good Idea?
From a technology and user experience standpoint, e-SIMs represent an upgrade over traditional plastic SIM cards, which is an absolute plus. However, in the Pakistani market context, the idea of an e-SIM being inherently “better” depends entirely on how well the underlying network and service work. It is where ONIC seems to be loosing a big chunk of their user base.
Another big reason e-SIMs is becoming a pain point is because of PTA taxation. Non-PTA approved phones (common in Pakistan due to imports) face blocks after 60 days, and e-SIMs don’t always bypass this smoothly. Many TikTok videos on the topic of “Onic E Sim Working in Jv Phones” discuss workarounds, but users report failures, making e-SIMs impractical for many. In the light of these nuances, this is frustrating for many modern phone users, particularly the urban iPhone users, as Apple pushes e-SIMs, but PTA compliance adds layers of bureaucracy over it.
Widespread Coverage Complaints: “Worst Network Ever”
ONIC’s most common gripe is poor signal strength, especially outside major cities. A Facebook post in Voice of Customer Pakistan on September 23, 2025, lamented, “Onic network is a completely terrible network. I had a very bad experience with it. I got so fed up that I deactivated my SIM.” The poster detailed dropped calls and no data in Lahore suburbs, echoing a pattern seen across platforms.
In a Reddit thread from March 2024 titled “ONIC Reviews” in r/PakistaniTech, u/Large_Newt_9112 shared:
“I switched my existing Jazz number to ONIC when the network launched. I was highly impressed with their packages and everything. I was one of the founders club members etc. Upon signing up, I was under the impression that founder club benefits remain permanent like promos and discounted packages, or I thought that was promised to me. A month later, I had to recharge at their normal price. Even some of the benefits of the founder club did not work, such as Careem promos and everything. Still, I went on with them for about 3 months. Later they started reducing the package minutes and data and everything. I got fed up and did not recharge. I wasted like 60 gb spare data and using my other sim Zong since then. It’s much cheaper compared to what I was getting with ONIC. Now I’m thinking to revert to Jazz and leave this ONIC bullshit once and for all. I was excited with the new network and everything but yeah, they f*cking dumb.”
Another user commented underneath the rant:
Comment
byu/deludedkermit from discussion
inPakistaniTech
Facebook groups abound with similar tales. A post in Soul Brothers and Sisters Pakistan on January 2, 2026, called ONIC “the worst network ever in Pakistan,” citing constant drops and no resolution despite complaints. Another in Voice of Customer Pakistan on July 18, 2025, rated it 1/5, stating:
Onic network is a completely terrible network. I had a very bad experience with it. I got so fed up that I deactivated my SIM. But even then, they didn’t improve their service. And the funny part is, instead of fixing their own poor service, they told me to change my device — as if the problem was with the device, not their network. What kind of useless network is this that suggests changing the phone instead of fixing their own issues?
Trustpilot reviews for onic.pk average 1.8/5 from 16 users, with complaints like “ONIC Telecom Issues” from August 19, 2025, detailing poor signals and unresponsive care.
Rural and suburban areas suffer most, with users in Multan and Peshawar reporting “no bars” despite promises of nationwide coverage. A Facebook post in a Lahore group on October 28, 2025, warned, “ONIC’s Horrendous Customer Service – A Lesson in How Not to Run an MVNO,” describing unclear activation and incompetent support.
Billing Errors, Scams, and Fee Traps: “Borderline Scam”
Billing issues plague ONIC, with users accusing it of misleading promotions and unauthorized deductions. In the same Reddit thread, u/FraudAlert warned of “hidden fees—activation was free, but add-ons cost extra without clear info.”
A Facebook post in Voice of Customer Pakistan on October 28, 2025, called ONIC’s Liberty Plan “misleading advertisement,” claiming “free subscriptions like Panda Pro were unavailable.”
A post on December 17, 2025, in a consumer group rated it “Poor,” stating:
“They suspend my sim without any confirmation or informing i am facing my client loses cause of this company very bad.”
Another on November 3, 2025, complained:
“Sharing this issue due to non responding and totally foolish team of Onic network who has pathetic signals of 4g and 3g. Call quality and internet speed is totally frustrating. I have complained multiple times to their customer support they always make lame excuses and say that issue is not on their end. I have also changed phone and also tried multiple locations to analyze the performance of this network but all in vain.so I have decided to protest against their foolish attitude and run a campaign against their network unless PTA blacklist this so called Onic network.”
In Conclusion
In conclusion, ONIC feels like another mirage in the desert of misleading telcos plaguing Pakistan. The pattern across complaints is strikingly consistent. Users were initially drawn in by aggressive pricing and promises of permanence, only to feel misled as packages changed, benefits quietly disappeared, and service quality deteriorated. In a market where connectivity is not a luxury but a necessity, disruptions translate directly into lost work, missed payments, and broken trust. That erosion of trust appears to be ONIC’s biggest challenge, far more damaging than any individual network outage or billing error. It remains to be seen how seriously they work on their service to pave way for an actually digitally-improved Pakistan.
