UAE telecom giant e& has officially announced its return to the original Etisalat brand name. The company confirmed the move on October 6, 2026, through a filing with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President and Chairman of the Etisalat Group, was present at the announcement. The company stated that the name “reflects our heritage, our strategy and our ambition for the AI era.” Etisalat, which means “connections” in Arabic, was founded in 1976 and had rebranded to e& in February 2022.
The rebrand comes during a strong financial period for the company. In Q2 2026, the telecom giant reported revenue of Dh19.2 billion ($5.2 billion), up 9% year-over-year. Its subscriber base now stands at 251.5 million users, roughly a one-third increase. Additionally, the company sold its entire Vodafone stake for $5.95 billion in July 2026 and has set a goal of 500+ Tbps in international connectivity by 2030. Phones across the UAE now display “Etisalat 50” in celebration of the brand’s legacy.
This global shift also carries significant implications for Pakistan. Telenor Pakistan legally merged into PTML, the operating entity behind Ufone, following Islamabad High Court approval in June 2026. The merged company had applied to rebrand under the “e&” name. However, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority blocked the move. PTA required PTML to first submit SECP notification regarding directors of the merged entity before registering the new brand.
Government officials also raised concerns about potential copyright violations and royalty fees tied to adopting an international brand for a state-owned enterprise subsidiary. As a result, PTML currently cannot launch or advertise the “e&” brand in Pakistan.
Now that e& globally reverts to Etisalat, the situation takes a new turn. PTML may rebrand as Etisalat rather than e&, since the parent brand itself has abandoned the e& identity. The Etisalat name carries stronger regional recognition and could simplify the regulatory path forward. However, the rebrand remains on hold until PTML clears all pending legal formalities with PTA and SECP.
For Pakistani consumers, this means the Ufone brand may eventually give way to Etisalat branding in the coming months.
