PTCL Tops 500,000 Wireless Broadband Customers

Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL) has announced achieving 500,000 wireless internet customers mark.

Launched in 2009, PTCL’s EVO wireless internet service has grown steadily, and now serves customers in more than 250 cities and towns across Pakistan. PTCL EVO wireless broadband is Pakistan’s fastest wireless internet service, offering customers’ superior internet experience on-the-go, and has also revolutionized the way people connect with each other and reach out to the world with improved learning and development opportunities.

In 2012 alone, the company achieved more than 300,000 wireless customers through its portfolio of wireless products, including EVO 3.1 Mbps, EVO Nitro 9.3 Mbps, EVO Wingle 9.3 Mbps, EVO and Nitro Clouds and EVO Tab.

Furqan Qureshi, PTCL Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) Commercial while commenting on this achievement said, “PTCL has pioneered a broadband revolution in Pakistan through its quality and customer-centric approach. At PTCL, we believe in introducing innovative yet affordable telecom solutions to meet the everyday needs of our customers and this continuous growth in our wireless customer base is a testament to their increasing confidence in our services.”

PTCL wireless broadband also boasts the world’s first & most cutting-edge EV-DO Rev.B commercial network. PTCL is the first telecom operator in the world to commercially launch EV-DO Rev.B products, which offer fast internet connectivity up to 9.3 Mbps.

Nokia Introduces Dual SIM Enabled Nokia Asha 210

Nokia today unveiled the latest device in its Asha family, designed to offer consumers more social experiences at an affordable price. The Nokia Asha 210, available in Single-or Easy Swap Dual-SIM variants, features a Nokia design and smart imaging that sets it apart from the crowd.

It supports Wi-Fi to help people enjoy more of the Internet for less and is the world’s first phone to have a dedicated WhatsApp button.

The Nokia Asha 210 has a QWERTY keyboard and a dedicated WhatsApp button for fast access to instant messaging. To celebrate the Nokia and WhatsApp partnership, WhatsApp is offering their service for free on all Nokia Asha 210 devices with the WhatsApp button for their lifespan. Combined with Facebook, Twitter and support for popular email accounts such as Gmail, the Nokia Asha 210 is designed to ensure that people are never more than a few clicks away from their friends and family.

The Nokia Asha 210 comes with a 2MP camera that can be accessed through a dedicated hardkey even when the keypad is locked. The smart camera also offers a choice of image capture, editing and sharing options

People can also share photos and other content quickly by using Nokia’s innovative Slam feature, which comes built-into the Nokia Asha 210. It works by enabling the transfer of content such as images or videos to another Bluetooth-enabled phone without the need to pair devices.

• Social phonebook integration with the ability to launch WhatsApp direct from contact cards in the Phonebook
• Preloaded YouTube launcher for direct video streaming
• Chat screen notifications that keep users up-to-date on new conversations
• Single-SIM and Dual-SIM models featuring Nokia’s exclusive Easy Swap technology that enables consumers to change SIM cards without having to turn off the device
• WiFi On/Off control button
• Nokia’s renowned long battery life: up to 46 days with Single-SIM and up to 24 days with Dual-SIM

The Nokia Asha 210 is available in yellow, cyan, black, magenta, and white. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 210 is around 72 USD and it is expected to start shipping in the second quarter of 2013.

NIB to Bring Internet Payment Gateway in Pakistan

It appears that the wait for having an online payment processing platform is over now. NIB Bank has announced that it is is brining Internet Payment Gateway in Pakistan that will allow online businesses to charge their customers through debit or credit card for the stuff they will buy on internet.

Establishment of Internet Payment Gateway in Pakistan is long pending, which was first announced by PTA in 2009. After that Bank Al-falah, along with its sister concern, claimed similar deployments but nothing turned into reality.

Agreement between Mastercard and NIB was signed on 5th April 2013 at NIB Bank’s Head Office, Karachi, by Mr. Khurram Agha, Group Head Operations & Technology – NIB Bank and Aurangzaib Khan, Country Manager, Pakistan and Afghanistan for MasterCard.

Now that NIB has partnered with MasterCard it is likely that MasterCard Internet Gateway Service (MiGS) will finally come to Pakistan.

With this service, merchants will be able to charge internet surfers with their debit/credit card for the services or products they sell on internet.

“Now, NIB Bank merchants will be able to process payments from cardholders on their online Web stores in real-time. As a MasterCard acquirer, NIB Bank will offer merchants world class, secure internet payment processing capabilities”, said a statement issued by NIB Bank.

Mobilink to Launch HTC Butterfly and Nexus 4 in Pakistan

After Ufone’s announcement of launching Galaxy S4 exclusively in Pakistan, it is now reliably learned that Mobilink has decided to take up the challenge by introducing two Smartphones in the country.

One of them is the Google’s flagship device Nexus 4 and other one is HTC Butterfly, we have confirmed with sources.

Nexus 4

Key Features of Nexus 4:

• 4.7″ 16M-color WXGA True HD IPS Plus (768 x 1280 pixels) capacitive touchscreen and Gorilla Glass 2
• Stock Android OS v4.2 Jelly Bean
• Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging, face detection, Photo Spheres
• 1080p video recording @ 30fps with continuous autofocus and stereo sound
• 1.3 MP front-facing camera, 720p video recording
• 16GB of built-in storage
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, GPS, microUSB port with TV-out support, Bluetooth v4.0
• 2100mAh battery and Wireless charging

Price and Availability:

Though it is kind of late for Mobilink to offer this device in Pakistan, but good news is that Mobilink is offering this phone at a discounted price of Rs. 43,000 and to sweeten the deal further a data bucket of 2 GB for 90 days and 15 days Mobile music free trial is added to the package.

Nexus 4 will be available on Mobilink Business centers starting tomorrow, i.e. April 26th, 2013.

HTC Butterfly

Key Features of HTC Butterfly:

• 5″ 16M-color 1080p Super LCD3 capacitive touchscreen display
• Curved Gorilla Glass 2 & 441ppi pixel density
• Polycarbonate unibody design
• Android OS v4.1.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4+ UI
• Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geo-tagging
• 1080p video recording @ 30fps, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
• 2.1 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
• 16GB of built-in storage; microSD card slot
• MHL-enabled microUSB port, Bluetooth v4.0 and NFC
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor

Price and Availability:

Though we were hoping that HTC Pakistan will bring the much awaited flagship device HTC One in Pakistan, the real competitor of Galaxy S4. But seems like — after the announcement of HTC Butterfly — we have to wait a little longer now.

The specs of Butterfly are great but I am not sure if this device can stand against Galaxy S4.

Mobilink is going to launch this phone for a price of Rs. 70,000 with one year warranty of Brightex. Mobilink customers will also get, 1 GB mobile internet for 30 days, a Pouch and Screen Protector for free.

HTC Butterfly will be launched in Pakistan on May 2, 2013.

Mobilink Foundation Upgrades National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine

Rashid Khan, President & CEO, Mobilink (C) and Dr Fazle Maula, Director, NIRM with Mobilink Torchbearers at the inauguration of the upgraded treatment facility at NIRM

Mobilink Foundation has upgraded the therapy and rehabilitation facility at the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) by contributing a state-of-the-art Triton DTS Spinal Retraction Unit as well as refurbishing the treatment area.

The facility was inaugurated by Rashid Khan, President & CEO Mobilink, in the presence of Dr Fazle Maula, Director, NIRM.

The ‘Spinal Retraction Unit’ was imported by the Mobilink Foundation to aid the NIRM in providing specialized therapy and treatment for up to 1200 patients every month. Mobilink Foundation Torchbearers (employee volunteers) also participated in the refurbishing of the treatment area to ensure patients would be treated in an environment that is pleasant and conducive to rehabilitation.

Rashid Khan, President & CEO, Mobilink highlighted, ‘The Mobilink Foundation is a reflection of Mobilink’s responsibility towards Pakistan and the communities that we operate in. The provision of this rehabilitation unit and the participation of our Torchbearers in refurbishing the facility is another step towards our goal of improving healthcare in Pakistan. NIRM is Pakistan’s leading institution for helping the physically challenged, and this contribution is meant to further aid the NIRM efforts in their noble cause.’’

Shafqat Hussain Naghmi, Secretary, Capital Administration & Development (CA&D) emphasized, “NIRM is the leading government-managed institution in the country for providing quality healthcare to the physically challenged. I am glad to see their efforts being recognized by the Mobilink Foundation and the contributions being made to enable NIRM to further improve treatment offered to the needy.”

Dr Fazle Maula, Director NIRM added, “The efforts of the NIRM in providing rehabilitative services have been greatly aided by the provision of the ‘Decompression Therapy System (DTS)’as well as the involvement of Mobilink’s volunteers in refurbishing the physical treatment area. This facility will help us make a positive change in the lives of people who are hindered by their physical disabilities.”

The National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) was established in 1988 under a presidential order to provide state-of-the-art health care facilities for all type of disabilities. In addition to routine health services for the handicapped, the institute provides innovative rehabilitative techniques, conducts research and acts as a repository of information related to physical disabilities. NIRM also provides technical support and guidance to policy makers and planners.

Telenor Posts Flat Revenues During Q1 2013

Telenor Pakistan reported flat revenues with marginal increase in revenues during first quarter 2013.

In its group financial report, Telenor said that its Pakistani operations generated Rs. 22.40 billion during first three months of 2013, slightly up from Rs. 21.73 billion it had generated during same duration last year showing a growth of mere 3 percent.

Telenor said that growth in revenues was mainly impacted by regulatory restrictions on sale of new SIMs, price increase of international incoming traffic after implementation of ICH – due to reduced traffic and a noticeable increase in grey traffic – and government forced network suspensions.

Financial report mentioned that ARPU in local currency decreased by 12%, again both as a result of government enforced network outages and the effect from establishment of International Clearing House (ICH) resulting in a large reduction of incoming international traffic.

The EBITDA margin was reduced by 2 percentage points following a reduction in gross margin due to forced industry contribution to implementation of grey traffic monitoring equipment and increased vendor transition costs for operation and maintenance.

Operating profit was negatively affected by accelerated depreciations of NOK 235 million related to the on-going network modernisation.

Capital expenditure increased during the quarter as a result of good progress on the network modernisation and 1,325 sites were swapped during the quarter. It is expected to be completed towards the end of
2013.

The number of subscriptions increased by 277,000 during the quarter. Telenor said that the regulatory restrictions on SIM sale through retail channels, introduced in December 2012, continue to hamper subscriber growth. However, company is making efforts to strengthen alternative sales channel. At the end of the first quarter, the subscription base was 5% higher than at the end of first quarter last year.

Telenor said that average traffic minutes per subscriber per month stood at 222, down from 238 during same duration last year. Telenor said that it has 332,000 postpaid customers out of its total subscribers base.

Check below the financial highlights from the quarter:

Ufone Starts Accepting Pre-Orders for Samsung Galaxy S4

Ufone today started accepting pre-orders for Samsung Galaxy S4 in Pakistan.

Ufone had announced earlier this week to co-launch Samsung Galaxy S4 in Pakistan, after which it is now accepting pre-orders for Samsung’s next flagship device.

Ufone customers can pre-order Galaxy S4 on Ufone’s website here or at selected customer service centres.

It is anticipated that Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available in Pakistan from May 5th, 2013 as Ufone has said that it will call customers after May 5th, 2013 regarding the availability of the phone.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Price:

• While Ufone hasn’t confirmed the price officially, it is believed that Samsung Galaxy S4 will cost around Rs. 70,000 to 72,000
• First 200 orders will be given Original Flip Cover (worth Rs. 2,500) for free
• Those who will buy Samsung Galaxy S4 from Ufone will be given following bundles for free:
• unlimited On-Net minutes for one month,
• unlimited SMS for one month
• unlimited mobile Internet for one month

Terms & Conditions:

• Fair usage policy of 6000 Ufone to Ufone minutes, 9000 SMS and 1.5GB Internet data applies
• This offer is valid for 1 month only
• Terms and Conditions apply
• 19.5% FED on usage and other taxes on recharge or bill apply.
• Using SIMs without proper documentation is a crime – PTA
• Pre-booking is only taking place at Ufone Customer Service Centres in Karachi, Lahore & Islamabad.

PTCL Offers 100Mbps Broadband for Rs. 26,000 in Limited Areas

Remember when we last told you about PTCL’s (ultra) high speed broadband over FTTH, it appears that things are rolling in the positive direction. PTCL had then denied to share any information with us then, we assume the project was in test phase at that time.

Now – through a WiredPakistan user – we have come to know that high speed broadband services over FTTH are being offered by PTCL in limited areas of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

According to a marketing brochure these high speed broadband services are offered at following prices:

• 4 Mbps: Rs. 2,999
• 6  Mbps: Rs. 5,999
• 8 Mbps: Rs. 7,999
• 10 Mbps: Rs. 10,999
• 20 Mbps: Rs. 13,499
• 50 Mbps: Rs. 15,999
• 100 Mbps: Rs. 25,999

All these packages – if availed – come with unlimited on-net calls and Smart TV services for free. One time installation charges of Rs. 15,000 are applicable.

50 Mbps package appears to be best value and most suitable for various medium to large-sized businesses. Home users, on other hands, will be contented with 10 Mbps at most.

Areas of service availability include F-11 in Islamabad and Centaurus, Blue Area in Islamabad.

It appears that services are being tested as of now as pilot and hence details for service availability is very limited. Internet hungry enthusiast can contact PTCL corporate sales’ staff for further information and service deployment.

PTCL is Offering 100 Mbps Broadband over FTTH

Add caption

For long we know that PTCL is offering FTTH over GPON for high speed broadband services, however, it was only recently that above given advertisement was spotted by a WiredPakistan user at Centauros in Islamabad.

The advertisement clearly reveals that PTCL is offering 100 Mbps broadband internet over FTTH. PTCL hasn’t disavowed the advertisement but there is no mention of any such service on company’s official website.

PTCL first hinted the deployment of GPON and high speed broadband back in 2009and later on we learnt that KHL was deploying the network for the company. Now it is confirmed that services are being offered to high-end corporate clients in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

FTTH and FTTB (Fiber to the home & Fiber to the Building) services from PTCL allows its customers to enjoy a whooping 100 Mbps broadband internet.

PTCL, when inquired about the service and details, said that this super-natural broadband service (by Pakistani standards) is offered to select customers in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, while the cost of service varies depending on customers’ needs and situations.

PTCL said that such services are also availed by buildings/communities to offer internet to their inhabitants.

Those who are interested to get 100 Mbps broadband can contact corporate sales channels to know further details on the service.

Mobilink Gets Shaukat Khanum Social Responsibility Award

Mobilink bagged Shaukat Khanum Social Responsibility Award 2012 for its extensive support to Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital and Research Center.

Mobilink  has remained quite active in CSR activities during the past year and beyond. Mobilink said that it spent both in terms of donations and man hours for community work to establish a difference in how we live.

In above picture, Omar Manzur, Head of Corporate Communications, Mobilink (R), is receiving the Shaukat Khanum Social Responsibility Award 2012 on behalf of the Mobilink Foundation.

It maybe recalled that Mobilink recently won the GSMA Global Mobile Award at Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona for its SMS Based Literacy program – a CSR initiative by Mobilink — in the category of “Best Mobile Education or Learning Product or Service”, beating four other services – contesting in the same category.

PTCL Connects 535 Election Commission Offices

PTCL has said that it has extended full support for the preparation of upcoming elections in the country by successfully connecting 535 Election offices of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) using the flagship voice and broadband range of services including wireline and wireless broadband.

Some remote sites have been connected via VSAT technology.

Concurrently, more than 500 central, district and regional offices of Returning Officers (ROs) of ECP are being connected through PTCL network and additional locations will also be connected shortly. PTCL said that it has this unique capability to render services for customer like ECP with a demand for the widest possible national coverage.

The state of the art connectivity has been provided to ECP and UNDP office bearers across the country. It will enable ECP and UNDP offices in all parts of the country to transmit data whilst remaining connected with ECP Headquarters in Islamabad.

This is a significant step forward towards ensuring timely delivery of information which in turn helps to render transparency in the election process.

Internet Speeds Get Back to Normal as Repair of Undersea Cable Gets Completed

IMEWE  Segment 1  repair  has  been  completed after almost one month and cable has been powered  up  for  the  traffic,  said a statement issued today.

Statement said that post repair system performance has been verified and undersea cable is now functioning in full throttle. Repeaters performance and splice loss all are as per the acceptable values.

Reportedly, the shunt fault was located at  116.7 KM from Mumbai link where the cable was observed to be dragged on sea bed by fishing liners.

It maybe recalled that IMEWE got damaged on March 10th, after which PTCL and other Pakistani ISPs had to route traffic to other under-sea cables connected to the country.

During  the  cable  fault  Pakistani Internet Service Providers took  necessary actions to minimize the impact  on  the  services  to  customers in Pakistan, by making alternate arrangement for internet capacity.

This has been made possible because of multiple submarines cable systems facility in Pakistan.

It merits mentioning here that SMW4 – another undersea cable connected to Pakistan – was also damaged during last month, and its repair work is likely to get complete by April 21st, 2013, that is when Internet speeds in Pakistan will be fully restored.

Affan Haider Resigns from Telenor Pakistan

Affan Haider, who has been with communication department of Telenor Pakistan for last five years, has now resigned from his position to peruse his career further.

Sources close to this development confirmed ProPakistani about Affan’s resignation and said that he is likely to go abroad for career growth.

Affan, a communication expert, was the oldest member of Telenor’s communication department and has headed the public relations twice for over an year and a half.

Affan has previously served Nestle Pakistan and US Department of Commerce. His functions at Telenor Pakistan included internal and external communication, corporate social responsibility and crisis management.

It is interesting to note here that Affan’s resignation has come at a time when trend for leaving Telenor is on the rise. At least two other members from the same department resigned in last three months. Aamer Izhar, VP Corporate Affairs also had resigned recently and his replacement is yet to be announced.

Zong Celebrates Women Day

Zong celebrated Women’s Day with great enthusiasm and the commitment to promote gender equality. To walk the talk, the telecom company honoured its female employees by celebrating this day within the organization.

International Women’s Day is observed every year on March 08 to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women. This year too, the day was celebrated around the globe to pay tribute to women whose significant contributions in every walk of life alongside men have made this world a better place to live in.

While Flutter, a product by telecom giant ZONG especially designed to cater women of Pakistan, was celebrating its first Women’s Day by inviting the spirited women of Pakistan to share their inspirational stories on different morning shows; Zong made it a point to salute its female employees for their dedication.

Several activities were organized on this occasion to recognize the efforts of women working at CMPak ZONG, who with their determination and enthusiasm are adding value to the organization. These women were acknowledged for their hard work, zeal and commitment.

They were commended for their praiseworthy skills and their resolve to bring a positive change not only in the company but also in their own lives.

A cake cutting ceremony was also organized on this special day to add to the festivities. CEO of ZONG Mr. Fan Yunjun also keenly participated in the ceremony with all female employees of the company.

Speaking about the importance of this day he said, “It is a famous Chinese proverb that women hold up half the sky and it is true in every sense. Women play a very important role in any society; they bring up children and thus shape the future of nations. We realize that this important segment should have the freedom of choice and action to shape one’s life. And those who do avail such opportunities for their own, their families’ and the society’s betterment; need to be recognized. At ZONG we value the tremendously talented female employees and we believe that with their capabilities, they can make a difference.”

The cake cutting ceremony was followed by an exclusive dinner for female employees of ZONG at Monal Resturant at Damne Koh. ZONG, the fastest growing network of the country, realizing that women are an under-represented segment of our society has promoted Pakistani women in various areas during the past. The telecom giant also supported athlete Rabia Ashiq who ran in the 800 metre competition in the London Olympics 2012.

Telenor Hum Qadam bags CSR National Excellence Award

Atifa Asghar, Director Corporate Communications & Responsibility, Telenor Pakistan is receiving the National Excellence Award on behalf of the company.

Telenor Pakistan’s corporate responsibility initiative Telenor Hum Qadam has won the 7^th CSR National Excellence Award under the category of ‘employee engagement’, sponsored by Xcelerate Management Consultants UK, during a ceremony organized by the CSR Association of Pakistan in Karachi.

The award recognized Telenor Pakistan for its commitment towards embedding sustainable thinking into organizational culture and in the process, supporting communities, especially in the areas ofdisability awareness, education, health and environment.

Atifa Asghar, Director Corporate Communications & Responsibility, Telenor Pakistan received the award on behalf of the company. The award ceremony was preceded by a CSR Networking Forum with a host of international speakers and guests including representatives from the United Nations and the corporate sector.

Expressing her delight, Atifa Asghar, Director Corporate Communications & Responsibility, Telenor Pakistan described the award as a testimony to Telenor Pakistan’s corporate responsibility initiatives. She said the award would spur Telenor Pakistan to do more in the socio-economic development of Pakistan. Notably, apart from various interactive awareness sessions about disability issues, Telenor Hum Qadam’s volunteers arranged activities for underprivileged children, conducted tree plantation and cleanup activities, and organized blood donation drive as well. “Today, Telenor Pakistan’s reputation as a responsible and reputable cellular operator, well-integrated in the community, has been soundly established. With effective communication and commitment to long-lasting development projects, we have been able to build up the harmonious relations that characterize our association with local communities,” she concluded.

Earlier, Dr Zubair Bawany, Chairman of the CSR Association of Pakistan recognized the commitment of Telenor Pakistan towards the community by making employee volunteerism part and parcel of organization culture. Mr. Bawany congratulated Telenor Pakistan on wining this award while competing against six other companies in the category.

Telenor Pakistan has been continuously working towards community development over the years and introduced Telenor Hum Qadam in 2011 as a corporate responsibility initiative to engage and mobilize its employees in community service. Since the launch of the program, more than 50,000 paid work hours have been contributed towards community development under the employee volunteerism program.

Wateen to Deploy Fibre Optic Network in Sindh

Wateen Telecom has been awarded a PKR 449 million project to develop an extensive optical fibre network in Sindh. The USF Sindh project entails the laying of over (1,037) km of an optical fibre network in Southern Telecom Region.

An amount of PKR 449 Million will be provided by USF in the form of a subsidy; the rest of the cost will be borne by Wateen.

The new optical fibre network will connect 17 unserved cities and towns. Wateen has joined hands with the Universal Service Fund Company (USF Co.) to undertake this project of national importance, which will go a long way in bridging the digital divide in the country. The project, funded through a USF subsidy, will provide state of the art digital infrastructure in remote areas of Sindh, and could be further exploited to build IT, telecom, education, health and business services in these areas.

This protect has been inaugurated by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on 23 February 2013, in Sanghar – Chak # 11 along with a number of telecommunications and health and education projects.

This new project is in line with Wateen Telecom’s commitment to lead the digital revolution in Pakistan. Wateen is already working with USF on four optical fibre projects in underserved areas of Balochistan and Sindh, with subsidies worth a total of PKR 3.7 billion. These existing projects entail optical fibre networks spanning over 4,563 km (in Sindh and Balochistan)

Commenting on the project, Mr Zamindar said, “Wateen’s vision is to take Pakistan into the digital revolution of the 21st Century by offering complete communications and media solutions, including telephony, internet, data and TV/multimedia to the public at large, and to make Pakistan a regional communications hub, inter-connecting the East with the West and Central Asia with the Middle East, participation in USF regions aligns with Wateen’s vision of taking Pakistan into the digital broadband revolution of the 21st century while promoting education and literacy through these means.”