Telenor , Huawei Deal for USC NGN Networks to Reduce Network Congestion

Posted by: Reality Bites on November 1, 2008 at 12:28 AM

Telenor, the Norwegian trans-national telecom giant, entered Pakistani market in March 2005. Within just three years, Telenor have acquired 18.4 million subscribers (as of September 2008), becoming the third largest mobile operator in Pakistan, an outstanding feat given the country’ s fierce competitive environment.

Despite this growth, Telenor Pakistan network congestion issues are known to Telenor customers. They include different issues like, voice distortion, anonymous voices with connected call etc.

These issues were because of :

• More than ten traditional HLRs were in the current network, with some having a capacity of as low as 1 million. This arrangement caused a range of problems in network management and maintenance:
• Networking was highly complex due to the large number of low-capacity HLRs. The customer service system needed to connect to, and adapt to, all the HLRs on the network, and the resulting complexity significantly raised maintenance costs. Continue Reading This Story

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Mobile Commerce & Pakistani Telco Industry

Posted by: Reality Bites on November 1, 2008 at 12:14 AM

M-Commerce is exchange of products & services and to make e-transaction with the help of mobile phones. It came in to existence, especially after 2000 and when CMTO’s applied for licenses to give customer handy services at instant.

In Pakistan, mobile phones are mostly used for voice calling and data services like SMS  but in recent years the value added services have become integral part of Telco’s revenues like CRBT (color ring back tone) and others. Most of CMTO’s are earning sky-scraping ARPU (Average Revenue per User) because of these value added service. But we cannot deny the fact that ARPU based services are the major challenge for Telco’s to maintain brand equity and ARPU’s on the consistent pace.

Common M-Commerce services are:

• Mobile Ticketing
• Mobile Vouchers
• Coupons
• Balance Sharing
• Loyalty SMS Cards
• Content Service Purchasing
• Location Based Services (LBS)
• Information Services Continue Reading This Story

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Web Hosting Providers in Pakistan - Review

Posted by: Bites85 on October 30, 2008 at 5:59 AM

Internet is full of web hosting companies like Media Template, Dream Host, GoDaddy and thousands pf others. Web masters prefer web hosting companies which are reliable and trusted. These big companies have elite administration with a lot of experience. They provide very good back up, if encountered any problem. Even Pakistani web masters and users prefer these foreign companies for multiple reasons. But many people may not know that even Pakistan has good web hosting providers. Today i will tell you about few good web hosting providers:

Creative On:

Continue Reading This Story

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Free Handsets with 2 Year Contract for Ufone + HBL Credit Card Holders

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on October 28, 2008 at 6:25 AM

Ufone has partnered with Habib Bank Limited to offer post paid connections to HBL credit card holders with special rates plus free handsets. Rates are not that special in fact, as line rent is kept high, but calling rates may beat every other cellular package by Ufone itself and othre companies too.

Idea of giving out free handset with mobile connections was tried by Ufone itself and other cellular companies too, but that was for low end market with subsdized handsets. However, in this case, they are offering high end handsets like Nokia N78, Blackberry Curve 8320 and 8310 too.

As i mentioned earlier, line rent is kept high for all four packages available - meaning that you will be charged on monthly basis, and for minimum of two years. Yes, you will have to sign a 2 year contract in order to get this package and free handset.

Also note that there are around 20 models of mobile phones available for different packages. But first let’s look at tariff

Package Plans (All Rates are for 30 Second pulse)

Note: Package information displayed on Ufone’s website is incorrect as free minutes are called Free SMS there. But i have counter checked this and made sure that all packages come with Free Minutes. By the way, i have informed their helpline about this typo. Also, Ufone didn’t mention that these rates are for 30 seconds pulse.

Clearly, both on-net and off-net calls are offered at good rates. Also number of free minutes and SMS, somehow justify line rent.

What Handset options are available?

You are given with couple of options for handsets, depending on package you choose.

Package 1: Nokia 1680, Nokia 2630, Samsung M150
Package 2: Samsung M620, Samsung E251, Sony Ericsson R300, Sony Ericsson T303
Package 3: Nokia 6300, Nokia 3500 (C), Nokia N72, Sony Ericsson W350
Package 4: Nokia 5310, Nokia 5610, Nokia N70 ME, Sony Ericsson K770
Package 5: Nokia N78 - 2 GB, Nokia N - 81 8 GB, BlackBerry ® CurveTM 8320,
BlackBerry ® CurveTM 8310

Offer seems attractive… isn’t it? Okay there is a good news too if you are already a Ufone customer, and that you can associate your in-use Ufone number with your HBL Credit Card and can switch over to these packages. Along with you will be qualified to get free handset too ; -)

Let’s see if such offers with free handsets come for regular customers too - apparently, this could be done only with Banks as they have a comparatively reliable system for tracking customers’ in case of non-payments.

Terms and Conditions

• All current and new HBL CreditCard Holders are eligible for this offer.
• All current and new Ufone Postpay customers can avail this offer by applying for HBL CreditCard.
• Customers are required to sign an undertaking.
• Accordingly customer’s monthly charges will appear automatically on the HBL Creditard statement.
• HBL and the customer will be required to adhere to the terms and conditions of the contract for a two-year period for any one of the 5 plans applied for by the customer.
• HBL reserves the right to refuse any application.
• Handset models are subject to change based on their availability. In case the selected handset is not available, customers can choose from the same package.
• Handsets will be delivered within 15 days of application approval.
  Customers can call HBL PhoneBanking at 111-111-425 for further information.

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Free SMS From Saudia to Pakistan During Hajj - Telenor

Posted by: Bites85 on October 27, 2008 at 1:23 AM

Telenor Pakistan has come up with yet another great offer for the pilgrims. This time the pilgrims can send free SMS messages to any network in Pakistan from Saudi Arabia.

This is first of its kind service from any Pakistani Cellular Company, where you can send Free SMS notifications to your family and friends back home from Saudi Arabia. These SMS Messages are not like regular SMS messages that we send, instead there are pre-defined messages that are meaningfull enough and ellaborates the message clearly. Keep reading to know more about this service…!

How to use the service:

1) When you Reach Saudi Arabia, Just dial *345# from any Telenor prepaid or postpaid number. A menu will appear with following four options.

• Request top up
• English Hajj Messages
• Roman Urdu Hajj Messages
• FAQs

2) For Hajj messages, choose option 2 or 3.
3) Enter the receivers cell phone number (e.g. 0345-XXXXXXX)
4) You will see the following messages in each category. You can send these messages to any network in Pakistan.

So you will have to select any SMS out of these, and your friends and Family will receive these messages in Pakistan - for FREE.

Terms & Conditions

• These Messages would be FREE
• You can send messages to any network in Pakistan.
• Prepaid users can also request for balance by choosing top up option.
• You don’t require any prior activation.
• International roaming should be activated prior to leaving.
• For international roaming activation just dial 345 or visit your nearest Telenor sales and service center.

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24 Hours Free Call for 1 Zong to Zong Number

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on October 25, 2008 at 7:19 AM

Yea, that’s true… you can call one Zong number unlimited calls 24×7 - but there is monthly rental of Rs. 500 plus tax. Despite the monthly subscription fee, this offer gonna rock.

Now there is a clear reason for the success of Zong… that it offers a package for each segment of users. If you are SMS addict, there is an option, incase you love GPRS, there is per hour Internet offer; you name your requirment and Zong has its solution for you. Though other companies are following the same lines, but Sales’ stats say Zong is outperforming them.

Getting back to this particular offer, 24 Hours free call at 1 Zong Number is available for “Zong Free Package” (This is name of the package). If you are not on Zong Free Package, then check below the process of converting your number to Zong Free Package

How to convert Package

Its simple, dial 908 and select your desired package. You can call the same number, that is 908, and select your one favorite number for 24 Hours Free Calls.

Another way is to send an SMS “Sub<Space>free<Space><Mobile Number>” and send it to 908.

Pricing (All Prices are including Taxes and are for 60 Seconds)

Monthly Subscription free of Rs. 500+105 = Rs. 605 (Rs. 105 are taxes)

Free Package Nationwide Tarrifs - 60 Second Pulse (Including Taxes)

ZONG to ZONG: Rs. 2.42
ZONG to any other network: Rs. 2.42
SMS to any network: Rs. 0.24
ZONG Friends and Family numbers: 10 numbers
1 Free ZongNumber *: Free
Late Night Offer (Midnight to 7:00 am)**: Rs. 4.82 per hour
Break Time Offer (Noon to 2:00 pm)**: Rs. 4.82 per hour
ZONG Friends and Family rate: Rs. 1.21
MMS: Rs. 3.63/100KB
Mobile Internet: Rs. 12.1/MB

• ” = Limited Time Offer
• ** = All Zong Numbers
• You can subscribe to ZONG Free Package by dialing 908 with onetime charges of Rs. 15 only - Excluding Taxes (first time migration to this package is free)
• Balance validity is based on re-charge
• The free number can be modified only once every month
• You can choose to unsubscribe from Break Time offer by calling 310

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Telenor Talkshawk : 0.75 Paisas Per 30 Seconds, All Networks

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on October 24, 2008 at 7:41 AM

It seems like a new week of cellular packages has arrived as Telenor Talkshawk has fanned the fire. Telenor Talkshwak has offered very simple and inexpensive rates: 0.75 Paisas per 30 seconds on all networks, simple enough I suppose.

Tariff:

• Telenor to Telenor: Rs. 0.75
• Telenor to other Network: Rs. 0.75
• Telenor to PTCL: Rs. 0.75
• Telenor-Telenor – Friends and Family: Rs. 0.45
• Telenor to other network - Friends & Family: Rs. 0.75
• SMS to any Network: Rs. 1.00
• International SMS: Rs. 5

All prices are excluding taxes. When tax included, Rs. 0.75 will become Rs. 0.91

Please note that this offer also includes Bundle Minutes, that we covered here. Terms and conditions for Bundle Minutes apply.

How to Convert to Telenor Talkshawk

All existing Telenor prepaid customers can convert to Telenor Talkshawk 30 second for Rs.10 (inclusive of tax)

• Dial 345661/345662, and follow the automated voice: Rs.0.25 exclusive of tax
• Or send an SMS “Migrate” to 345: Rs.2/SMS exclusive of tax.

You may also like this ad about the service that features Annie!

Continue Reading This Story

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Warid’s Zoom SMS Package

Posted by: Bites85 on October 23, 2008 at 6:59 PM

Post by Bites85 of Newz On Fire

Zoom Package by Warid was the first un-metered SMS package for Pakistani Cellular Users back in 2006. It was an instant hit as mobile users were able to send unlimited SMS/MMS to any network in Pakistan for just 5 PKR a day. The service was widely used by all the demographic; even advertisers took heavy advantage of unlimited text messages, and started sending SPAM, which ultimately resulted a ban on unlimited SMS and package was revised by Warid to quota specified SMS/MMS schemes. Now almost all the cellular companies provide cheap SMS packages. But Zoom is still loved by many people. Even i’m a Zoom addict.

These days there are two Zoom packages available for the Warid’s Zem prepaid users. Zoom Limited and Zoom Unlimited.

Zoom SMS/MMS Rates

How to Activate Zoom

• To activate Zoom packages just dial 100 from your Warid number
• One-time charges of Rs.2+tax apply per activation.

How to Check Remaining SMS/MMS in your account?

There was a problem with Warid’s Zoom Package, as Warid did not provide any way to check the remaining SMS/MMS, like other cellular companies. So people use to do a little calculation or use their message counter to check how many messages they have sent.

But now finally Warid has also started to let its users check that how many SMS/MMS they have consumed. Usually after we make a call or do any paid activity, we get a summary of that transaction. Now when we (ZOOM USERS) do any call or paid activity we get a summary of that call/activity and also get a summary of how many SMS/MMS we have consumed.

The new summary received is like the following when you make a call to 321:

“Your last call cost 0.61 PKR; your account remains 74.21 PKR. You have consumed 124 free SMS/MMS of your ZOOM package”

Still you have to make a paid activity to get this summary (or you will have to call 321 to get this remaining SMS/MMS information).

I think Warid should provide any other sort of notification service, so the balance should not be wasted to check the consumed SMS/MMS. There should be a short e.g *123# to receive this summary, so that its users can check their remaining quota without paying anything.

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