Posted by: Muhammad Ali Raza on October 23, 2008 at 2:50 AM
Few days ago, a friend of mine was looking around for someone’s mobile info; like he was interested in knowing his address details and some other basic information. Previously we had a combined friend in a Telecom company, so such little things were not big issues. However, now he is in Canada for a better job. Hence my friend asked me to figure out some way but I was left with no option. We kept on wondering about how to tackle this do or die situation.
After doing some research, I just found a very good way to find someone’s info. (I am sharing this to let you guys know how badly configured our online systems are, and how insecure our information is)
You can get someone’s name and city right? Its very easy, simply call helpline and plead a little, and they give away this info and its not hard part (I did this personally). Also name and city can be acquired by your cousin or cousin’s friend who is working in cellular company franchise. (Franchises can access to name and city of any number)
So now we have victim’s name and city and last name (last name is must here, as it is used to find address).
See, we can acquire complete details from this basic information, in fact you would be surprised that many online phone directories offer this very personal information like a duh!
I wonder, how this very private data of PTCL was stolen away, and above this, how daringly these websites are offering free online directories of this sensitive and private data. I am not promoting these website, but just wanted to share how insecure we are.
http://17.ptcl.net.pk/
check it out, PTCL’s online directory - taking advantage of such thing is not bad! Is it?
Here is magic string use it well boys
“http://17.ptcl.net.pk/subcsribeinfoResult.asp?txtname=NAME&txtadd=CITY&submit1=Search”.
Change NAME with the last name of victim - that we got from call center or franchise; while change NAME with city name.
Here you go, match your number with name and enjoy! There are good chances if name is rare one, as you will get less results for uncommon names. And in case of multiple results, and if you are not sure about your match, simply call the number from any PCO and act like TCS or DHL guy, and tell them “Sir we have a letter for you from XYZ bank, can you please confirm your address” you guys can give him same name address from that’s city he will confirm you this address, even if it was incorrect huh how much hard this was?
Lessons for us!
Please Immediately block all these services, as they are of no good. They are just used for ill means. Even, if there are some genuine inquires, they must be routed to PTCL’s helpline 1217, which should verify its legitimacy prior to revealing any details.
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on October 22, 2008 at 12:52 PM
The Mobile Phone subscribers’ base in Pakistan has crossed 90 million mark as 640,624 subscribers were added in September 2008 at the monthly growth rate of 0.7 percent, which is slightly better than of August 2008.
Latest stats made public by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for the month of September 2008, concludes that total number of subscribers in the country have reached 90.2 million mark, despite10.5 million blocked unregistered numbers - while mobile density now stands at 55.9 percent.
Following graph shows net addition/subtraction in customers for each cellular company.
Mobilink’s subscriber base continued its decline and fell to 31.35 million, resulting in a fall in market share to 34.8 percent. In contrast, Zong once again scored top position by adding 289,418 customers. Warid and Ufone remained very closed and added 213,219 and 209,891 customers respectively. Telenor added 156,268 customers in month of September 2008.
Mobilink continues to occupy the top slot with a market share of 34.8 percent, followed by Ufone (20.8 percent), Telenor (20.5 percent), Warid (17.9 percent) and Zong (5.6 percent).
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on October 19, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Here comes yet another tax for cellular users, this time we don’t need to worry about, as this tax is not for telecom services, instead the usage of telecom service will be taken as a measuring tool for someone’s income and those will be taxed whose monthly bill exceeds Rs. 100,000 per year or Rs. 8,333 per month. This decision was taken by Federal Board of Revenue to bring mobile phone users into the tax-net under the new plan to broaden the tax-base in 2008-2009.
Business Recorder has confirmed that FBR had issued instructions to the Director General of Large Taxpayer Units (LTUs) and Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) to obtain record of mobile phone users whose annual bills exceed Rs 100,000 and bring them under the tax net.
Along with cellular users, FBR has plans to include frequent air travelers, luxury car holders, large industries and others segments too.
FBR’s this move is not going to harm general users, instead the plan is to attack those elite segment who have not disclosed their assets or income, and are not paying taxes while they are excessively using resources in the country.
In case a person is paying more than Rs. 8,333 per month for his cell phone, then he must be having some revenues to pay tax. In case his company is paying for his phone bills, then his employer has to justify this and has to show the mobile phone expenses.
FBR can issue letters to the cellular phone users with over Rs 100,000 to demand National Tax Numbers (NTNs) or ask the non-filers of income tax returns to file return, if required. On the basis of NTN, the department could check/verify the income of mobile phone user for subsequent filing of return.
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on October 19, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Pakistan’s fastest friend, China has announced to launch a telecommunication satellite, named PakSat-1R, for Pakistan in year 2011. The satellite’s chief contractor China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) has lately reported that a Long March 3B rocket will be used to put the satellite into orbit. It will launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the south western Sichuan province.
According to Business Recorder the satellite company will manage ground control facilities for the satellite to be delivered to the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission after it enters orbit. CGWIC and its sub-contractors are responsible for the design, manufacturing, final assembly, testing and launch of the satellite.
Paksat-1R will have a life span of 15 years. Pakistan will use it for domestic telecommunication and broadcast services. Contracts for the satellite deal were inked during President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent visit to China.
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Posted by: Reality Bites on October 16, 2008 at 6:50 AM
According to PTA’s very recent public stats, the total numbers of cellular subscriber in Pakistan are soon going to hit 90 million mark. The saturated Telco’s market of Pakistan is now asking for QoS (Quality of Service), Continuous improvement in network infrastructure and customer service & care programs.
If we randomly analyze the Pakistan Telco’s market, we will get the findings that almost all of the major factors have been utilized. Recently, we all have observed new launches of Mobile Telco, though market was expecting huge change in pricing structures and in some DATA services to be free, but results were not as anticipated.
According to an estimation, it has been observed that most of the cellular subscribers utilize these connections as the secondary choice (few people may have different opinion here) and they registers every number as a habitual behavior. Thus investing millions of dollars in the same arena for customer acquisition is no more tactful attitude as it was before.
As pricing competition in Pakistan’s cellular market has almost broken every global record. The cheaper products & Services offer to try and beat off rivals’ offers, it’s a profit killer.
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on October 8, 2008 at 4:41 AM
Pakistan Mobile Communication Limited has requested Pakistan Telecommunication Limited to transfer licenses of its affiliated companies that includes, Dancom Online, World Online, Link Direct, Mobilink, Intouch etc.
A very reliable source while confirming this news told that in addition to license transfer requests, PMCL has requested authority to grant additional licenses and O&M agreements for its affiliated companies.
On other hands, Nawa-e-Waqt has reported (in its October 07, 2008 edition) that Orascom has entered into final stages of its talks with Vodafone to sell out 26 percent shares of Mobilink to UK based cellular company. Paper says that there were various sessions carried out between Orascom and Vodafone, and now they have almost closed this deal. However, value of this deal is still unknown.
We had mentioned about this deal back in July that Vodafone and Orascom were nearing talks for sell out of 26 percent shares, however, Mobilink, Orascom and Vodafone officials were constantly denying this. Even now, we are unable to fetch information from anyone directly familiar with this deal.
Meanwhile, Mobilink officials have confirmed us that PMCL has requested transfer of licenses for its affiliated companies. He further said that this transfer is purely on operational and technical grounds.
“Mobilink is a brand name and hence, one cannot sell its shares. There is also no discussion on off-loading any shares of PMCL”, said Mobilink’s spokesman.
While analyzing this statement a telecom analyst commented that Mobilink is a brand as of now, and can’t be sold out, but after the license is transferred, Orascom can sell it out partially or wholly. He further commented that who is questioning PMCL’s sale out?
We are still unable to comprehend Orascom’s this move (if its in real), through which they will loose their most revenue generating unit out of many in various countries – also given that they saw a steep decline in revenues and growth in recent quarters throughout Asia Pacific and Middle East. We hope it’s not a Millicom recap…!
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on October 6, 2008 at 1:50 PM
We have seen Mobilink’s declining sales in previous months, which maybe didn’t jolt experts’ mind due to their size and weight of customers. It’s very obvious that a company with subscribers’ base of 31 million can not attain growth rate of even 1 percent or so, also given that cellular subscribers’ teledensity has hit 56 percent mark.
But following figures of international outgoing traffic for cellular companies (through PTCL) for the period of April, May and June 2008 may wide open many eyes. A very reliable industry source has given us these stats (however these stats can’t be considered official – but we are likely to see them in coming PTA’s annual report) which reveals that Mobilink is almost disappearing from the graph.
May 2008 can be considered most shocking month for Mobilink, as they were able to generate merely 56,142 minutes for international calls compared 64,371 in June 2008. For all of three months, Mobilink earned total of 1,581,309 international minutes. Even Zong scored more international traffic than Mobilink with 5,356,917 minutes in the same period.
While on other hands, Ufone’s skyscraper is seen very firm standing at 81,340,900 minutes for three months. Warid is heading Telenor with 18,533,756 minutes, where Telenor gained 12,504,509 minutes. Instaphone seems contented with their 5,438 international outgoing minutes in three months.
This traffic information for international outgoing is just a depiction of market situation. However, we can’t actually assume this international traffic (through PTCL) as directly proportional to local or national traffic these companies have; but due to a fact that international traffic contributes major part in revenues (due to very low local call rates), it is considered vital. We are awaiting official comments from Mobilink on this.
We are not sure about how well Mobilink’s international call half rate offer played for them, but we hope that cellular giant is going to do enough in coming months to retain its position.
Note: These stats represent traffic carried away from PTCL Gateway for International outgoing calls only.
Update: In response to a question that If Mobilink uses any other gateway for international outgoing traffic other than PTCL?? If yes then what proportion of international traffic is routed to PTCL’s gateway? and what share goes to other resources?
Mobilink official replied: ” We use our own LDI (Long Distance International) in addition to PTCL”
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on October 5, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Interior Ministry Chief Mr. Rehman Malik has instructed cyber wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to trace out the originators of fictitious e-mails and SMS, sent to the people, which involved political figures of the country, especially the ruling ones.
Associated Press of Pakistan has reported that Mr. Malik is of the view that these emails and text messaged are forwarded by thousands if not millions, primarily aim at launching vilification campaign for the character assassination of the politicians and senior leaders.
The directive given by the Interior Advisor to the investigation agency will help initiate immediate action against the culprits, indulged in the smear campaign against the political leadership of the country.
These forwarded Emails / SMS messages normally contain jokes, cartoons and other elements of hilarious nature.
President Asif Ali Zardari is lately center of attraction for such activities, particularly in a recent activity someone faked his signature and reproduced president’s message that had spelling mistakes in it.
President Zardari was once again targeted in Emails after his meeting with Sarah Plain.
Consequently, there came a warning to all fun-loving Pakistanis: the cyber crime wing of the FIA has been instructed to hunt down those circulating jokes on him through emails or mobile phones.
But at same, we are not sure if FIA is capable enough to track text messages or emails. With no system available to cap and/or monitor the messages, which are forwarded and then re-forwarded to multiple mobile users, makes it almost impossible to reach the actual originator of that text message.
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