Posted by: Aamir Attaa on August 14, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Cellular News has reported while quoting CEO Telenor International that they have plans to invest further 2.5 500 Million dollars in Pakistan if they get 3G license from PTA.
We were having mixed feedback from cellular companies operating in Pakistan regarding 3G operating in Pakistan. Even Tore Johnson, former CEO Telenor Pakistan, few months back showed his reservations about 3G network roll out in country before media men in Islamabad.
On other hands, PTA had been trying to encourage cellular companies in making their mood to participate for 3G license auction in Pakistan, probably going to happen latter this year.
This news is defiantly going to pat PTA’s back while other cellular companies in Pakistan may think hard to get out of this situation, keeping in mind that 3G rollout is going to ask for billions of investments.
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on August 10, 2008 at 11:49 PM
“The Way of The World” by Ron Suskind has given new dimensions to the political talks in Pakistan. Ron Suskind, well-known and award winning author, has provided the “details” of intensively discussed “Deal” between Musharraf and Late Ms. Benazir Bhutto.
Content of the book has added more fuel to debates that are being conducted on coalition’s decision of Musharraf impeachment. Taped politically heated conversation between Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto seem 
to make people to reconsider their political sympathies with them. It is notable that truth about the deal that was designed and supervised by America has been made public at a very crucial time. It can effect the on going impeachment process and political happenings in Pakistan in one way or another.
In politics, the principle of give and take and concept of deal are not forbidden trees. From autocracy to democracy, politicians have always been found indulged in preparing ground for their own political interests. Our concern, for time being, is not the deal between Musharraf and Benazir but our grave concern is how their telephone calls were first taped and then recorded material was safely and quietly handed over to concerned authorities in America.
Ron Suskind has dedicated a large part of his book to the information gathered from these taped calls. A big question arises here that how these calls were recorded in Pakistan? Given that, only Intelligence Agencies were then allowed to keep an eye on telephonic conversation of any individual of the country. (Now home ministry can tape your voice calls too).
It is ridiculous to think that ISI got these calls taped and then handed it over to America. It is not possible even if we get proof that there is an anti-Musharraf or anti-Benazir element exists within ISI.
If not ISI, then this job was done with the cooperation of the any cellular company of Pakistan. Earlier this year, we had news in Telecom sector that a Cellular company was found guilty of sending these voice tapes of President Musharraf and other mainstream leaders to CIA. Assuming that it was not ISI, then this particular cellular company should be held answer able.
If some one comes with the proof that ISI recorded those calls, may be on the advice of Musharraf to use these calls afterwords to keep Ms. Benazir Bhutto on track , it is acceptable but if it is not the case then?
External forces have always influenced internal matters of Pakistan. It is a truth that needs not to be revealed in a book. Some external forces exercise their direct influence and some go for indirect way.
My question here is, who is going to charge that cellular company? or the any other entity that gave these recorded calls to CIA? Government of Pakistan? PTA? lol damn
Furthermore, USA must be ashamed of the double standards that it has maintained. One one side they talk of the human rights of their citizen, and on other hands they are invading the privacy of our rulers?
May Allah help us all…!
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on August 6, 2008 at 3:45 AM
The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has asked PTA once again to direct Mobilink to sell unlocked Blackberry handsets compared to locked handsets which can’t be used on other networks.
In a statement issued by CCP, the commission has also warned Mobilink to stop practicing this activity along with a letter to PTA to get it implemented.
CCP, the successor of Monopoly Control Authority (MCA), passed the order on a show-cause notice issued by the MCA to Pakistan Mobile Communications Ltd (Mobilink GSM). The show-cause notice was issued in July 2007 under Section 11 of the MRTPO for carrying on unreasonable restrictive trade practices.
Mobilink that brought Blackberry services in Pakistan is not even subsidizing Blackberry Devices; (meaning that they are selling Blackberry devices at original price) even then they sell network locked handsets (which means Blackberry handsets sold by Mobilink can’t be used with Ufone or Warid’s network)
Mobilink Blackberry® Phone Prices: (All LOCKED)
Blackberry Pearl 8120 - PKR. 27,000/-
Blackberry Curve 8320 - PKR. 29,000/-
Blackberry Huron 8800 - PKR. 34,000/-
Blackberry Bold 9000 - PKR. 40,000/- to 45,000/- (Expected availability in September-October 2008 )
Warid Blackberry® Phone Prices: (All UNLOCKED)
Blackberry Pearl 8120 - PKR. 25,000/-
Blackberry Curve 8310 - PKR. 28,000/-
Blackberry Huron 8820 - PKR. 31,000/-
Ufone Blackberry® Phone Prices: (All UNLOCKED)
Blackberry 8700 - PKR. 18,000/-
Blackberry Pearl 8100 - PKR. 24,000/-
Blackberry Curve 8300 - PKR. 25,000/-
Blackberry Huron 8800 - PKR. 29,000/-
[Prices Via Mobile Pakistan Blog]
A review of these prices reveal that Mobilink’s prices for Blackberry handsets are actually higher than of Ufone and Warid, which are selling unlocked Blackberry handsets.
CCP has currently asked Mobilink to advertise the SIM lock features of their blackberry handsets, and educate their customers that they will not be able to use these devices with other networks. However, in my openion, they must stop selling locked handsets or they must subsidize Blackberry handsets.
It merits mentioning here that you can’t get Mobilink Blackberry services on devices that are not purchased from Mobilink.
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on August 5, 2008 at 5:32 PM
All cellular companies of Pakistan have proposed Ministry of IT and Telecom to eliminate USF’s share in APC (Access Promotion Charge) and let cellular companies enjoy all of APC to increase their revenues and lowering ARPU levels.
APC or Access Promotion Charge is the portion of revenue that currently equals US 0.05 $ per minute on all international calls terminating on landline or cellular networks of Pakistan. Fixed line operator, that is PTCL, grabs all of APC (US 0.05$) for all calls that are being terminated on its network. However, cellular companies are getting only 1.57 cents per minute on all calls that terminate on cellular networks. This 1.57 cents or Rs. 1.10 is PTA’s determined termination rate per minute for all calls that land on cellular networks. Hence, cellular companies are entertained with Rs. 1.10 for calls that land on its network weather domestic or international. Remaining cost of US 3.43 cents per minute (for international traffic) goes to USF. (Regulation for this share of USF is given in this document)
Proposal said that mobile companies share the largest amount of incoming international traffic that is being terminated on mobile networks, it is only fair that the portion of APC, which is being currently mopped up as USF contribution, be granted to mobile companies, so that they can further increase their revenues and support expanding network demands through out the country.
All Mobile companies through this proposal believe that they are already contributing 1.5 percent of their revenues to USF is much beyond the amount that could be actually spent by USF company.
Proposal that was sent to Ministry of IT and Telecom and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority was signed by CEOs of all mobile companies and PTCL. Proposal requested the authority to approval for implementation with immediate effect.
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on August 1, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Pakistan Package by PTCL is going to see an end by August 31st, 2008. PTCL administration is obviously not in favor of this withdrawal; however PTA has directed the company to abolish the said package by the end of current month in order to maintain a pricing balance amongst market players. Directions came after an appeal by PTCL to the regulator that it wants to continue Pakistan Package was turned down by authority. PTA has directed the company to inform their customers by August 10th, 2008 about the removal of this Package.
Directives by PTA, dated July 30 2008 says that PTCL’s justifications to carry on Pakistan package are unreal for instance PTCL in its appeal said that Pakistan Package is selected by customers on voluntary basis however it was not the case; PTCL’s package was imposed forcefully for all customers of PTCL and majority of them showed strong resentment against this imposition. PTA said that it is still receiving complaints from general public regarding refund/adjustment and deactivation of Pakistan Package.
According to PTA only 25 percent of PTCL subscribers are availing Pakistan Package, majority of which are corporate clients with heavy traffic load. PTA has advised PTCL that this is actually in their own benefit to quit the package to maximize its revenues from those corporate clients.
In another justification PTCL said that Pakistan Package was facilitating its customers, in response to which PTA has responded that this fact is not true. Authority said that PTCL has lowered local call pulse rate from 5 to 3 minutes, along with the company is charging highest tariffs for fixed-to-mobile calls, which is defiantly not act of facilitation for customers.
PTA directive said that PTCL must publicize that it is quitting Pakistan Package before August 10th 2008 before taking it down from August 31st, 2008
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on July 29, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Latest stats given so far by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (as per end of July 2008) and those which are advertised through media campaigns by Cellular companies say that there are 90 million SIMs in the country.
We all know that NADRA is given the responsibility to verify each SIM of Pakistan, which in opinion of many telecom analysts is not capable of doing so.
Reasons:6
- NADRA itself has only 60 millions of registered users in its database (As of July 2008)
- Cellular SIMs’ sale started way before NADRA came into existence
- First few years of NADRA were a total failure (because they have reached this 60 million registered ID card figure now, it was defiantly not so in earlier years) but SIMs were being sold even then
So there are two possibilities now
- Situation 1: Either there are not more than 60 million customers in Pakistan (or even less, due to the fact that many of NADRA ID card holders, especially women and those in far flung areas don’t own mobile phones yet)
- Situation 2: Or NADRA can not verify all SIMs
Okay, now we have reached 2 possible situation here, let’s discuss both in detail and what steps should be taken in case of both situations.
I am assuming that Cellular Companies and the regulator (PTA) are familiar with the actual situation, that is either we have only 60 million or less customers or NADRA can’t verify SIMS.
Situation 1: Pakistan has less than 60 million Customers
This is relatively a bad news for telecom sector of Pakistan, in terms of investment and the tempo that the industry has achieved. Let’s check out why Telcos keep on insisting that they have subscriber’s strength that they never bear
- To increase their stock value
- To Minimize ARPU, that’s called Average Revenue per User. (Higher ARPU is always welcomed, but in case of Pakistan, cellular companies have (maybe) tried to keep the ARPU low. It is like this, if you are earning lot of revenue but you show higher expenses (more subscribers, more operating expenses) to neutralize your revenues (low ARPU) and eventually escaping taxes
- And not an important point, but it comes into consideration while keeping in view the performance of individual managers who kept their bosses (investors) happy
Resolution of Situation 1
In case, situation 1 is true, then Pakistan Telecommunication Authority must come into act and play positively so that Cellular companies are not able to steal taxes and help our economy grow, as this is the only sector that can make some big money for our country.
In case situation 1 is true then we may expect new figures in Telco ads such as Call Rs 1 per Minute to 18 million Mobilink friends and family numbers etc.
Situation 2: NADRA is not capable of verifying SIMs
In case, situation 2 is true, then we must not wait any more and we must come up with a better and immediate solution than of what we are practicing now. Stop the current process of SIM verification from NARDA and stop wasting time.
What option we are left if Situation 2 is true?
Alas we have not many options in order to tackle situation 2, but only one that is to re-register each single SIM. There should be given a deadline of like 6 or 9 months, during which each cellular subscriber will have to re-register his/her SIM before deadline. And remaining all numbers should be blocked after this ONE DEADLINE.
I am not kidding, this was done in Bangladesh and they have managed to re-register almost all of their cellular customers. This is even better options for cellular companies to reduce their verification cost (Cellular companies used to pay Rs. 20 earlier on and now Rs. 5 for verification of each SIM)
What if both Situations are true?
Then it’s the worst situation (and there are good possibilities of this) that we have got it, we may need to cater for each situation equally and separately
Conclusion
Most of the people (from PTA, cellular companies, financial experts, and Telecom analysts) I spoke with for the preparation of this report were well aware of the fact that the current mechanism for SIM verification is not going to work.
So who is going to prove that millions of SIMs (8 million that’s what Mr. Talha claims) were really blocked? or they are the only un-registered SIMs? I have spoken to CSRs of Mobilink, Ufone and Telenor and they say they never came across any customer who said that his/her SIM was blocked. So there are good chances that cellular companies blocked already inactive numbers. We all know that cellular companies have not provided the details of 5.4 blocked SIMs (which were blocked couple of months ago).
Dr. Yaseen, our newly appointed Chairman PTA should put more pressure on Telecom companies for more transprancy.
Whatever the case is, we must debug this issue now. As situation is still not out of our hands, and we must pay proper attention in order to leave hassle free environment to our coming generations.
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on July 28, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Protected by President Musharraf, and duly extended tenure of Ex-Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Autority (PTA) Maj. Gen (R) Shahzada Alam Malik at last reached to an end when he was shown the way to home by PPP government through premature termination of their contracts.
Following our national history and democratic culture, merit was assaulted yet another time in the bureaucratic front of Pakistan when Dr. Mohammed Yaseen overtook his senior colleague and member PTA Syed Nasurl Karim Ahmed Ghaznavi and became the chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
As per Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-Organization) Act, 1996, Federal Government is responsible for the appointment of Chairman PTA. Government can select from Two Members of PTA board.
Dr Yaseen joined PTA board as member technical in October 2006 while Syed Nasurl Karim Ahmed Ghaznavi is a civil servant from 1974 batch, clearly getting a lead in terms of seniority.
Sources, familiar with the scenario, commented that this appointment can be termed as a true translation of Dr. Yaseen’s affiliation with PPP and his background from Sindh (though Dr. Yaseen was born in Gujranwala but moved to Sindh in his early childhood). Sources further unveiled that Dr. Yaseen joined PTA as 19th grade officer and was promoted to grade 21 in 2006 and now he is the head of a department in just 2 years, where as Mr. Ghaznavi was promoted to 21st grade in year 2001.
When contacted Federal Government, they responded with a justification that PTA is a technical department, hence requires more technical orientation and abilities instead of finance, so Dr. Yaseen was chosen unanimously by the committee.
Telecom analysts are opining other way; they firmly believe that Syed Nasurl Karim Ahmed Ghaznavi deserved this office as Chairmanship is not an engineering slot instead the head is responsible for regulate the telecom sector. Moreover, member technical is always there to look into technical matters if they ever arise. “Whatever the case is, there is no doubt that the supremacy of merit has been compromised” said a telecom analyst.
Mr. Ghazhnavi has been associated with telecom sector since 1992. Who can be a better regulator than him? Being an officer of Pakistan Audit and Account, which are trained in the art of regarding the public sector organization.
It is learned through reliable sources in PTA that authority is making massive changes in PTA in the name of “Reconstruction”, while remove senior and trained officers from their responsibilities and deputing less experiences and new people on a very delicate and important job slots.
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on July 24, 2008 at 2:19 PM
Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Autority (PTA) Maj. Gen (R) Shahzada Alam Malik has been shown the way to home by PPP government through premature termination of their contracts. As reported by Express News Dr. Mohammed Yaseen is appointed as new chairman PTA.
Mr. Malik was in good books of President Musharraf, and he was awarded extension in his tenure twice thus remained Chairman PTA for 9 years during which he remained in serious controversies. How much truth was behind those controversies, no one knows but one thing is crystal clear that our bureaucrates either kiss the sky or lick the dust.
Dr. Mohammed Yasin, Chairman PTA (Profile)
Dr. Mohammed Yasin joined PTA as Member Technical in October 2006. Earlier on has worked with following projects
- Essex University, England, as Senior Research Officer
- PTCL Pakistan, as Director Strategy
- Alcatel Submarine networks Australia as System and Project
- Engineer,
- Advanced Networks and System Australia as Senior Consultant
Dr. Yaseen is professional Engineer and he has 30 International and national publications on Telecom technologies, ICT growth, Strategies and design of telecom networks.
Dr. Yaseen has represented PTA at various International and National forums including Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT), where he was selected as Vice Chairman, APT, Study Group 2 (Networks).
After graduating from DCET (NED), he achieved Ministry of Science and Technology Scholarship in 1987 and completed his Ph.D. in 1992, from University of Essex, England with specialization in Telecommunication Systems.
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