Telenor Becomes Second Largest Cellular Company of Pakistan

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on June 17, 2008 at 10:38 PM

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has released the latest stats for cellular subscribers in the country. Also reported by Romail Kenneth of daily times, the breaking news is that Telenor has snatched the second position from Ufone, while Mobilink still at top with huge lead of almost 14 million subscribers.

Telenor was almost one million subscribers behind Ufone in January 2008; however, they significantly geared their sales in first two quarters of 2008 and grabbed 2 million new customers in only 6 months. This was not only the heights number of customers earned by any cellular company, but also it helped Telenor to sit firm at second position.

Since the year 2005 Ufone had retained its second position and was considered to be the second biggest mobile phone operator in Pakistan.

I am not sure what exactly made this to happen, I am still thinking over the decisive elements that made Telenor Pakistan to cross Ufone. My initial thought is the Heavy Advertising that Telenor has been carrying throughout the year. Otherwise, packages from both companies are going neck to neck; with Ufone even little better in services. Telenor took some brave decision during the second quarter, to directly compete with Mobilink and Zong…this gave them the positive marking hence fetching more costumers.

Subscribers’ Details (As Per May 2008)

Mobilink: 31,958,597
Telenor: 17,841,074
Ufone: 17,800,424
Warid: 15,114,678
Zong: 3,662,099
InstaPhone: 321,204 (As per April 2008)

Total Subscribers: 86,698,076

Mobile Tele-Density : 53.9 Percent

Interesting point is that, we had 85 Million subscribers in April 2008, however, in May 2008 we have managed to hit 86.69 Million mark; but what happened to those at least 5.6 million blocked SIMs? Are they still counted in these subscribers?

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Mobile Number Portability - A Forgotten Venture

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on June 17, 2008 at 7:28 AM

Mobile Number Portability was introduced in Pakistan on March 23rd, 2007. It’s been almost 15 months, and the fact is that I had just forgotten its existence in our country. Needless to say that I never thought of switching over to another network, despite my carrier overcharges me almost every month.

I don’t want to re-cover the whole story of MNP’s implementation here, those who are interested in knowing more about how it happened please view this detailed post by Babar Bhatti at Pakistaniat.Com.

However, I was able to recollect my memories, thanks to this advertisement (Published in all major Newspapers on June 16, 2008) that reminds (or claims) that MNP is still there and it is working. There is no need to say that cellular companies do remember their billions of investments they made to make their networks MNP compatible.

What I want to discuss here is that if the MNP has totally failed? Should we just forget it? Or subscribers should still keep this option with them for future, maybe after 2/3 years to better select their cellular company without changing their current cell numbers.

Obviously, none of the operator was willing to implement MNP, that’s obvious; as porting out operator is the one who initiates the process (documentation etc). Hence, for instance, Warid Telecom will not heartedly welcome any of its subscribers to move away. While eying the trends and history, we should not expect any co-operation from operators in this regards. I have heard many stories, from friends and others, who just wanted to taste MNP; but gave up due to the process that involves repetitive problems caused by porting out operator (their current operator)

Another element that restricts or does not encourage subscribers to switch their network is the growing competition amongst the cellular companies; who are made to revise or introduce new packages at least once month if not twice. We have so many examples for this; let’s look at this Mobilink’s Jazz One Package which was defeated by Telenor’s A One in only 24 hours. So, customers don’t really opt for MNP when it comes to pricing; or even if the pricing is not that favorable to them, they consider waiting for a week or couple to get a better deal.

Frankly, I don’t see any good point to utilize MNP’s offer; stats actually back me, as I remember Maj. Gen. (R) Shahzada Alam Malik, Chairman, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, once stated that he expects around 1.5 to 2 percent of cellular subscribers to use MNP. However, I don’t see any such thing happening till now.

Well, in my opinion, MNP was just an addition to portfolio of Pakistan Telecom Sector that we may (or may not) use in coming 3/4 years.

For those who think that this is the time to switch to another network; find below the procedure for getting benefited of Mobile Number Portability.

1. Certain requirements need to be met before MNP can be requested for a phone account; such as: proof of ownership, no conflict due to existing agreement, number should have been in service for at least 60 days etc.
2. Fill out a form and present it to the provider to which you wish to port - called Recipient Network.
3. Pay the porting fee (varies by company, up to a few hundred rupees).
4. A Number Portability Request (NPR) is launched by the Recipient Network and you are given a SIM and a tentative time (at least 4 days - but could be up to 21 days) to when you can start to use new mobile provider network on this SIM.

Those who want more ins and outs of this process may find this document quite helpful to them.

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Pakistan Telecom Market | An Insight

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on June 17, 2008 at 1:11 AM

I know Umair Naeem through his posts at NetExpress, and infact i am one of his fan due to his command on the topic for which he writes.

Just went through one of his latest art, that covers Pakistan Telecom Market in a very a effective manner… For those who want to have an insight of the market, must go through this article…. an excerpt is given below

Pakistan is a highly competitive market because consumers are not bound by long-term contracts to cellular service companies. Rather, the consumer simply needs an ID card photocopy to set up a connection, or switch to another provider. The consumer has the option of a post-paid monthly billing connection, which is preferred in the professional segment, or the popular-among-the-masses pre-paid connection, through which the consumer can recharge the connection whenever and by any amount. To add to the consumer’s benefit, mobile phone portability is also available, which allows one to retain the same phone number regardless of changes in cellular service.

Read the full article here

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Unlimited SMS Packages in Pakistan | Another Price War Front

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on June 15, 2008 at 8:36 AM

Almost all cellular companies operating in Pakistan offer SMS bundles to their subscribers. These SMS bundle packages offer low priced SMS for those who prefer text messaging instead of voice calls, to save time and money too. These SMS packages were started by Warid Telecom with an offer named as ZOOM; however, this package was taken back after only couple of months. With Zoom, users had the liberty of sending unlimited SMS to any network in Pakistan for nominal Rs. 5.75 per day. It was very catchy package, considering it was way back, in 2006. Warid’s this offer had two variants; one was Zoom, while the other was Zoom Unlimited.

So this was little history of SMS Bundle packages in Pakistan. Now, at this point, all cellular companies claim that they offer unlimited SMS for a set amount of money. We will review all packages offered by all cellular companies, so you may reach to a conclusion about the best package with maximum benefits.

Jazz SMS Fever

Mobilink offers its SMS bundle named as ‘Jazz SMS Fever’ which claims that they offer unlimited number of SMS in one month’s duration. Jazz SMS Fever is available in three variants; details and pricings are as following

How to Subscribe

For Activation, all Mobilink Jazz members can subscribe to this package by simply sending an SMS ‘FEVER’ to 222 (You will be charged Rs. 2.30 for this SMS).

Afterwards, you will receive a reply: Catch the Jazz SMS Fever by replying with “1” for 100 weekly SMS at Rs.15, “2” for 500 fortnightly SMS at Rs.50 and “3” for unlimited monthly SMS at Rs.100!

You will have to reply back this message, with your desired package; on which you be charged for the service.
Make sure that you have enough balance required for any package before subscribing to it. You will get another text message “To activate Jazz SMS Fever please call 123 and enter 123456789012334”
Thanks God, you’re done now, and you can start using your SMS from the bundle now.

Check Points

• All Rates are exclusive of Taxes…
• Unlimited Messages are not really unlimited; these are in fact 10,000 messages, and you will have to subscribe again once you finish your 10,000 messages quota You can subscribe for maximum of three times in a month for a single number.
• Messages are FREE for only on-net SMS, that is Mobilink to Mobilink
• Exceeding either, given number of Message Quota or Date deadline will expire your package…and you will be charged at normal pricings afterwards.
• Subscribing to package involves a good healthy work, that may confuse users

Ufone SMS Bundle Offer

Ufone offers its bundle packages in 4 different variable packages. Ufone is the one, who actually successfully started offering SMS bundles with Limited Number of SMS, and that too valid for any network.

How to Subscribe

Send an SMS “Sub” and Send send it to respective code of the required subscription plan
For Example, for Package 1, Write “Sub” and send it to 601
For Package 4, write “Sub” and send it to 604

Check points

• All rates are exclusive of any taxes
• You can send of-net SMS (SMS to any network in Pakistan)
• Unlimited messages are again not unlimited. Ufone offers 5,000 SMS quota for Package 4, which read as unlimited messages.

Warid SMS Craze

Well, Warid Offers only variant, but it offers good value. in only Rs. 150, you can send upto 2,000 SMS or MMS (yea MMS are included here too, an upper hand on all other cellular companies) in 30 days. Along with, you get 10MB of Mobile Internet for a monthly subscription of Rs.150 inclusive of all taxes.

How to Subscriber

Call 100 and select SMS Craze, simple

Check points

• You will be charged Rs. 11.5 for subscribing to this package. So make sure that you have this much balance in your account before subscribing
• Send up to 2,000 SMS or MMS to any number in Pakistan
• You will be charged Rs. 150, and that includes all taxes, yes!
• Like all other cellular SMS bundles, SMS Craze is available for only prepaid users…Post Paid ones, I am sorry but you better switch over to prepaid now.

ZONG Unlimited SMS

Zong has recently come up with a powerful and attractive SMS Bundle package…which is

Rs. 3 per Day | Free Unlimited SMS to Any Network in Pakistan…..Simple

How To Subscribe

To subscribe SMS “sub” to 700 and to unsubscribe SMS “unsubscribe” to 700. Terms and conditions and taxes apply

Djuice SMS Bundle

Djuice offers a very simple and straight forward offer…

Rs. 70 | Unlimited SMS | 15 days….that’s it

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Ufone’s Bundle Offer: Handset and Connection in Rs. 999 Only

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on June 5, 2008 at 7:29 AM

Ufone has introduced a very catchy offer for low end market. Now anyone can get a handset, Ufone connection and free airtime in only Rs. 999…that’s almost Rs. 1000.

This can be considered as a blow from Etisalat controlled Ufone, primarily, to China Mobile. As they were in better position to interact with some Chinese mobile phone manufacture and bring in such a low cost bundle offer for Pakistan’s low end market. I am not sure, but this looks some Chinese made handset, and most likely to be from Huawei, as maybe Etisalat took the advantage of its old connections with Huwaei in getting the lead. It maybe recalled that Etisalat has very close ties with Huawei, who has been rolling out its network in many countries. Ufone also did an expansion project of US 500 million dollars with Huawei

With cellular connections reaching its bread limit in big cities, now the next potential market cellular companies are eying is the far flung and less developed areas of Pakistan. This bundle offer is really going to strike in rural areas, making some good difference for Ufone, which is in close race with Telenor for second position.

On Ufone’s website, link for this bundle offer is dead; however APP reports that anyone can get this bundle offer from Ufone Franchises or service centers.

We don’t know much about handset that ufone is offering, but APP says that it’s a fully featured handset that is going to compete with any entry level mobile phone.

From the snapshot of the phone from Ufone’s Website, I compared it with this Huawei’s GSM handset, they looked similar. If my assumption is good enough then this is Huawei T206. Some sepcs of this phone as below

Huawei T206

• Support GSM 900/1800M
• Support 16 Poly MIDI ring tones
• Support STK function
• Support Keypad lock
• Support real-time alarm clock
• Phonebook up to 300 entries
• SMS storage up to 100 entries
• Support Zi input method
• Loud speaker
• Hands Free
• Vibration mode
• Dust-proof keypad design
• FM (optional)
• Abundant applications :Alarm clock ,Calendar ,Calculator ,Word time ,To do list ,Stop watch
• 3 Hours of Talk time and 150 Hours of Standby time

There are no words from Ufone about the phone model or details, hence don’t consider my opinion as final word.

But if this is Huawei T206, man this handset is going to give some tough time to LG, Motorola and Nokia too… Along with, this will be a turning point, where officially Chinese handsets are floated intro Pakistani market.

Whatever the handset is Ufone is likely to be subsidizing it. Though, it’s not impossible for Chinese manufacturers to prepare a fully functional handset under 20 dollars. It merits mentioning here, that cellular companies pay Rs. 500 as Sim Activation Tax to government for each new cellular connection.

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Block Unwanted Spam Calls Forever

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on June 2, 2008 at 4:18 AM

Increasing number of immature Mobile phone users in the country, ratio of unwanted calls has increased enormously. Due to technical and financial reasons, maybe, it’s not possible for cellular companies, to block unwanted calls or to allow only wanted calls.

To tackle this issue Mobile phone manufacturers are trying hard to get this issue resolved by introducing a feature through which uses will be able to block any un-wanted numbers. ‘Daily Times’, citing an official of a telecom company has reported that PTA has urged all cellular companies to introduce such a feature through which one can block those unwanted calls. However, cellular companies simply denied due to inability.

In parallel, ‘Trend Mobiles’ a UK based mobile phone manufacturer, who has been distributing handsets in Pakistan, claims that their Device named as T-103 is capable of blocking those calls that you don’t want to answer.

Trend, and all other mobile phone manufactures are using software based solutions to block such obnoxious calls. Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and others allow you to block/filter any selected set of numbers added in a group.

To Block a group in Nokia Handsets follow below steps

1. Go into Profiles
2. Click on General Profile
3. Select Customize
4. Go into ‘Alert for’
5. Leave any one group unselected, and select all other Groups and save profile
6. Now add any number in that particular group, which you had unselected
7. Calls from this number will be ignored, and your handset will not ring

Another simple fun way to block unwanted calls is to use ‘Not Responding’ mobiTunes/Utunes. However, it must be noted that cellular companies do not offer such “App ka matlooba number iss waqt band hay” type of tunes, as these tunes may cause them heavy losses.

Howver, Ufone offers customized Utunes, called DIY (Do it Yourself). Record the not responding message by record feature of your phone-> then Customize your Utune by uploading that recorded message here

So now, everyone will get a “App ka milaya howa number iss waqt band hay” message, when they will call you. On other side, you will get a ring; so pick it up or ignore it : - )

I have not tried it, but I hope it may work.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority says that you can register complain against anyone who has been disrupting you. Call on your help line (111, 333, 345, 321 etc); give them the number who has been calling you without any reason. After investigation, cellular company will warn him/her once, and on second complain they will block that number.

I have heard couple that cellular companies have blocked various numbers on users’ complains. So try complaining someone if he/she is really disturbing you.

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Free GPRS Internet on UFONE – 100 Percent Working

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on May 30, 2008 at 4:07 AM

Note: This Trick is not Working anymore…

A very amazing offer for Ufone users, which is that they can use GPRS over their Ufone numbers for FREE. Remember it’s a trick, not an official offer from Ufone…

A user has found this bug in Ufone’s GPRS network, and claims that it works fine. I personally tested it and found it working…
To enjoy FREE GPRS follow below steps

1. First of all activate your GPRS (if your GPRS is already active, then skip this process and start from point 5)
2. Send a SMS in following Pattern [manufacturer(e.g.nokia)<space>model] and send it to 222
3. You will get the GPRS setting through an SMS
4. Save this SMS – Until now, your GPRS is activated and you can use GPRS, but it won’t be free. You will be billed as PKR 15 per 1 MB download
5. Now the trick starts
6. Go to tools> settings> connections> Ufone GPRS> Edit Ufone GPRS and write APN(Access Point Name) ufone.pmms – Previously it would be ufone.pwap
7. You are ready and can start using FREE GPRS
8. To use messengers go to Tools> Setting> Connection> Ufone GPRS> Options> Advance Setting and Change DNS
9. primary 172.16.13.21
10. 2ndary 172.16.13.119

This hack works perfectly fine, so start enjoying the FREE GRPS Internet. If you are a postpaid user, better give a try on prepaid number before start using it on your postpaid number.

If you get server timeout message, don’t worry; that just a temporary down time, in such a case wait for couple of hours and your free internet will be available again.

Let me know if someone faces problems, so i may update the post; remember, its a hack and may stop working anytime.

Keep enjoying FREE GPRS INTERNET

Update: (July 15, 2008): This trick does not work anymore. I am trying to find out any new way for Free GPRS Internet on Ufone. If any one knows, then please share the trick with us. Thanks

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Free Calls from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM – Ufone UNite

Posted by: Aamir Attaa on May 29, 2008 at 12:57 AM

Besides some prepaid packages, Ufone has something very delicious for postpaid customers. Now you can call any Ufone number for free across Pakistan, all night long during 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM.

This package offers extra than all other famous prepaid packages; which offer Rs. 3 to 5 per hour during the nights. With Postpay UNite, Now you have a chance to call your friends n family during reasonable timings and also liberty to disconnect and then reconnect your call the way you want.

All other packages normally start free calls from 11:00 PM or 12:00 in the midnight, but Ufone thinks that you should start making calls little early from 9:00 PM.

Night package holders often complain about the quality of services resulting call disconnections, hence charging them Rs. 5 per call. However, with Ufone’s Postpay Unite you are set free to call without worrying about the meter or disconnections.

Package Details

Line Rent 500
Ufone to Ufone FREE (From 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM)
Ufone to Ufone 0.50 (From 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM)
Ufone to Other Network 0.90 (From 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM)
Ufone to Other Network 1.40 (From 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM)
Ufone to PTCL 0.70 (From 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM)
Ufone to PTCL 1.20 (From 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM)
SMS On-net 0.50 Per SMS
SMS Off-net 1.00 Per SMS
International SMS 1.50 Per SMS

Note: All Prices are in Pakistani Rupees and all rates are per 30 seconds

SMS Bundle

500 Free SMS for additional Rs. 50 in Line rent (Making the line rent Rs. 550 per month)

Additionally, you can add 8 Friend and family number for cheaper call rates during day hours.

How to Convert your Ufone Prepaid to Post Paid Package: You might be thinking that you are a prepaid user, however the mouth watering package is making you think to get a post paid Ufone SIM; good thing is that you can convert your Ufone prepaid SIM into a Postpaid SIM with Unite package very easily. All you need is a

• National ID Card Copy
• Number must be in your name
• Security Deposit of Rs. 1500 (Refundable, if you revert back to prepaid package)

Once you comply to all these three things, all you need is to rush to a Ufone franchise, and ask them to convert your package.

Happy Free calling

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