Posted by: Aamir Attaa on June 21, 2008 at 4:48 AM
We have recently seen a major reshuffle on points table for cellular companies, where Telenor has overtaken the Ufone and grabbing the second slot on the top charts.
Source: TelecomPk.net
With emergence of Zong (a brand of CMPak) in Pakistan, all cellular companies are fully charged up to retain their positions. Babar Bhatti has summed up the current scenario in his post, where stats show that Telenor managed well to subscribe over 500K customers almost same as of the Zong in May 2008.
But the chart shows a very disappointing situation for Mobilink, who could not get more than 25K customer. We all know that these stats are not audited, (CEO Warid has stated on the record that tele-density in Pakistan is said to be more than 50 percent but it is actually around 40 percent), this leads us to a point where one can doubt of 25K customers that were added in May 2008.
This doubt is not pointless, as in a recent TVC, (for Jazz One) Mobilink made an un-intentional mistake or they told the truth when the AD says that connect with 30 million Mobilink costumers with only Rs. 1 per minute, instead of reported 32 million subscribers. So what does that actually mean? if Mobilink has 30 million customers not the 32? or they are loosing customers with time? We remember that Mobilink hit 30 million mark in December 2007, and if they are still standing at 30 million, then they must revise their trategies in order to retain theit top position.
It’s not the case that they are doing anything wrong with the services or the tariff plans, then what exactly is going against them?
Let’s discuss them in comments..!
Email
2 Comments
Posted by: Aamir Attaa on June 16, 2008 at 8:41 PM
Lately many individuals including Sabah-ud-Din Qazi, a journalist and telecom analyst questioned about dispute handling capabilities of DNDRC
Qazi sb, mentioned one specific instance of Djuice.pk, which was resolved by a sole panelist, who wrote in his ruling: “The Domain Name leads to a so-called “click through” website with pop-ups (e.g. an advertisement for on-line cellular services) and different links to other websites and companies, none of them associated with the Complainant or its authorized dealers, but all of the seemingly similar expertise as the Complainant, being that of cellular based services.”
In real, the penalist ignores the fact that it was a popular entertainment news blog. Google Cache still describes Djuice.pk as Djuice.Pk Mobile Phone Blog, Free SMS, MMS , Ring Tones. A complete mobile phone blog with latest and updated information related to Free SMS, Free MMS, Ring tones, Java Games, GPRS and Wap Service. 3GP movies, MP3 Songs and news and reviews……
The owner must had given some time so that he/she could inform his visitors about the new URL of his blog
And when the owner applied for the djuice.pk domain, it was duty of PKNIC to refuse him since his applied domain had belongs to a mobile company’s name. It seems that time you were only interested to secure money, not for one year that is common in international market, but for 2 years.
In response to Sabah-ud-Din Qazi, Zahid Jamil, Barrister-at-law, Jamil & Jamil expressed himself in following manner…
Continue Reading This Story
Email
34 Comments
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
Email
13 Comments
Posted by: Aamir Attaa on June 4, 2008 at 6:55 AM
Mobilink has announced a new prepaid package named as “Jazz One”. Mobilink, through its advertisements says that calls will be charged at a flat rate or Rs. 1 per minute on all on-net call, and Rs. 1.60 per min on all off-net calls. Here is excerpt from their website
Based on the premise of simplicity, Jazz One truly brings our promise of freedom to life. The freedom to call anyone, anytime, anywhere at the lowest rates ever. With this astoundingly low on-net rate of Rs. 1/min Jazz One now allows you to make 30 million Mobilink numbers your Friends and Family!
Tariff details (including taxes) are given below
To Activate dial 123 and select 3 to convert to ‘Jazz One’ Package (Which will cost a customer Rs. 10 + Taxes)
This looked a reasonably good package, but it comes with some conditions, which are
- Call Setup fee of Rs. 0.40 would only be charged with the first minute for each call
- Limited time offer
It means that customers will have to pay additional Rs 0.40 on their first minute on every call.
Now if you are going to make only one minute calls then your tariff may look like below
This is the height of deceptive advertising, I am also pasting their Print ad (in Urdu from Daily Jang). Even i was not sure, how could they charge this much money despite of saying flat rate of Rs. 1 per min in their ADs… This confusion led me to call their call center, where i heard they advertisements for 25 minutes but no one responded (Tamaam Officers is waqt costumers ki rah-numayi main masroof hain) and eventually i gave up.
Below is the official coverage of the package from Business Recorder
KARACHI (June 03 2008): Mobilink on Monday announced new tariffs for its prepaid customers, as “Jazz One” customers can now avail unmatched on-net rates of Re. 1 per minute all day.
Speaking at the ceremony held in connection to the launch of new package, Bilal Munir Sheikh said, “Jazz, the leading brand in telecom today presents to its customers the simplest package in the market today. We are proud of the fact that this rate is currently the most competitive in the industry”.
Moreover, he said, there are no time limitations on this, and customers can avail these rates day and night. With such low rates customers can now, potentially have 31 million Friends and Family. It is also noteworthy that in addition to the lowest on-net charges, “Jazz One” also offers its customers one of the most competitive off-net rates, in the market today.
Although a nominal call set-up fee of Rs 0.40 will be charged on the first minute of each call, “Jazz One” would be the most attractive package in the industry today. Convening to “Jazz One” is extremely simple; all that is required is to call 123 and dial 3 for package conversion.
I would like to hear from Telecom experts, to give us the estimations about one minute calls made on Mobilink network each day and the money that Mobilink will make through this Rs. 0.40 thing
Email
14 Comments
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
- Go into Profiles
- Click on General Profile
- Select Customize
- Go into ‘Alert for’
- Leave any one group unselected, and select all other Groups and save profile
- Now add any number in that particular group, which you had unselected
- 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.
Email
8 Comments
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
Email
9 Comments
Posted by: Aamir Attaa on May 26, 2008 at 7:13 PM
Home Ministry of Pakistan is allowed to intercept and tape cellular, PTCL and satellite calls of any customer, reported Daily Jang Today, quoting a news item circulated by NNI.
All cellular, satellite, land line and Wireless Local Loop (such as World Call) have granted Home Ministry the direct access to all system through which the ministry can intercept, tape and retrieve any call they want.
Paper says that Home Ministry has also demanded whole record of cellular companies from their CEOs of companies operating in Pakistan.
It merits mentioning that prior this Home Ministry, only the inelegance agencies had the access to voice communication means of Pakistan and Home Ministry had to request intelligence agencies in order to tape any call.
We saw today Mr. Ehsan Iqbal of Pakistan Muslim League (N) in a press conference airing the telephonic recording of Ch. Pervaiz Elahi, former Chief Minister Punjab, and senior member of PML (Q)…Mr. Ahsen alleged Ch. Pervaiz Elahi of preparing a track against PML (N) Leader Mian Nawaz Shareef. Whole Pakistan heard that particular telephonic conversation. I personally don’t know, from where and how Ehsan Iqbal got this telephonic tape…However, this is a point where we should not keep quite, specifically the NGOs and institutes who are working for consumer rights…
I will not bear anyone intercepting into my personal conversation…Privacy abuse is a global concern now, we have seen instances of such abuse even in United States. There is a dire need now, that these governments should stop peeking into personal lives in the names of security and national interests.
Email
No Comments
Posted by: Aamir Attaa on May 18, 2008 at 6:00 AM
With respect to World Telecom Day, in this post i am going to narrate few indicatros, to summarize Telecom sector in Pakistan.
Enormous growth in Telecom sector has enabled Pakistani customers to get equipped with fastest means of communications; and it has turned things into reality which were even beyond imaginations only few years ago.
Key indicators/facts of Pakistan Telecom Sector that I think should be mentioned
1. Mobile Phone reaches more than 90 percent of Pakistani Population
2. Mobile Phone connections in the country hit 85 million mark
3. Tele-density reaches 57.43 percent
4. 2 million cellular customers are added every month
5. 4 Billion text messages are exchanged daily at cheapest possible ratesWorld Telecom Day
6. Internet users through out the country reach 4.5 million mark
7. Late night and Friend and Family calls are made as low as 2.5 Rs per hour
8. GPRS enabled 55 percent Pakistanis to remotely access internet anywhere in Pakistan
9. Broadband internet users have hit one hundred and thirty thousand limit
10. WiMAX internet users reaches 15,000 mark
11. Broadband rates slipped from 60,000 per month for I MB link to only 2,000 per month
12. More than 84,000 directly and more than five hundred thousands indirectly jobs were created through telecom sector
13. IT imports worth 147 million dollars annually
14. Telecom imports reach $ 1.64 billion (July 2007 to March 2008) whichh is almost same when compared to same period, previous year
15. Mobile Phnoes import reach $ 581.7 Million (July 2007 to March 2008) against $ 661.5 Million during the same period last year.
16. In March 2008 only the Mobile Phone imports hit $ 74.4 Million mark, registering a decrease of 23.19 percent when compared to March 2007.
17. More than 10 billion Dollars FDI came in Telecom Sector, with 2 Billion dollars in last year only
18. Telecom Sector shares 3.7 percent of GDP
Telecom Sector also shares some unpleasant things as well, which are
1. Cellular market ruined Local Loop (Land Line) and Wireless Local Loop market
2. Regulator was unable to conduct Quality of Service survey, and waved for cellular companies that have flaws in their services
3. 20 Million illegal and un-identified SIMs circulating in market
4. Increment in SPAM text messaging and phone calls
5. Over charging
6. Low Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)
7. Low ROI (Return on investment) for small to mid sized telecom business
8. CED and GST collection from telecom sector is persistent for last 2 years at Rs. 35 billion, despite of millions of additional telecom users
Email
6 Comments
This doubt is not pointless, as in a recent TVC, (for Jazz One) Mobilink made an un-intentional mistake or they told the truth when the AD says that connect with 30 million Mobilink costumers with only Rs. 1 per minute, instead of reported 32 million subscribers. So what does that actually mean? if Mobilink has 30 million customers not the 32? or they are loosing customers with time? We remember that Mobilink hit 30 million mark in December 2007, and if they are still standing at 30 million, then they must revise their trategies in order to retain theit top position.
Loading ...