Posted by: Aamir Attaa on September 4, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Yes, you will have to believe this, as reported by Daily Times. Infact i read this news yesterday, but was unable to counter check it from PTA’s website… (By the way PTA’s website is still down due to some scripting issues).
We hope this is not a typo or mis-communication, as this has happened before with Zong. By the way, i am unable to digest this news; as Zong was Launched in April 2008, and how come they made 1 million customers per month??? Can some one please confirm this news?
Anyway, let me paste the excerpt from Daily Times for you to know more about Zong’s 5 Million Story
KARACHI: China Mobile’s first international brand, ZONG has touched 5 million subscribers after receiving unprecedented response to its innovative products and services. According to data released by the telecom industry regulator, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), ZONG has achieved a phenomenal 35 percent market share during the period April to July 2008. Salman Wassay, director marketing ZONG said, “It is because ZONG is the only cellular operator that is offering what the public needs, rather than promoting products and packages that serve the company more than they serve the users”. staff report
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on September 3, 2008 at 12:23 PM
If you feel like boring in composing a text message, or if you are busy driving you car, then you have a chance to send an SMS even without typing out messages. Zong offers this service for you, named as “Keh Dou SMS”. With Keh Dou SMS, now you can say your sms rather than composing it. Dial * mobile number and speak what you conventionally would have typed. Whatever that is you felt like saying would really be said, in your own voice & delivered to your friend as a voice SMS.
How to use
- To Send a kehdo sms dial * then mobile number of your friend (such as: *03145556669)
- Listen to new kehdo sms dial *0*
- Listen to old Kehdo SMS dial *1*
| Pricing |
|
On-Net |
X-Net |
International (Rs.2 destinations only) |
| Voice SMS Sending |
Rs 1.5 |
Rs 1.5 |
Rs 3 |
| New Voice SMS Retrieval |
Rs 1.5 |
Rs 1.5 |
Rs 3 |
| Old Voice SMS Retrieval |
Rs 1.5 |
Rs 1.5 |
Rs 1.5 |
*all prices mentioned are exclusive of tax.
– VSMS will be 1 minute
4 Comments
Posted by: Aamir Attaa on September 1, 2008 at 12:52 PM
We all know well that Zong had been offering an Unlimited SMS package, with deduction of Rs. 3 Per day; but (thanks to some SMS advertising companies) Zong has revised this package and now they have set a limit on this unlimited SMS Package.
Though they still call it Unlimited SMS, but the truth is that you can send a maximum of 500 SMS per day…! However pricing remains the same.
This 500 SMS per day limit is too little for power users, and who are accustomed to massive text messaging (thanks to these bundle SMS packages). So if you are subscribed to this package, be sure that you do not cross 500 SMS limit….!
Note: Zong has also introduced a new package that allows 20,000 SMS for Rs. 149 (validity Period 15 days). You must try this new package to enjoy more daily limit.
If you Still think that 500 SMS are enough for you in Rs. 3 (excluding Taxes) per day, then you can subscribe to this package by sending an SMS “sub” to 700 and to unsubscribe SMS “unsubscribe” to 700.
Let’s peek over what other cellular companies are offers terms of SMS Packages…
Telenor: 10,000 On-Net SMS for Rs. 100
Mobilink: Unlimited SMS for 1 Month for Rs. 115
Ufone: Unlimited SMS for Rs. 150
Warid: 2000 SMS or MMS for Rs. 150
Zong: 20,000 SMS for Rs. 149
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on August 22, 2008 at 9:00 AM
Alright, Zong has broken the silence, and they have something new to offer to its customer…! This time they are targeting those customers who tend to make international calls quite frequently - Yes, now with zong you can call at 50 paisa per 30 second to any one International number. Hold on a second, Zong says that you will be charged 40 Paisas extra on first minute…!
This package is available to all Zong’s 8 Anay customers… Also you can select your one international number from selected countries for special pricing. This is very much similar to Zong 8 Anay’s current setting, that is you can select one selected number at 50 Paisa Per 30 Seconds.
Available Countries
- Canada (Land line + Mobile)
- China (Land line + Mobile)
- USA (Land line + Mobile)
- UK (Land line only)
- Germany (Land line only)
- Spain (Land line only)
- Ireland (Land line only)
Salient Features
- 50 paisas/30 seconds to one international number
- 40 paisa set-up charges for first minute
- Number modification/addition charges of Rs.15/- applicable
- Government taxes apply.
How to avail the service
- Dial 907 to avail the offer
26 Comments
Posted by: Aamir Attaa on August 5, 2008 at 4:02 AM
Mobile phone subscribers were once again deceived by Chinese Let Zong, when they saw an AD in today’s newspapers which read “Rs. 1 Only”.
Now let’s calculate what actually Zong is offering, and let me justify how Zong deceived (lied to) its customers
As per Zong’s official website:
Handset Price = PKR 499
ZONG SIM Pack = PKR 150
12 months on-net airtime = PKR 2,032.8 (PKR 140 x 12 = 1680 + 352.8 as tax)
Advance Tax = PKR 168
Total Deal Price = PKR 2849
So this Rs. 1 handset is going to cost you Rs. 2849 : -)
Check Points:
- You cannot buy handset or the SIM alone, means you will have buy the whole package
- Free Air Time will compass over 12 months, and you can not consume that in a single month, which means you can consume free air time of Rs. 140 in first month and same in second and so on.
- The built-in on-net airtime worth PKR 1,680 is only for ZONG to ZONG calls,
- The un-used airtime will not carry forward to next month. For example if a customer uses PKR 110 worth of airtime till month end then remaining PKR 30 worth of airtime will be lost (confiscated).
- Handset purchased under this deal would be functional with ZONG SIMs only. Other mobile network SIM will not work on this handset.
- ZONG Handsets comes with six month warranty.
- Warranty can only be claimed from the customer service center it was purchased from.
- After 12 months customers will stop getting PKR 140 worth of monthly built-in on-net airtime. The customer can use the handset and the SIM after 12 months by recharging account as per regular procedure.
Conclusion
Ufone’s bundle offer of Rs. 999 for Handset and SIM was lot better than of this long term contract and handset that’s actually locked (means you can not use this handset with any other network)
Another element that left a bad impression about this handset offer Zong was its advertisement, which says that get a phone for Rs. 1 only…! and not only this, ad sayz “Mobile Phone Sirf 1 Rs main, 12 Maheenay kay balance kay sath” Now please Zong people us me from where this Handset is of Rs. 1???
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on August 4, 2008 at 5:15 AM
Zong has started a video service (similar to Ufone’s Video News Alerts that they launched 2 weeks ago) that will offer 5 video news alerts and breaking news to be sent to mobile subscribers via MMS.
Zong has partnered Geo News and Geo Super to bring these latest happenings to customers’ mobile phones with its service that Zong calls “Video on Demand”; but actually service is not exactly what Video on Demand services should offer.
How to Subscribe Zong Video on Demand
With Zong’s Video on Demand you can subscribe to two type of news, which is Geo News and Geo Super. Both services should be activated separately and hence they are charged separately too. (Check below for Video on Demand service charges)
To subscribe to GEO NEWS: write an SMS NEWS and send it to 632
To subscribe to GEO Super: write an SMS SPORTS and send it to 632
How to un-subscribe
In order to unsubscribe and stop receiving video clips, send an SMS ‘UNNEWS’ or ‘UN NEWS’ and send it to 636
In order to unsubscribe from all channels send an SMS ‘UN ALL’ or ‘UNALL’ and send it 636
Zong Video on Demand Service Charges
Subscription charges are Rs. 50/- plus tax per month
Note: these charges are per channel, which means you will have to pay Rs. 100 plus tax if you subscribe to Geo News and Geo Super both.
Un-subscription @ Rs.2 + tax
Zong Video on Demand Features
- Subscribed users will receive news clips through MMS five times a day between 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 pm
- Subscribed users will receive clips of breaking news within the above mentioned time slots
- Only for GPRS and MMS Handsets only
- GPRS & MMS should be enabled
- There will be no charges on receiving the MMS
- This service is available to all prepaid and postpaid subscribers of ZONG
If you want single news update but don’t want to subscribe to Video on Demand
If you want a single update on latest happenings and do not want to subscribe to the service; please do the following
For GEO NEWS: sms NEWS to 632
For GEO SUPER: sms SPORTS to 632
Charges for single news update will be Rs. 10/- plus tax per request
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Posted by: Aamir Attaa on July 18, 2008 at 12:51 PM
After GPRS and MMS setting for Ufone, today, we will learn how to activate GPRS and MMS for Zong numbers. So let’s straight away start the process
Step 1: Activating GPRS, WAP and MMS on Zong Number through SMS
You can activate GPRS, WAP and MMS with a very simple process…
If you want to activate all services at once, then write an SMS as follwing
All<Space>Make<Space>Model and send to 131 (All Nokia 6300-> send it to 131)
If you want only GPRS settings then write an SMS as following
Internet<Space>Make<Space>Model and sent to 131
In case you don’t need GPRS or WAP and only want MMS, then follow this
MMS<Space>Make<Space>Model and sent to 131
Similarly, for only WAP setting on Zong number
WAP<Space>Make<Space>Model and sent to 131
Step 2: Once you send any of above given message, you will receive setting in an SMS. Save this SMS and you are done.
Zong GPRS Pricing
Zong offers very attracting GPRS and MMS pricing for customers. In fact their prices are best amongst all cellular companies of Pakistan.
Zong GPRS is available in following 3 packages.
1 – Standard Package: Under standard setting you will be charged Rs. 15 per MB (Excluding Taxes)
2 – Unlimited Mobile Internet Package: Zong is the only company that offers unlimited GPRS even its postpaid and prepaid users. So obviously, with this package there is no cap on the data usage, and all you to pay is Rs. 400 per month (Excluding Taxes)
To activate Zong unlimited internet package call 310
3 – Zong Mobile Internet Hourly Package: Again a distinction for Zong that offers you GPRS usage on per hour or even Per minute basis. Under this package you can use Rs. 15 per Hour (Excluding Taxes) or Rs. 0.25 Per min (Excluding Taxes)
To activate Zong Mobile Internet Hourly Package, simply dial 905 from your ZONG number that’s it!
Zong MMS Pricing
- Rs. 3/MMS+Tax
- MMS size: 100 kb
11 Comments
Posted by: Aamir Attaa on July 14, 2008 at 12:25 PM
It’s been old news that Zong has been offering for its upcoming customers to get number of their choice. This post is to review the service that seemed very catchy and a good marketing tactic to grab the attention of customers.
I have seen many hundred persons in queues outside Zong Franchises, trying to Book their Zong Numbers of their choice. These customers normally want to carry their cell numbers of previous operators. Anyone can also Book Zong Number from Zong’s official website as well.
Either you go to Zong Franchise or you try to Book your Zong Number from their website, there are very healthy chances that your desired number is already booked. Lately, I spent more than 25 minutes on their website to Book a Zong number, but I failed to do so. Even Zong’s new series, that is 0312, is also heavily occupied; and you are left with no other option but to purchase a SIM with undesired number.
This scenario is not only for good (golden) numbers, but very ordinary numbers were also taken. I easily had a feeling that this is a fake page that has no link with its backend database and it displays “Your Zong Number is Already Booked” message on every query.
But yesterday, one of my friends was lucky enough to reserve a number of his choice. So that means the service exists. (Or maybe it was linked with database very recently).
Through sources in Zong, I have come to know that they had blocked Gold and Silver numbers (to resale them for good prices, the way every other cellular company did in past), however, they sales’ team has not floated these gold numbers into market yet.
So don’t expect any good number from this service.
Zong Numbers Booked Online can’t be Ported-out to Another Network for 18 Months
This seems something very strange, and against the regulations. Mobile Cellular Policy, MNP Guidelines for Operators and subscribers (given here) have no such point, where operator can restrict its customer to port-out. We have seen operators hindering subscribers to port out, but Zong has dared to mention it explicitly on their website.
Booking Number via SMS
As many of us don’t have internet access. So it was equally beneficial for customers to book a Zong number by just sending an SMS. This was achievable by getting a short code, for example 3130 and making it possible for customers of other operators to send SMS too.
Zong defiantly missed this opportunity. This way they could earn big bucks too, as there were again very bright chances of SMS responses such as “Your Zong number is already been booked, please try with another number” (these short codes generate money for those who own them).
Rest of the process could be kept same as it is on their website, that is, if available, you can book your number by providing CNIC and other information.
For those, who want to try their luck, please follow below process to Book your Zong Number.
How to Book Zong Number Online?
- Go to their website: zong.com.pk
- Enter your desired number
- Click on check availability
- If available then enter your name, CNIC, Contact number and place from where you will collect this SIM and book your new Zong Number; if not available then keep on trying again and again with other numbers, until you get it or you get sick of it.
Check Points
- You will have to purchase a prepaid card of 300 with each SIM.
- You can make a maximum of TEN bookings against the same ID.
- Upon submission of your booking request, a ticket no. will be generated. Please keep a record of this no. as you will be requested to present this along with a copy of your NIC at the time of SIM handover.
- You cannot port-out this number to any operator within 18 months of your first call.
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