Gadgets & Gizmos

The multinational companies and foreign investors have improved the ranking of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) from nine to six position in the past two years for its cooperation and supportive role for the businesses.
Overseas Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) recently revealed the results of its perception survey based on its member companies’ feedback saying the telecom authority is supportive to foreign investors in dealing affairs of telephony utility.
The views expressed about PTA are related to multinational companies of different sectors however, foreign companies of IT and Telecom sectors were less interested to participate in the perception survey.
But plans and concerns of IT and Telecom companies’ are almost similar with multinational companies of different sectors, which are positive investment plans in the next two to five years despite issues of security, access to energy and governance.
PTA is one of the most active regulators in the country which has shown tremendous performance in the past one decade keeping the interest of consumers on priority and maximum facilitation to investors.
Despite all of criticism, it has taken some strict actions against telecom companies involved in violation of rules of business and infringement of consumers rights.
In 2011, Pakistan topped in Asia Pacific for having best telecom regulatory environment by LirneAsia, an ICT policy and regulation think tank.
At present, PTCL, Mobilink and Telenor are the member companies of OICCI in the telecom sector.
In IT sector, Hewlett Packard, Teredata Global Consulting, Teradata Pakistan, TPL Holdings TRG Pakistan and UNISYS Pakistan are members of overseas chamber.

Etisalat and Government of Pakistan are soon to resolve the long pending payment dispute of $800 million, reported Khaleej Times, citing Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, advisor to Pakistan’s prime minister on textile and chairman of Pak-UAE Business Council.
Paper said that the resolution involves a mechanism agreed by both the parties, under which Etisalat will deduct the market price of those properties that Pakistan has failed to transfer.
“We proposed an out of the box solution to this longstanding dispute and hopefully the issue will be settled soon,” stated Dr. Mirza in an interview with paper.

Elaborating, Dr. Baig said the government of Pakistan was unable to transfer about 136 properties to PTCL due to encroachments and legal cases. “Now, we have evaluated the market price of the disputed properties and this amount will be deducted from the pending final payment of the $2.6 billion deal signed in 2006,” he said.
“There is still a difference of opinion on evaluated market price of the disputed properties. The UAE side will soon submit its report and the issue will be resolved within weeks,” he added.

This news surfaced only days after State Bank of Pakistan warned of financial instability if Government of Pakistan fails to raise funds. Pakistan is eyeing $800 million from Etisalat and another $ 1 billion from 3G auction to save its credit situation.
It is not the first time that Pakistani officials have hinted a resolution of pending payment dispute. For example, Mr. Waqar Ahmed Khan, Pakistan’s minister of privatization was once quoted as saying that Etisalat will pay the pending payment of $800 by March 2010. Which obviously didn’t happen.
It maybe recalled that PTA is working on a policy under which Etisalat or any of its subsidiary will be held disqualified to bid for 3G auction in case of non-payment.

Mobilink has partnered with Developments in Literacy (DIL) to set up a Computer Lab at the DIL Model School in the Khuda ki Basti community in Kala Shah Kaku near Sheikhupura.
As part of the partnership, DIL will provide the IT curriculum and teacher training, while Mobilink has provided the hardware and equipment for this.
Mobilink has sponsored a total of ten computer systems, one printer, twenty audio headsets and ten webcams for online lessons. This hardware was handed over to the school management by Mobilink Torchbearers during a brief ceremony, with the Torchbearers also utilizing the opportunity to interact with students and emphasize the importance of IT literacy.
On the occasion, Omar Manzur, Director Public Relations and CSR Mobilink highlighted, “As Pakistan’s premier cellular services provider, we are fully cognizant of the importance of IT literacy for the economic development of the country and bridging the digital divide. It is indeed an honor to provide this support for IT education at the very basic level, where it is needed the most.”
The DIL Model School is located in Khuda Ki Basti, which is a community housing project of “Saiban” a local NGO. The housing scheme is for the low income group of Sheikhpura, located in Kala Shah Kako. DIL establishes, adopts and manages primary and secondary schools for underprivileged children in partnership with non-governmental organizations in all four provinces of Pakistan.
The Mobilink Foundation remains committed towards leading social responsibility in Pakistan, with a history of helping the deserving across the country. The Mobilink Foundation has a dedicated and efficient team of Torchbearers; trained employee volunteers who enable the Foundation in the various causes it identifies for the relief of the underprivileged across Pakistan. Each Mobilink Foundation Torchbearer is empowered to clock an average of five (5) dedicated hours per month during official working hours.

As announced earlier, eligible voters can now verify the status of their votes in the new computerized voter lists prepared by Election Commission of Pakistan by just sending an SMS via their mobile phones.
Service has been up an running for all operators, throughout the country.
Election Commission said that this SMS verification service, in collaboration with cellular operators, happens to be world’s largest verification service of any kind.
ECP said that 85 million registered voters can check their records through a single SMS.
How to Check your Vote Status?

• Simply send your CNIC (without dashes) to 8300
• Example: Send “3740541882200” to 8300

You will soon receive a reply with following information:

• Your CNIC Number
• Electoral Area, i.e. District, Tehsil and city/town/village
• Block Code
• Serial Number

Note: Reply message is likely to have words in Urdu (unicode). You may not be able to read the text message if your phone doesn’t support unicode.
Election Commission said that it has purposefully not included the voters’ name and home address to avoid any privacy violations.
Charges:

• SMS sent to 8300 will be charged @ Rs. 2 plus tax

What if you are not registered or registered with incorrect details?
Election Commission of Pakistan has said that that voters, in case of any issue, should immediately contact district election commissioner to get the details corrected. For the purpose, Election Commission is also arranging the establishment of display centers where voters can go an check their details and to get the information corrected.

PTA based on responsibilities given to it, carries out extensive field surveys to identify illegal/unauthorized users of frequency spectrum and coordinates for vacation.
In addition, for certain persistent unauthorized users, PTA and FIA conduct joint raids for vacation and seizure of wireless equipment.
Frequency Spectrum is a scarce & highly expensive national resource and under Telecom (Re-Organization) Act 1996, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has to ensure that the rights of the licenses and telecom users are duly protected.
During the year 2011, PTA successfully vacated 66 illegal frequency spots which were causing interference in the authorized spectrum of licensed telecom operators. Numerous raids with Federal investigation Agency (FIA) were also conducted against illegal frequency users and equipment was confiscated.
Apart from illegal users of frequency, PTA has also removed 61 jammers across Pakistan to ensure interference free spectrum for the telecom operators.
Chairman PTA, Dr. Muhammad Yaseen emphasized that PTA as a regulator is vigilant and is taking all measures to stop this unlawful activity. He also warned to all those who are involved in such illegal use of frequency and users of jamming devices to stop such unlawful activities, otherwise strict action will be initiated against them as per the Pakistan Telecommunication Act Re-Organization 1996.
It may be mention that Illegal/unauthorized use of frequency and any source of interference in the authorized frequency spectrum is an offence under clause (n) of sub-section (1) of section 31 of the Act.