Designed by:

August 15 - September 15, 2009

Content
Editor's Note
Editorial 8

Reader's Response
Letters to the Editor 9

Interview
Pakistan has cheapest call rates: Yasin 36
Cover Story
Telepedia Page
PTA Complain Cell
Rs2.36bn of USF for rural telecom, broadband
10
12
48
Beggars? 58pc of them have mobile phone 13
What does telecom indicators indicate? 16
Ufone Rishta Point a failed VAS 17
Telenor stopped in India 25
Nokia glittering with latest handsets 28
SMS motivation to be monitored 44
Funny SMS on load-shedding 45

Cover Story
Telenor merging move… for the sake of India 48 Page
InsighT
Our future: WiMAX or Wi-Fi? 24
22 Deep rooted Pak-UAE ties
20 ways to protect your computer 26
Apps to be as big as internet 30
What is dongle? 37

Exclusive
Abu Dhabi Group injecting in health projects 14
Deep rooted Pak-UAE ties 22
How can Telenor make tele-doctor work? 51
Page
Events
Trend, Warid join hands for Azadi Package
Highlights: The wedding ceremony of Mr Muhammad Ali
18
20
20 Highlights: The wedding ceremony of
Glowing event of Warid 34
Mr Muhammad Ali
Tech Tools
Mobile review 52
Current mobile 56
Low range mobile 60
High range mobile 61
Upcoming mobile 63
Accessories 64
Laptops 66 Page
Computers
Video games
67
68 34
Mosaic Glowing event of Warid
National 79
International 81

Synopsis
Bundle offers 71
Khushali bank 72
.pk domain 73
Bill Gates quit Facebook 77
Page
18 Trend, Warid join hands for Azadi Package
National 85
International 94

Nokia glittering
Page
6 28 with latest
handsets
 August 15, September 15, 2009

Editor s
N ote Predicting
the future
The race of five telecos has enormously benefited the
telecom sector. Pakistan has the lowest call rates by the virtue
Zubair Ahmed Kasuri Editor-in-Chief
of toughest competition sprung by the comparative rates and
packages offered by the cellular operators. Now the Fatima Batool Editor
competition is no more about decreasing rates but to maintain Usman Yaqoob
the quality and to offer valuable packages on existing SIM Marketing Manager (Lhr)
cards. The whole system of registering and keeping the data M. Farooq Malik
Marketing Executive (Lhr)
of subscriber identity module (SIM) has been revised. In a Rashid Hussain Mughal
time when the country is witnessing smooth progress in the Marketing Executive (Khi)

telecom sector, some rumours have sprung up about the

subterranean alliance of Telenor and China Mobile.
Zafar Khan Afridi
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has Senior Graphic Designer
predicted that 2010 will be a year of four telecom operators. M. Naeem Mughal
Graphic Designer
If PTA has said so then the news of Telenor-China Mobile
merger must be true. Flare is criticising Telenor from a long
Azhar Javed
time due to its camouflaged and cheap advertisement, General Manager
pathetic service and hidden intentions, and now the company Khawar Shahzad
Manager Islamabad Office
has emerged to be one of the greediest and disloyal operators Taimur Shafiq
– it is quitting its venture in Pakistan to strengthen its ties in Web Developer
the neighbourhood for more subscribers and of course more Muhammad Saeed
Chief Photographer
revenue. Mobile: 0321 - 8404389
We request PTA to define some rules or ethics for such
Lahore Office
operators who pay no attention to the responsibilities 46J-Gulberg III, Lahore-Pakistan.
imposed on them by the nations in which they operate. Ph:+92-42-8350195, 042-5880183
Islamabad Office
Everyone knows that Pakistan has boldly dealt with the Phone: + 92-51-8235067
militants and Telenor is now, when the situation is in control Kasur Office
Phone: + 92-492-770820-763250
of our army, blaming security for its motives. Moreover, India Karachi Office
has imposed some unjust restriction like the Pakistani officers Phone: + 92-21-4602620
of Telenor will not be allowed to visit or/and work in India Registration No
where Indian officer are allowed to visit or/and work in PCPB/105
Pakistan - a strange and partial decision.
(Vol. 5 Issue:11)
It is time for remaining four operators to keep in mind the Price Rs: 300
corporate-social responsibility and come forward to take
URL: www.flare.com.pk
customers in confidence. Now it is no more about glittering, Email: flare.mag@gmail.com
rocking, singing, dancing, mocking or criticising each other
but to prove yourself loyal to your customers in particular
and the country in general. It is obvious that the departure of
Zubair Ahmed Kasuri, publisher of FLARE
Telenor will raise questions about and/or against the
leading telecom magazine, printed it from
company and obviously its background which is in question
Akkaz Printers, Shama Plaza, Lahore and
from a long time. The venture will be fruitful for the China
published from 46 J, Gulberg III, Lahore.
Mobile but the great responsibility will entrust the company
with a lot of responsibility to manage million of subscribers.
We hope that Telenor’s departure will be profitable for the
market as it will be the end of an era of bad intentions and
corrupt motives.

8

PTA complain system
I do appreciate the initiative taken by the Pakistan
Telecommunication Authority for taking care of customer complains
by itself. The initiative will resolve the subscriber's issue in a
somewhat satisfactory way.
It was now a common practice that complainers were ignored by
the call centres of their respective operators. As a result many of them
were refraining from even lodging complains.
I happen to complain about the poor service, un-necessary delay in
activation, excessive centres from the Ufone centre to the call centre
but nothing happened to actually relive me. Every call at call centre
was treated by a different operator, with an all new inquiring and
ignorant tone and different remarks about complains. I finally decided
not to call them any more.
Same is reported by my friends for some other operators. PTA
Complain Cell is a sigh of relief for the abandoned customers of service
centres. I thank PTA for coming into the field although late.
-Wasim Ahmad, via email
Unauthorised issuance of my Telenor SIM
I was a Telenor consumer some time ago, one day my SIM
stopped working and my phone started showing, 'Invalid SIM Card,
SIM registration failed.' I visited a franchise service centre that asked
me to visit Company owned SC centre. I visited University Road
(Karachi) Telenor SC they told me that the duplicate of my SIM was
issued from Orangi Town Franchise that's why the actual SIM had
stopped working. I told them that I have never been to Orangi please
control such situation afterwards. They assured me that they have
entered comments with my record and agents will be extra cautious
about my SIM from now onwards.
But, after a very few days it happened again, and I gave a written
application to Consumer Head Telenor about the matter, but
unauthorised issuance of my SIM took place third time and I have to
reactivate the SIM once again and sent email to Telenor Head office
executives. Unfortunately my SIM stopped working in the same
manner on the day of my brother's Valima and made my life
miserable. Someone was not only issuing my SIM but also using my
credit. I never went back to reactivate my SIM and no one even cont
acted me from Telenor to clarify the issue. I hate Telenor.
-Tahir Ali via email
Ufone pathetic service
Being a loyal customer, I hate to write this but they made me do so.
For the past few weeks, Ufone service quality has been pathetically
disappointing. I am sure most of you (Ufone users) must be facing the
same issues. Sometimes I just get disconnected from the rest of the
world. Can not send messages, can not dial or receive calls.
Today, same thing happened and I thought of contacting the
Customer Support Centre. Call connected and was put on hold. I
waited for 20 minutes and then the call was disconnected. What the
hell! Why they are charging Rs one per call to customer centre,
claiming that this is to provide better customer service but it seems that
its a new revenue by the telecom companies.
I called again and now 15 minutes so far and no signs of Customer
Service Representative. That's coward. Just let them pick the phone
and I will make them regret.
I am porting out. Yes, I can not bear this anymore. Tried to
compromise because of the brand association but when brand doesn't
care, why should I? Just help me find a better network!
-Zaheer Khan via email
Edge USB of Telenor
I purchased USB edge from Karachi with promise to get four
times faster speed than GPRS and while I came to Teri (District
Karak), I get less than 2 Kb/sec speed. Telenor claims to make
their customer's delighted, how? When they are not even keeping
the contract of basic "need"!
Telenor customer feedback is extremely poor and so far I have not
heard anything from support office despite the fact that I
complained quite a few times on their website and customer
service. Telenor Edge is the worst experience I have ever
encountered while using internet.
-Kamran Khan, Karachi
Ufone SMS prank!
Dear editor, it is informed that an SMS hoax floated all around
especially on Ufone numbers a few days ago. Different versions of
the message have been forwarded but basically all of these messages
ask users to exploit a bug/hack in Ufone system by forwarding the
message to several people to get some free balance.
Now I don't know if it's an effort of chocking Ufone network or
an attempt to give an SMS revenue boost to the network. Following
are the two of several versions of the message.
Ufone Hacked by the Student Of Quaid-e-Azam University: Ye
SMS without editing Ufone k kisi b 6 numbers per send kro aur os k
baad *146# dial karen 15 mints me 1000 SMS ka package free me ho
jaye ga aur 5 hour k lie aap sirf Ufone numbers pey free call ker
sakte ho. It works because of these codes. htp.\\trace\15m5-
333s.3[ra-ga-5]+47.locate7\\09 .?ufone.htt.p.web.a.s
[eco]%uni@hdnis. URL-4YR.K26."
"Ufone Bug, Ufone ki Service main aik bug mila ha, jis ki wajha
say Ufone ko lakhoun ka nuksan ho raha ha. Is SMS ko edit keay
bghair 8 logon ko send krain, is key end par mojod code ki wajha
sey app ko 200 free minutes milain gey. Sirf 2 hour baad *706# mila
kr check kegeyay ga.
Parse=xMl.serverlang(0).num(current)¢er=0005150&c0de=33*+200.a
irTime(&num=true)print(#24726);=endPARSER"
-Basit Ali
Merger! Really?
Some national daily reported that Telenor is looking forward to a
merger with China Mobile. I cannot believe this! How is it possible? Is
Telenor afraid of tough competition or advertisements glittered by
Annie are no more increasing revenue or grabbing subscribers?
Whatever the truth is but I consider this news most shocking for the
year 2009.
The newspaper based on the argument that Telenor is looking
forward to move to India. Good for them! And Indian government
and security agencies have imposed certain restrictions on Telenor
prior to its entry in India. The most shocking fact is Telenor's
planning to quit the market of Pakistan.
I am a Telenor user and my operator has made me afraid
someday I will wake up and some newspaper will informed me that
my number is same but I am no more a part of Telenor but Zong.
I have seen companies complaining about customer loyalty but
how much loyal the service providers are? There services are not
customer oriented but revenue oriented. I am sick of all this.
-Ana Zainab via email
Ufone Rishta…the poor intentions
Most recently Ufone has launched a new value added service called
Ufone Rishta. In country that was separated from India on pure
Islamic ideology has this type service were never imagine from its
founders. Through your valuable voice, I would like to appeal PM,
Chief Justice of Pakistan and PTA to take notice of such services.
These typos of services are against our culture, our values and
Islamic ideology.
Already many such incidents have occurred during the last
some years that proves that our social and cultural barriers are
being broken by this technological advancement. Although it is true
that contrary to our ideologies we are fighting with The US in the
war of civilization, but this type of services are not even acceptable
for the Mush Islam.
I, once again appeal to higher authorities to take notice against this
Ufone evil. Asma Ismail, Islamabad.
9
 Telepedia Flare Report Free download | flare.com.pk

akistan Telecommunication Authority

P (PTA) recently launched Redressal of

consumer grievances mechanism which
would ensure proper resolution to the
problems being faced by the telecom sector
consumers.
Addressing a press conference at PTA
headquarters, Chairman PTA Dr Mohammed
Yaseen unveiled the details of the package, saying
that the consumers would have a complaint with
the respective telecom operator and if the issue is
not resolved, the consumer should file the
complaint with the PTA Consumer Protection
Directorate.
"The consumers can make a free-of-cost call to
PTA at 0800-55055 if their complaint is not
resolved within given timeframe by the concerned
telecom operator," he said and added the PTA
would take up the matter with the concerned
authorities and would get it resolved amicably.
He said Pakistan's telecom sector has seen
phenomenal growth patterns during the past
decade. This phenomenal progress has brought
huge benefits to the people of Pakistan in terms of
network expansion, scope of services, reduction in
tariffs and availability of an array of telecom
operators with regard to choice of their service
provider.
"Telecom sector maintains handsome inflow of
money to the government exchequer. The vision of
telecom growth coupled with consumer protection
as envisaged in the ‘Pakistan Telecom Act, 1996’
has been realised through a tele-density of 61.8 per
cent and number of an expanding cellular mobile
Consumer grievances
subscriber base that today stands at 94.34 million."
In the last one year, he said, PTA has come a
long way towards achieving a number of measures
that have strengthened the industry and benefitted
mechanism to redress
the consumers at large.
To protect consumer interests in a more specific
manner, the PTA would soon adopt regulations for
measures against spam, fraudulent, obnoxious and
unsolicited communications
general public and the redressal is achieved by redressal and Information regarding Escalation
taking up the said matters with the concerned Path is given."
operator to the satisfaction of the complainants," "The redressal measures are communicated to
he added. complainant; Well defined perusal of consumer
To protect consumer interests in a more specific complaints are forwarded through PTA ensuring
manner, the PTA would soon adopt regulations for confidentiality of Consumer information and
Chairman PTA Dr. Mohammad Yaseen briefs the media persons measures against spam, fraudulent, obnoxious and Publication of ‘Consumer Manual’ including all
about the launching of redressal of consumer grievances tariff details for the packages; Redressal contact &
mechanism during a press conference in Islamabad. unsolicited communications. These regulations
shall considerably provide comfort to the procedural details; Media campaign on the matter
"Our mechanism of checks and balances will is ensured," he added.
consumers against misuse of services and nuisance
only add to healthy competition and will promote He said the subscribers shall follow three easy
value, he added.
good business in the sector. At the same time, as a steps to lodge a complaint: The Service Provider
He said the PTA also adopted Consumer can be contacted through the call centre\help line,
guarantor of telecom consumer protection,
Protection Regulations 2009 under which it would fax, post, email, web form link.
Authority believes that the issues pertaining to
be ensured that the service provisioning is made "In case the complaint is not resolved by the
consumer interest and grievances shall be tackled
as per consumer choice, request and without operators, subscriber may contact the PTA
in a broader but more focused manner," he added.
He said the same has been the vision behind the discrimination; No activation or deactivation of Consumer Protection Directorate (CPD). PTA shall
revamping of Consumer Complaint Handling and services/packages without user consent; and fair remain committed towards protecting consumer
Redressal Mechanisms at the operators as well as Commercial Practices/Advertisement should be rights and in this regard suggestions and
not to be misleading, inadequate or unclear in comments from media, consumer groups and
Regulators' end. In this regard, we took a number
terms and tariffs; clear and complete specification general consumers are always encouraged," he
of important steps including establishment of
of tariff information; and detailed Billing added.
CPD, which comprises of a dedicated Complaint "Our next step was the implementation phase.
Cell to which the consumers have access through information as per license conditions Publication
of Code of Commercial Practice & Service Contract PTA along with the operators have now revamped
Toll Free Number, telephone, fax, e-mail, PTA's their complaint handling systems, made them
website, post and in person visitation. for the awareness of consumers is ensured.
more consumer oriented, organised, expanded and
"Moreover, consumers can also access PTA's "Moreover, Consumer Complaint Handling
has provided a range of modes including help
Zonal offices across the provincial capitals for and Redressal Mechanism Categorisation of lines, e-mails, web mails and fax numbers through
redressal of their complaints. Consumers can lodge complaints; lodging of complaints with specified which consumers can lodge their complaints," he
their grievances with the said setups, the contact contact details Handling of complaints and added.

10 details of which have been made available to Complaint Number is delivered and timeline for
Free download | flare.com.pk
Mobilink reaches out to
1,000 families of IDPs
Set up with the fund of Rs 81 million, Mobilink Camp is the
largest relief commitment for the IDPs from the private
sector of Pakistan and aims to provide relief to 1,000 families
for a period of three months
obilink, Pakistan’s market leader in
M cellular services and part of
Orascom Telecom Holding held a
media briefing at a local hotel to
mark the one month milestone of Mobilink Camp
for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
established at Kund Park near Jehangira Town
which is accommodating 1,000 families of IDPs.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rashid Khan,
President and CEO of Mobilink said, “Mobilink
Camp is a reflection of the culture of employee
volunteerism that is a Mobilink hallmark. We are
grateful to our partners for their help especially
Emergency Response Unit, Government of
NWFP. Our teams are working 24/7 along side
ERU’s able camp management teams to meet the
needs of the IDPs at Mobilink Camp.”
According to Bilal Munir Sheikh, Vice
President, Mobilink, “As a company on the
forefront of reshaping lives, we are trying to do
our best and are determined to support the
displaced persons.”
The project has been made possible by the
support and vision of Naguib Sawiris, Chairman
Orascom Telecom Holding, Mobilink’s parent
company.
In addition to ERU, other organisations
including UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN-
HABITAT and WHO have provided technical
support for on site execution.
IDPs residing in Mobilink Camp are provided
with basic items including; tents, bedding, dry
food rations, water buckets and coolers, floor
mats, kitchen utensils, cutlery and crockery,
personal hygiene kits including towel, washing
and laundry soaps, tooth paste and toothbrush,
combs and mosquito nets. Replete with wash and
bath facilities, individual brick structures for
cooking food, the Camp also houses a basic
health unit with standby ambulances.
Mobilink is well aware of the significance of
education for the younger IDPs. To ensure
continuity in their education, Mobilink has made
provisions for primary and secondary schools for
boys and girls. Nearly 1,600 young IDPs at the
camp are already being taught by 32 teachers
using the NWFP Board of Education’s syllabus.
Mobilink Camp is not just
about emergency relief for
thousands of people in need.
It is about creating a relaxing
environment where IDPs can
recover from their trauma in
safety and relative comfort
This support for IDPs relief is in addition to
more than Rs 3 million worth aid and food
rations personally distributed by Mobilink’s
security teams amongst IDPs residing in schools
and hujras in Mardan and Swabi districts
reaching out to 16,000 individuals. As a company
on the forefront on reshaping lives, Mobilink and
Orascom have shown unwavering commitment
in the past as well by actively engaging in the
relief and rehabilitation of the Oct 2005
earthquake affectees.

Flare Report Telepedia
Mobilink Super
Engineer
Competition, 2009
Mobilink triggered the initiative
by inviting teams of competitive
students from several
prestigious engineering
institutions like FAST, NUST,
UET and GIKI
Mobilink has launched an inter-university
competition involving teams of students from
the leading engineering universities of Pakistan.
The opportunity for the students to prove their
mettle is named “Mobilink Super Engineer
Competition 2009”, in which the students will
attempt real-life engineering projects assigned
by the Mobilink Technical Team.
Ali Raza Mehdi, Vice President Human
Resources, Mobilink said, “This competition
forms a part of Mobilink’s broad-based talent
recognition drive. Being a technology driven
company, we have always sought cutting-edge
technological adaptations to enhance our
offerings to the customers. We firmly believe in
the superior aptitude and intelligence inherent
in our engineering students and this initiative is
an effort to unleashing the potential of our
scholastic achievers”.
To encourage progressive innovations and
induce technological wisdom among aspiring
engineers & scientists of tomorrow, Mobilink
triggered this initiative by inviting teams of
competitive students from several prestigious
engineering institutions like FAST, NUST, UET
and GIKI. Each team was assigned a real life
engineering project and briefed about the
project overview, whereby the key deliverables,
resources and timelines were defined. Technical
mentors from Mobilink will be available to
respond to any possible queries from
participants, during the course of these projects.
Once the students have finalised their
respective projects, and the functionality of each
assignment has been ensured, the teams would
be invited to present their projects at Mobilink
premises. The projects will be evaluated by
Mobilink’s committee of senior technical team
on a criteria built around meeting project’s
objectives, creativity, attention to detail, meeting
deadline, innovation and overall presentation.
The winners will be presented with the title of
“Mobilink Super Engineer 2009”, as well as
recognition by senior management and the
opportunity of a guaranteed job interview at
Mobilink. Efforts of all participants will be
acknowledged through formal certificates.
To channel such foresight, an extensive
programme for promotion of scientific
endeavours in Pakistan is highly desirable.
Indigenous development of effective
technologies can help us avoid expensive
imports and technology transfers, while
enhancing productivity, minimising operational
costs and reducing capital outlays for our local
industries. 11
 Telepedia Flare Report Free download | flare.com.pk

niversal Service Fund this fund for achievement of the

U signed contracts for

providing basic telecom
services in Nasirabad
(Balochistan) with CM Pak and
Broadband Services in Multan
targets, it was decided to follow a
“Public Private Partnership”
Model. This led to establishment
of Universal Service Fund (USF)
Company under Section 42 of the
Telecom Region (Southern Punjab) Companies Ordinance 1984.
with World Call. CEO CM Pak, Universal Service Fund (USF) has
Mr Qian Li and CEO World Call, an independent Board of Directors
Babar Ali Syed signed these equally balanced between four
contracts with CEO Universal members from the government
Service Fund, Parvez Iftikhar. and four from the private sector
Secretary IT, Mr Naguibullah (industry and consumers).
Malik witnessed the signing The main objectives of
ceremony as the chief guest. \ Universal Service Fund (USF) are:
In the Rural Telecom project,
To bring the focus of
CMPak will be paid Rs1.57 billion telecom operators towards rural
to provide telephony services to population and increase the level
648 unserved Mauzas to serve a of telecom penetration
population of around half a million significantly in the rural areas
in districts of Bolan, Jaffarabad, through effective and fair
Jhal Magsi and Nasirabad of utilization of the fund.
Balochistan.
To improve the
Whereas in the Broadband Broadband penetration in the
project, WorldCall will be paid country.
Rs785 million to provide
To bring significant
broadband connections in 11 advances towards enhancement of
districts (38 small towns) of e-services, both in rural as well as
Southern Punjab, in addition to urban areas of the country.
establishing 27 Educational Universal Service Fund (USF)
Broadband Centres in high- In the Rural Telecom project, CMPak will be paid finances spread of telecom services
schools, colleges and libraries plus to previously un-served or under-
121 Community Broadband Rs1.57 billion to provide telephony services to 648 served areas and makes it possible
Centres. It is noteworthy that this unserved Mauzas to serve a population of around half a for licensed telecom operators to
is in addition to broadband million in districts of Bolan, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi and provide services to those areas, on
services in MTR that PTCL will normal commercial (read:
provide under a contract with Nasirabad of Balochistan competitive) terms. Telecom
Universal Service Fund signed last services include basic telephony,
month. broadband internet and infrastructure for these
Giving his remarks on the occasion, Federal services (like Optic Fibre) and Community Tele-
Secretary for Information Technology, Mr centres (for those who cannot afford the necessary
Naguibullah Malik said that the Ministry of IT is instruments/devices). Challenge before USF is to
striving to reinvigorate and stimulate the ICT achieve the targets through an efficient and
sector by increasing level of telecom penetration in transparent process. Therefore, all disbursements
unserved areas of the country. He informed that of the fund are done through open competitive
Ministry of IT, through Universal Service Fund, bidding, encouraging full competition among
has been successfully executing rural-telecom, telecom licensees.
broadband and optic-fibre programmes that are
playing a huge role in socio-economic USF signed contract for providing Broadband Services in
development in rural and semi-urban Pakistan. He Multan Telecom Region (Southern Punjab) with World Call.
further stated that Broadband Programme will CEO World Call, Babar Ali Syed signed contract with CEO USF,
give impetus to provision of other e-services like Parvez Iftikhar. Chairman PTA witnessing the ceremony.
Providers are rolling out these services under
e-education, e-health, e-government, e-commerce
contracts with Universal Service Fund. The
etc.
number of villages where services have already
The fund consists of started with the help of Universal Service Fund has
contributions (1.5 per cent of exceeded one thousand. Work is in progress for
another five thousand villages, including 648
adjusted revenues) by the under today’s contract with CMPak. Another five USF sign contract for providing basic telecom services in
Telecom Operators with no thousand remaining unserved villages shall be Nasirabad (Balochistan) with CM Pak. CEO CM Pak, Mr Qian Li
Government funding involved. covered by Universal Service Fund through future and CEO USF Parvez Iftikhar sign the agreement. Secretary IT,
Mr Naguibullah Malik witnessed the signing ceremony.
auctions.
To utilise this fund for Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Bhatti, Member-Telecom,
The company was established in 2006 and the
first employee (the CEO) was hired in May 2007.
achievement of the targets, it Ministry of IT, and Dr Muhammad Yaseen, In 2 years, USF is not just a running entity with
was decided to follow a Chairman-PTA, were also present at the occasion.
around 30 employees, it has already started Rural
Universal Service Fund was established by the
“Public Private Partnership” Government of Pakistan (Ministry of Information
Telecom Projects in nine different un-served areas
(“Lots”), for which contracts have been signed
Model Technology) to spread the benefits of the telecom
with major telecom service providers in the
revolution to all corners of Pakistan. USF promotes
CEO of Universal Service Fund informed that country - Telenor, Mobilink, Warid and PTCL for
the development of telecommunication services in
after signing the two contracts, the total amount of providing telecom services. These projects have
un-served and under-served areas throughout the
subsidies through Universal Service Fund have started bearing fruits and telecom services have
length and breadth of the country.
crossed Rs. 10 Billion, which has generated total started in at least two lots. The rest of the country
The fund consists of contributions (1.5 per cent
investments of Rs. 16 Billion in unserved areas of is divided into another dozen Lots which are
of adjusted revenues) by the Telecom Operators
12 the country. Seven major Telecom Service mostly ready for being auctioned.

with no Government funding involved. To utilise
Free download | flare.com.pk
Beggars? 58pc of
them have mobile!
There is no doubt that motivation and recognition has its
own importance, but if the extrinsic reward is more than
the fair Pakistani cellular maniacs have managed to grow
even in the time of world recession. Cell phone is no
doubt a handy mean to keep in touch but the poor nation
has much more to pay attention
akistan is a country whose resources are as
P exceptional as its manpower. It is
deplorable to see that a nation more
intelligent than many developed states is
still running in the developing catalogue. Today
Pakistan is facing a variety of troubles that are an
overcome of corruption, mismanagement and lack
of planning that is prevailing from more than 60
years. Power crisis is the most pinching issue
nowadays. Every other nook and corner is in the
clutches of poverty. Joblessness prevails in every
home. Water scarcity is as big an issue as water
contamination. Life seems impossible in Pakistan
but still Pakistanis are not only managing to live but
also keeping up appearances.
Miseries are one side of the picture. The other
aspect reveals to us the lavishness which poor
nation manifest in day to day life in terms of
communication. I am not saying that the facilities of
telephone, mobile phone, broadband or Internet is
lavish but the unnecessary usage of it is
questionable. More than half of the population in
the country, including over 50 million living under
the poverty line, is availing the mobile phone facility
as cellular subscription has touched the figure of
94.3 million. However, the number of Internet
and/or broadband users is comparatively low and
will need more time to spring.
The 94.3 million figure is encouraging for the
telecom sector as more customers ensure more
revenue but it also shows the interest of a large
number of population in telecommunication.
According to the latest figures released by Pakistan
Telecommunication Authority (PTA), at present
around 94.3 million people are enjoying the facility
of mobile phone connections while 1.2 million
subscribers were added just in the month of June,
2009.
The PTA latest figures revealed that the cellular
subscribers rose by 1.3 per cent or 1.2 million in the
Azhar Javed Telepedia
month of June this year if it is compared to the
previous month. Cumulative figure for the fiscal
year 2009 shows the total cellular additions of 7.1
per cent or 6.3 million subscribers when it is
compared to the last year.
Telecom experts are of the view that subscribers
have now risen each month since the start of the
calendar year to an all time high of 94.3 million as
the cellular density has increased to 58.2 per cent.
This cellular density was registered 56.8 per cent in
March 2009, 55.9 per cent in December last year and
also remained in the digit of 50s throughout the
year.
The PTA latest figures
revealed that the cellular
subscribers rose by 1.3 per
cent or 1.2 million in the
month of June this year if it is
compared to the previous
month. Cumulative figure for
the fiscal year 2009 shows
the total cellular additions of
7.1 per cent or 6.3 million
subscribers when it is
compared to the last year
Experts were of the view that if comparison was
made on year on year basis the growth of 7.1 per
cent in 2008-09 was significantly slower than in the
previous years, when subscribers grew by an
average of 90 per cent (FY06-FY08). Mustufa
Bilwani, a telecom expert, stated that a
combination of high base effect, regulatory
tightening on SIM access and saturation hurt the
growth during FY09. He said that cellular
teledensity came in at 58.2 per cent in FY09, as
compared to 54.7 per cent in FY08.
On MoM basis, Telenor emerged as the leader
with 411k additions, followed by Mobilink with
additions of 324k. Warid, Ufone and Zong
managed additions in the range of 122k to 235k.
Ufone in June became the third operator to cross
the 20 million mark. Telenor and Zong remained
major gainers during the year with cumulative
subscriber additions of 2.8 million and 2.4 million
respectively. Mobilink however, continues to
remain the market leader with 30.9 per cent share,
followed by Telenor (22 per cent), Ufone (21.2 per
cent), Warid (19 per cent) and Zong just (6.8 per
cent) despite its massive advertisement.
This was the review of the market now come
back to my point of view. The subscriber war will
continue unless saturation. But the war of telcos
has nothing to do with the troubles layman is
facing. The only thing they can do is to give an
affordable package, and that task was achieved
more than a year ago. But the question is not only
the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) but also the
handset.
Pakistani cellular maniacs have managed to
grow even in the time of world recession. Cell
phone is no doubt a handy mean to keep in touch
but the poor nation has much more to pay
attention. There is no need to purchase a palmset
if one is burning the candle from both ends. There
are PCOs (Public Call Office) that are easily
accessible. I suggest instead of buying a tool that
relies on injecting money per month, it is better to
focus on bigger issues.
13
 Exclusive Usman Yaqoob
The proposed investment is a joint initiative of IFC's health and education and
financial markets departments. The group involves the establishment of a
risk-sharing facility with Bank Alfalah in Pakistan
he Abu Dhabi Group plans to finance
T small and medium-sized private
healthcare projects in Pakistan through
its Bank Alfalah's subsidiary.
Bank Alfalah carries out commercial banking
operations through 282 branches in 75 cities in
Pakistan. It will provide loans to private
companies to establish hospitals, clinics,
laboratories and pharmaceutical companies
across the country, say sources familiar with the
project.
The programme will boost the private
healthcare sector in Pakistan where government
funding for healthcare has been shrinking. The
UAE-based group owns, among other businesses,
Alfalah Insurance in Pakistan.
In Pakistan, the indicators relating to health
continue to reflect poor health status for the
majority of approximately 154 million population.
Life expectancy stands at 64 years with a high
infant mortality rate of 82/1000 live births while
maternal mortality rate ranges between 350-
400/100,000 live births. Women in reproductive
age constitute 24 % of total population and the sex
ratio in Pakistan is adverse to women 108:100.
Population growth rate is 1.9% annual with total
fertility rate of 4.00. Pakistan thus lags behind its
neighbors and other low-income countries in
terms of health and population outcomes.
People living in large pockets of hard to reach
and difficult areas in the country are especially
vulnerable as existing health services are mainly
concentrated in urban areas where less than one
third of Pakistan’s population lives and the rural
health facilities which are inadequate in numbers
are often poorly staffed and under equipped.
The Alfalah bank is implementing the
financing project with the help of the
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the
private investment arm of the World Bank Group.
"The proposed investment is a joint initiative
of IFC's health and education and financial
markets departments and involves the
establishment of a risk-sharing facility with Bank
Alfalah in Pakistan," said an IFC source.
14 “The facility is expected to be worth
approximately USD50 million (Dh184m) and will
focus on making loans to private companies
operating in the healthcare sector including
hospitals, clinics, laboratories and pharmaceutical
companies across Pakistan. The IFC has already
approved a USD20 million uncommitted trade
finance guarantee facility to Alfalah under the
IFC's global trade finance programme."
The Abu Dhabi Group is one of the largest
UAE-based group of investors actively
participating in investment activities in countries
such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Uganda, the
Republic of Congo as well as the Middle East. The
The Abu Dhabi Group is one
the largest UAE-based group
of investors actively partici-
pating in investment activities
in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran,
Uganda, the Republic of
Congo as well as the Middle
East. The market value of
the consortium's portfolio is
said to be in excess of
USD12 billion
market value of the consortium's portfolio is said
to be in excess of USD10 billion.
The group is the majority shareholder in
Alfalah and has diversified interests in banking,
telecoms, pharmaceuticals and property. It is
considered one of the largest foreign direct
investors in Pakistan. There are seven core
investors from well-known business families in
the UAE and the bank is listed on stock markets
in Pakistan. The group has many high-profile
projects in Pakistan in construction and real
estate, insurance and other sectors.
The IFC source added: "Under the proposed
terms of the facility, Alfalah would be responsible
Free download | flare.com.pk
for generating a portfolio of loans that satisfy
certain criteria to be set by the bank and the IFC
after the appraisal. The IFC's participation would
involve taking responsibility for 50 per cent of
risk associated with the senior tranche of that
portfolio. This exposure would be protected by a
first loss provided by Alfalah."
The project will improve health-related
services in the country and complement the
shrinking public sector expenditure that cannot
keep up with the demand for health-related
goods and services in Pakistan.
The bank has 48 Islamic branches and seven
foreign branches in Bangladesh, Afghanistan as
well as a wholesale banking unit in Bahrain.
His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al
Nahayan – Member of the Royal Family of Abu
Dhabi‚ Minister for Higher Studies and
Chancellor of the University of Al Ain - is the
Chairman of the Company and takes keen
interest in the management of Warid Telecom.
His Highness Sheikh Nahayan is the Federal
Minister for Higher Education and Scientific
Research for UAE and is also Chairman of Union
National Bank‚ Abu Dhabi‚ Chairman & Director
United Bank Limited‚ Pakistan‚ Chancellor Al
Ain University and President at the Higher
Colleges of Technology‚ Abu Dhabi. His
Highness is also the former Chairman Bank
Alfalah Limited‚ Pakistan.
His Excellency Sheikh Suroor Bin Mohammed
Al Nahayan – Chamberlain of the Royal Amiri
Courts and Member of the Royal Family of Abu
Dhabi - is a member of the Royal Family and
holds interest in Bank Alfalah Limited and
United Bank Limited in Pakistan.
His Excellency Sheikh Suroor is the major
shareholder of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank‚
Abu Dhabi‚ UAE. Other interests include shares
in joint stock companies as well as interest in
commercial and real estate properties both in
UAE and abroad. His Excellency Sheikh Suroor
also owns the five star Hotel “Beach Hotel” Abu
Dhabi‚ Suites & Apartments and the Abu Dhabi
Trade Center‚ The Mall‚ The Towers.

 Telepedia Mehwish Khan
What do indicators
indicate about telecom?
Not only regulations, but the economic recession has badly affected
the telecom industry that generates heavy revenue
he flying high growth of telecom sector
T
starts to depreciate with the enforcement
of rules and regulations. However, the
sector has finally started to show some
positive growth although the number is not very
impressive as tele-density is already more than
50 per cent in urban area. Here is an overview of
telecom sector’s growth in terms of revenue, tele-
density and subscribers.
The total density reached at 60.6 per cent at
the end of third quarter, i.e., March 2009 where
cellular subscribers making share of 93.7 per cent
in total tele-density followed by fixed local loop
(FLL) with 3.8 per cent and WLL 2.5 per cent.
Cellular growth
Not only regulations, but the economic
recession has badly affected the industry that
generates heavy revenue. An additional hurdle
is the saturation of the market. Illegal and
unregistered SIMs (Subscribers’ Identity Module)
were already blocked where increased GST and
excise duty aggravated the situation for a
blooming sector.
During first nine months of 2008-09, cellular
market added 3,422,599 subscribers with average
of 0.3 million per month (this rate was once two
million per month). Total number of subscribers
reached 91.4 million. During the last three
quarters, cellular industry has grown its
subscribers by four per cent.
By the March 2009, there were total of 10,001
cities, towns and villages covered and 26,000 cell
sites were installed by all cellular companies.
Fixed Local Loop growth
Fixed line services are experiencing declining
16 trend across the globe and same is the case in
Pakistan. This is mainly due to introduction of
new services that are more economical, cost
effective, easy to deploy, easy for mobility and
have array of value added services attached to
them. Out of four major operators, PTCL and
PTC have the privilege of being the mature
operators.
Nayatel and WorldCall have joined in very
aggressively; especially the innovative value
added services provided by Nayatel have made it
popular service provider in the capital city. Brain
and Union communication have still not been
able to make the mark in fixed line sector and are
providing services to very small market.
Availability of mobile service on lower rates
along with other attractive features also resulted
in pushing down the popularity of fixed line.
Total fixed line subscribers in Pakistan stood at a
total of 3.7 million as of March 2009, yielding
total tele-density of 2.3 per cent.
Wireless Local Loop growth
Wireless local loop services are becoming
increasingly popular both for addressing the
rural areas communication needs and the low
population density areas due to its deployment
advantages and cheaper rates.
The WLL solution in relation to fixed line
requires less investment with high returns.
Today, WLL services are available across the
Pakistan in 14 telecom regions. WLL operators
provide services such as EvDO, that make them
more usefull while on the go.
Popularity of WLL services are also obvious
from the dropping figures of fixed local loop
subscriptions – especially with reference to
PTCL’s case, where a balancing effect of gain and
Free download | flare.com.pk
drop in WLL and FLL subscriber is going on for
last one year now. There are currently seven
operators providing services in their licensed
areas in addition to PTCL – which is offering
WLL services across the country.
Total WLL subscribers stood at 2.5 million
and density in the country touched 1.5 percent in
March 2009. There were total of 12,000 cities/
towns /villages covered by WLL operators by
March 2009.
Long Distance and International calls
growth
The Long Distance and International (LDI)
segment of Pakistan telecom sector has gone
through development and growth phases in very
small period. The LDI when opened to
liberalisation actually attracted strong investor
groups who visualized the high margin
opportunity in it. However, the effect of closely
integrated telecom services, unexpected market
reactions and illegal activities (such as usage of
VoIP), resulted in an unsteady development and
then growth of LDI segment.
To ensure maximum share in the market,
companies went far beyond their limitations and
dropped per minute rates to as low as one cent
per minute. Also the grey traffic and absence of
any defined system of reconciliation of
international traffic resulted in drastically falling
profits of LDI operators. Currently 13 LDI
operators are operational in the country, and the
new mobile operator CMPak has also requested
the regulator for issuance of LDI license.
PTA is apparently aware of its responsibility
to provide level playing field and make sure that
the investors do not go into default and the
telecom consumers are not exploited. In this
regard the authority issued the new regulation
“Monitoring and Reconciliation of International
Telephony Traffic Regulation 2008”, that would
particularly record traffic, billing and quality of
LDI services.
The authority is now able to do automated
blocking of Internet Protocol Addresses (IPs),
involved in illegal termination/ origination of
international traffic. In this regard, the authority
has requested all ISPs to declare their IP
addresses along with the antecedents of their
customers so that illegal telecom traffic could be
monitored. PTA has also directed all LDI
operators to maintain approved settlement rates
for international calls at the level determined by
the authority.
Card PayPhone Services
Card Payphone (CPP) services started in
Pakistan in early 1990’s, when only PTCL was the
main operator followed by the Telecard.
However, in late 1990’s, the value added services
were made available to competition. As of March
2009, there were total of 384,187 fixed, mobile
and WLL payphones available across Pakistan.

Free download | flare.com.pk
Where Ufone VAS leading us?
It seems unbelievable that Ufone come up with value added services (VAS) like Ufone
Rishta Point. In a country of strong family ties, is there any need to introduce such
proposal portals? I can’t understand why companies drag us on a path which is
against our cultural and social values
nlike Western countries, the family ties
U in East are far stronger. Like all other
Asian countries, Pakistan has very
strong family structure. Customs
prevail in each and every family and each
generation ensures that the upcoming generation
must abide by the traditions governed by the
ancestors.
The most enchanting issue in our families is
marriage. There are family and social marriage
counsellors to present, match, negotiate and help
in finalising the proposals. Parents are quite afraid
of today’s children who are vigorously abridging
the gap between people and communities. There
are so many mediums to jump miles away from
your hometown.
Landline and cellular operators are introducing
a variety of services in Pakistan. Many services are
positively affecting the population but others are
damaging the buds by providing unnecessary ease
and affordability.
Marriage is the most sacred and significant
moment in one’s life. Those who do not take the
relationship seriously spoil the life of not only one
person but the two families. It is deplorable to see
that the Ufone has started Ufone Rishta Point as a
platform for the youngsters to meet their spouse. Is
its possible for a teenager, as the victim of such
packages will be preteens and teenagers, to go
through some strangers automatically presented
and decide the compatibility?
The whole idea seems impracticable. A person
surfs profiles online and then considers someone
of them compatible, then...? What will he or she
do? Obviously try to trace the person or request to
forward the mobile number, in order to know each
other more appropriately. Ufone will gain revenue
where the members remain empty headed as their
parents disapprove the choice or/and the mean, in
case they succeed in deciding each other suitable.
Everyone is well aware of the mess cheap late
night packages and SMS bundles have created.
Such services seems to be another effort to spoil the
immature youth that is going to be the future of
Pakistan I would love to ask one question to the
management of Ufone: what was their motive
behind the said package? Was there any need to
pump in such services? Do they respect and
corporate-social responsibility? Ufone’s press
release is presented below so the reader can
himself judge what could be the possible incentive
of such service and how complex and expensive it
could be.
Looking for your perfect match? With Ufone
Rishta Point doing exactly that is easier then ever
before. Ufone Rishta Point is a matchmaking
service on IVR and WAP through which you can
record your profiles/proposals and look for a
potential life partner.
Subscription:
To create your profile Dial 146 or go to
wap.ufone.com and click on the Ufone Rishta Point
Icon. In the IVR main menu, you will get an option
to:

Record a profile/proposal

Listen to recorded profiles

Edit or Delete your profile

Listen to your proposal history
You can browse through the recorded
profiles/proposals by pressing 2 in the main
menu. You will be first asked to choose whether
you want to hear proposals of female or male
candidates. After that, you will have an option to
either listen to all the latest recorded proposals or
filter through the proposals by selecting a category,
like preferred age group/caste/religion etc.
On selecting the category, the proposals will
start playing. You can go to the next proposal by
pressing 1, previous proposal by pressing 2, get
details of the candidate e.g. age, gender, marital
Fatima Batool Telepedia
status etc by pressing 3 and contact the person by
pressing 0.
While browsing/listening to the profiles, you
can contact a candidate by pressing ‘0’. Please note
that only those people can contact other candidates
who already have a profile recorded on Ufone
Rishta Point.
When you press ‘0’, the other party will receive
an SMS with your details like age, gender, marital
status etc. The receiving party will be given your
ID in that SMS. The said individual will call on that
ID and listen to your recorded message.
If the candidate shows interest, you will
receive a call connecting you to the potential
candidate. To maintain confidentiality, the call
you will receive will be from 146xxxx.
Charges:
On dialling 146 you will be charged Rs3 plus
tax per minute.
There are no charges to receive alerts but you
will be charged Rs1 plus tax per SMS on a new
profile alert.
Any SMS to 146 will be charged Rs1 plus tax
per SMS.
Standard GPRS charges apply on browsing the
WAP portal.
Term and Conditions:
Profiles will be uploaded after proper
screening within 24 hours. User will receive a
confirmation through SMS when their profile is
uploaded.
The service is available to all Ufone customers
on all packages (prepaid and postpaid).
You need to have a GPRS enabled/activated
handset to access the WAP.
Only those customers can propose/contact a
person who has their profiles recorded on Ufone
Rishta point.
17
 Telepedia Flare Report Free download | flare.com.pk

Mr. Shahid M. Murtaza GM Corporate Account & Ent, Solution of Warid Mr. Akbar Khan HOD Corporate Sales & Strategic Alliances
and Mr. Nadeem Qureshi CEO 4B Telecom signing documents of briefing the panel.
contract. Brand Manager 4B Group Mr. Shahid Ashfaq
standing behind them.

Participants busy in discussing key points during Open discussion before the signing ceremony. Participants busy in discussing key points during the signing
the signing ceremony. ceremony.
18
 Event Flare Report Free download | flare.com.pk

Lahore: Muhammad Ali, son of Co-Chairman Bank Alfalah Limited, Mr Parvez A. Shahid got married with the daughter of Mr Syed Ikhtiyar Katib. The bride and groom
photographed with the family members.

Lahore: Muhammad Ali and his wife in a group photograph with the guests.

20 Lahore: Muhammad Ali and his wife with family during Walima ceremony.
Free download | flare.com.pk Event

Lahore: Muhammad Ali, and his wife with friends and families during Walima ceremony.

Lahore: Hiba Parvez, daughter of Co-Chairman Bank Alfalah Limited Mr Parvez A. Shahid, and her fiancé Malik Sarmad Asif in a good mood with friends and families.

Hiba Parvez, daughter of Co-Chairman Bank Alfalah Limited, Mr Parvez A. Shahid got engaged with Malik Sarmad Asif. Picture shows the spouses with reverend guests. 21

Courtesy: H S Studio: photographed by M. Saeed, 4-C Model Town, Lahore. Contact No. 0321-8404389
 Exclusive Mahmood Hussain Free download | flare.com.pk

Presence of large number of expatriate

Pakistanis in that country had also necessitated
regular contacts between the leadership of the two
countries. The overseas Pakistanis had played a
significant role for the development of UAE. At
the same time their remittances had gone a long
way to strengthen financial position of the
country.
The two countries enjoy extremely close and
fraternal relations, founded on deep-rooted
cultural affinities, shared faith and traditions, as
also geographic proximity and identity of
interests. These relations date back to the UAE's
formation in 1971 and have since evolved into
wide-ranging co-operation in various fields. UAE
has been a major donor of economic assistance to
Pakistan. UAE has been appreciative of Pakistan's
contribution to the evolution of key institutions in
the Emirates such as armed forces, police, health
and education and has reciprocated in the same
friendly manner to the full satisfaction of Pakistan.
Pakistan was the first country to accord formal
recognition to UAE on its achieving
The President appreciated the support and assistance from UAE for independence. Bilateral relations and mutually
the relief and rehabilitation of the displaced people in the country, beneficial cooperation had progressed steadily
and its recent contribution to the UN Trust Fund for Benazir Bhutto ever since.
Inquiry Commission The two countries have common perceptions
on all international and regional issues of mutual
alking to the visiting Foreign Minister of Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum in Dubai

T
concern including Kashmir and Palestine
United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah had asked him for cooperation in various fields of
problems and the war against terrorism and
Bin Zeyed Al-Nahyan in Islamabad,
extremism.
President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed
Frequent
satisfaction over the friendly and brotherly
exchanges of
relations between Pakistan and UAE. He urged for
high level visits
further enhancing the high value socio-economic
and regular
and trade ties between the two countries.
bilateral
Reciprocating the gestures expressed by the
consultations
President, the UAE Foreign Minister hailed the
between the
way Pakistan had been fighting militants and
two countries
extremists and assured support in the efforts for
are reflective of
the relief and rehabilitation of the displaced
the fact that the
people.
two countries
Friendly and traditional relations between
had laid strong
Pakistan and UAE are significant in the sense that
foundations of
the two countries had stood with each other at
mutually
difficult times. They are like ‘a friend in need is a
beneficial
friend indeed’.
relations,
The Pakistani nation had appreciated the Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari talking to Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayid Al Nahyan Foreign Minister
friendship and
recent support and assistance of the UAE of UAE who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
peaceful
government for overcoming the acute energy infrastructure development. The Prime Minister
cooperation.
shortfall. It had noted with gratitude that the 320 had said that Pakistan seeks UAE's expertise in
Over the years UAE has emerged as one of
MW thermal power plant gifted by UAE has port sector, particularly for the functioning of
Pakistan's major economic and trading partners.
reached Pakistan this month followed by another Gwadar Port.
A large number of Pakistani expatriates,
plant of 300 MW. Sheikh Al-Maktoum had assured all out
numbering nearly 400,000 are gainfully employed
support to Prime Minister Gilani and said the
there. The Pakistani expatriates in UAE had
Pakistan is grateful for the role UAE would encourage its private sector to make
contributed in a significant manner to promotion
UAE had played to convene and further investments in Pakistan in various fields, of bilateral understanding and to the economy of
particularly the energy and real estate sectors.
conduct the meeting of the Sheikh Mohammad had appreciated Pakistan's
Pakistan through their home remittances.
UAE is an important Gulf state in Pakistan’s
Friends of Pakistan Forum in role in war against terror and its credible
Middle East policy. The government had been
Dubai. The government and intelligence sharing to curb terrorism and
taking every step to further cement bilateral
extremism posing threat to the world peace.
people of Pakistan had The UAE Prime Minister also lauded the
relations with this important Arab state. It is
appreciated the efforts and role positive role of Pakistan expatriates in the socio- necessary that new avenues should be explored so
that the two countries can boost their cooperation.
of the UAE in supporting economic development of UAE. Sheikh
It is also urged that UAE authorities should also
Mohammad apprised Prime Minister Gilani of his
Pakistan at the forum for the new charity project 'Dubai Care' under which five
look for more role UAE could play in Pakistan’s
provision of financial assistance million Muslim students from across the Ummah socio-economic development.
Great opportunities exist in both the countries.
including Pakistan would get free education.
It has to move forward on mutual basis.

In addition to overcoming the energy crises, There had been regular contacts between the
Pakistan has sought assistance from United Arab top leadership of the two countries. President Asif
The writer is a senior Islamabad based
Emirates for the development of airline industry. Ali Zardari and UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin
journalist and Secretary General Friends of
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani who Zayed al Nahyan had been meeting frequently to
Nepal. He can bed reached at
visited UAE in July last year and called on UAE's upgrade and strengthen bilateral ties, particularly
22 mahmoodhussainisb@yahoo.com
Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh in the trade and economic fields.
 InsighT Khawar Shahzad
Common people perceive, I would rather say misperceive, that
WiMAX is latest than Wi-Fi just because of the suffix ‘MAX’. They
think that Wi’s Fi is replaced by MAX. Comparing WiMAX to Wi-Fi
is like comparing a ferrari with heavy bike, but users don’t know
iMAX, Worldwide Interoperability
W for Microwave Access, is a
telecommunications technology that
provides wireless transmission of
data using a variety of transmission modes, from
point-to-multipoint links to portable and fully
mobile internet access. The technology provides up
to three Mbit/s broadband speed without the need
for cables.
The technology is based on the IEEE 802.16
standard (also called Broadband Wireless Access).
The name "WiMAX" was created by the WiMAX
Forum, which was formed in June 2001 to promote
conformity and interoperability of the standard.
The forum describes WiMAX as "a standards-based
technology enabling the delivery of last mile
wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable
and DSL".
The unanimous WiMAX age is
not beginning now. The long
promised BWA technology is
now maturing with around 40
chipmakers rolling out WiMAX
chips based on IEEE’s 802.16e
standard (mobile-WiMAX) in
large volumes. Their market is
mostly Asian and African
nations
The terms "fixed WiMAX", "mobile WiMAX",
"802.16d" and "802.16e" are frequently used
incorrectly. Correct definitions are the following:
• 802.16-2004 is often called 802.16d, since
that was the working party that developed the
standard. It is also frequently referred to as "fixed
WiMAX" since it has no support for mobility.
• 802.16e-2005 is an amendment to
24 802.16-2004 and is often referred to in shortened
form as 802.16e. It introduced support for mobility,
amongst other things and is therefore also known
as "mobile WiMAX".
Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance for
certified products based on the IEEE 802.11
standards. This certification warrants
interoperability between different wireless devices.
In some countries, the term Wi-Fi is often used
by the public as a synonym for IEEE 802.11-wireless
LAN (WLAN).
Not every IEEE 802.11 compliant device is
certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance, which may be
because of certification costs that must be paid for
each certified device type. The lack of the Wi-Fi
logo does not imply that a WLAN-device is
incompatible to certified Wi-Fi-devices.
Wi-Fi is supported by most personal computer
operating systems, many game consoles, laptops,
smartphones, printers, and other peripherals.
Common people perceive, I would rather say
misperceive, that WiMAX is latest than Wi-Fi just
because of the suffix ‘MAX’. They think that Wi’s
Fi is replaced by MAX. Comparing WiMAX to Wi-
Fi is like comparing a ferrari with heavy bike, but
users don’t know.
It is believed that WiMAX will soon gulp Wi-Fi.
However the process of replacement is neither so
swift nor easy due to the popularity of Wi-Fi.
Indeed, both are broadband wireless access (BWA)
technologies; but they are complementing each
other instead of competing. We have brought for
Free download | flare.com.pk
Wi-Fi is explained as wireless LAN, whereas
WiMAX is a wireless WAN (wide area network) or
more commonly, a wireless MAN (Metropolitan
area network).
WiMAX is not going to displace businesses
ane/or residential wireless LANs in developed
countries like US, Germany, Britain and most of the
Scandinavia in near future. This is because of the
How WiMax works?
number of public hot-spots already deployed that
these countries don’t need an alternative
technology so far. On the other hand, the
developing countries like Pakistan and a couple of
other in the region are witnessing the WiMAX
broadband revolution. Pakistan is now the biggest
WiMAX market in the world.
The unanimous WiMAX age is not beginning
now. The long promised BWA technology is now
maturing with around 40 chipmakers rolling out
Montevina’ is the Intel’s first
chip that let devices (notebook
computers) use both Wi-Fi and
WiMAX. With capability of both
the technologies the Intel
Centrino-2 Processor
Technology based laptop will
be the ultimate in mobile
computing
WiMAX chips based on IEEE’s 802.16e standard
(mobile-WiMAX) in large volumes. Their market is
mostly Asian and African nations.
The world’s number one chip maker Intel, a
member of WiMAX forum is a veteran when it
comes to backing the technology.
‘Montevina’ is the Intel’s first chip that let
devices (notebook computers) use both Wi-Fi and
WiMAX. With capability of both the technologies
the Intel Centrino-2 Processor Technology based
laptop will be the ultimate in mobile computing.
Intel claims it’s WiMAX enabled Intel Processor-
based devices will deliver speed three times more
than the current speed of 3G networks.
There has been a debate over the internet
predicting the time for when WiMAX is going to
construct its canopy over the existing technologies.
I think they will go side by side looking into each
other but working independently and providing
different degree of service as wireless LAN (with
the existing infrastructure) and wireless MAN
respectively. There is one thing that anyone can
predict: a Pakistani nomadic internet user is no
longer going to opt for local wireless LAN provider
(quite rare in Pakistan) but for a completely
portable technology promising internet on-the-go
– the WiMAX. Future of Pakistan is certainly
WiMAX.

Free download | flare.com.pk
Telenor’s plan challenged in India
The FIPB had deferred a decision on allowing Telenor to hike its stake in Unitech Wireless following
reservations of security agencies on the Norwegian firm’s strong presence in Pakistan and Bangladesh
ew Delhi: The home ministry is set to
N give security clearance to Norwegian
telecom firm Telenor to hike its
shareholding in Unitech Wireless, by
up to 74 per cent, on the condition that none of the
staff who has worked in Telenor Pakistan - 100 per
cent owned by the Telenor group - are employed
here.
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board
(FIPB) had last month deferred a decision on
allowing Telenor to hike its stake in Unitech
Wireless following reservations of security
agencies on the Norwegian firm’s strong presence
in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Both nations serve as
a launch pad for various terror attacks here.
While the worries over Telenor’s operations in
Bangladesh, where it holds 62 per cent of
Grameenphone, are not so pronounced, both IB
and RAW were highly suspicious about the
security implications of Telenor’s presence in
Pakistan through a 100 per cent -owned
subsidiary of the Norwegian parent company.
It was in the light of the security agencies’ fears
that allowing the same firm to operate here could
be detrimental to national interest that FIPB had
put off a decision on the Unitech Wireless’ FDI
proposal at its early June meeting.
An open letter for all stake holders
Through your esteemed magazine, I would
like to expose the Telenor tactics. What they
claim is totally wrong that they are offering
lowest cal rates on talkshawk package. They
are convincing through big ads and dancing
characters.
Those who are in advertising and media
know well that it is an advertising tactic and
nothing else. Seven hours talk for just Rs7 is
another fraud.
There is no package from Telenor to talk
seven hours in seven rupees. You only get
discount call rates with Rs7 subscription fees
and discount validity is seven hours and for
only Telenor to Telenor calls. Going in more
details, you will look that you have to
subscribe and make calls for only 20 paisa/30
second on all Telenor numbers for seven hours
per day (10am to 5pm).
Customers on Talkshawk 30 Second will be
able to avail the service. Applies on all Telenor
numbers (including Telenor FnF) To subscribe
you have to follow two steps which are as
under:
Step 1: Customer will write “7” and send
the SMS to 555. Charge for SMS is Rs0.5+tax
(Rs0.6 including tax); and
Step 2: If the customer has enough balance,
Rs8.37 (Rs7+tax) will be deducted from his
account.
The home ministry has come around to the
view that Telenor should not be held back from
picking up to 74 per cent stake in Unitech Wireless
simply because it has a presence in Pakistan.
At the same time, home ministry officials were
categorical that the security concerns of the
agencies needed to address while granting the go-
ahead. It is against this background that MHA
Step 3: Depending upon the time of
subscription, customer will have either the
same day or next day to avail the discount
hours.
During the discount hours (10am to 5pm)
Bharti Jain Exclusive
came up with a reasonable solution that no
employees who at anytime were part of its
Pakistan operations are moved to the Indian
subsidiary.
This means, staff currently working in
countries other than Pakistan but have served
there at some point of time will come under the
‘ban’. Though a manager working here can always
be sent to Pakistan, he or she would not be
allowed to return to the Indian arm of Telenor.
Keeping human assets of the Indian and
Pakistani arms of Telenor separate is expected to
take care of risks such as spying and subversion.
MHA will be submitting to FIPB its views
favouring a conditional security nod for Unitech
Wireless’ FDI proposal ahead of the next meeting
of the Board.
Telenor has 49 per cent stake in Unitech and
now requires FIPB nod to complete its deal for 67
per cent stake. This would give Telenor
management control and four of the seven seats
on the board of directors. Telenor-Wireless
combine is expected to start services
later this year. Unitech has a pan-India
licence and has secured spectrum in 21 of the 22
telecom circles.

Courtesy: www.economictimes.indiatimes.com
customer can call any Telenor number for Rs
0.20 (excluding tax) per 30 Sec and any Telenor
FnF number for Rs 0.13 (excluding tax) per 30
Sec.
Step 4: Customer can re-subscribe to the
offer after 12am at night of that day if
subscription was done before 4:30pm or after
12am at night of the next day if subscription
was done after 4:30pm by writing ‘7’ and
sending SMS to 555.
This story reveals that actually the customer
has to pay more than Rs15 for seven hours and
for just Telenor customers for one day only.
It is not only Telenor Pakistan which is
offering such ambiguous packages; Ufone is
also exploiting customers.
It is sad to note that PTA is not taking notice
of any such fraud practices.
I humbly, request the chairman PTA, PM,
CJ and the President to take notice and order
all companies to offer transparent packages
including hidden charges.
We the helpless customers are begging for
justice.
Yours truly,
Aaqil Mahmood
www.purepakistani.com
25
 InsighT Olivia Olarte Free download | flare.com.pk

he UAE has state-of the-art

T infrastructure that can effectively foil

cyber attacks, but many government
agencies and establishments have yet to
recognise the importance of safeguarding
themselves against this growing threat.
Since last year, around 20 major cyber attacks
on several government offices and
establishments in the country, including four
attacks early this year, were thwarted by the
newly-established cyber security coordination
centre, aeCERT.
aeCERT deals with thousands of cyber threats
on a daily basis, mostly minor incidents such as
scan, spam, malicious hosts and malicious codes.
Established in July 2008, the UAE Computer
Emergency Response Team (aeCERT) is an
initiative by the Telecommunications Regulatory
Authority (TRA) to facilitate the detection,
prevention and response of cyber security
incidents on the Internet. It aims to be the centre
point for all cyber attacks that happen and of
concern with the UAE infrastructure "Since July
2008, we have had about 20 major threats. We're
talking real major, with huge impact on the
constituents. And some of these incidents
actually were the reason why these constituents
came and signed with us," said Tariq

20 major cyber attacks

Abdulghaffar Mohammad Al Hawi, director of
aeCERT.
To date, aeCERT has around 20 constituents
comprising ministries, government agencies,

thwarted last year

banks and other establishments that are
benefitting from aeCERT's "free-of-charge"
services. "Our aim is to have 120 (constituents)
by the end of 2009," Al Hawi said.
Among its constituents, "all government You are talking about very confidential information being stolen or
agencies constitute the critical national being viewed by other people. This is more damaging like credit
infrastructure of the UAE. They hold the most cards," he added, citing an incident where several credit card
critical and crucial information in the UAE, so we
have to provide the maximum security for them," numbers were stolen and the bank was blackmailed for money, or
he stated. the credit card numbers will be made public
Al Hawi noted that cyber threat is increasing,
card because they can be tracked (down) and he said.
"specifically to the UAE because you can see
they are not looking for (easy cash), their goal is At present TIOC operates from 7am to 3pm
everything now is going online. You don't need
higher," Al Hawi explained. but by the end of the year, Hussain hopes to have
to visit certain premises to pay, no need to visit
Meshal Abdulla Bin Hussain, head of Threat a 24/7 fully-dedicated operations centre to
an office or fill application on paper. It's all being
Intelligence Operations Centre (TIOC) at monitor all cyber incidents and attacks.
done online."
aeCERT, which monitors the networks and Al Hawi said, "We have the best technologies.
He added that cyber crime is becoming a
infrastructure of its constituents, said they have I don't think somebody has the capabilities that
serious problem, particularly cases that involve
traced a lot of hackers from different countries aeCERT has. We're spending millions on
money. "We've been in this business for the last
although it was difficult to pinpoint the pattern at aeCERT. We're getting the best technologies."
10 years and the amount of hacked money is
this nascent stage. Lamenting some companies' disregard for
increasing exponentially. I remember that six or
"Every month, the attackers are changing. security, Al Hawi said: "When ever somebody
seven years ago, we use to deal with cases like
Every month we produce a report on thinks about any project, they think of everything
top 10 attackers to the UAE (and) and at a later stage they include the security part
every time it's different. Sometimes of the project."
you see Estonia, this month, South "It's always better to have security from day
Africa, Egypt, so we cannot really say. one because security can change the architecture,
Every month, you will see something amount of devices that you've bought and even
different," Hussain said. the process flow. So whenever (you) think about
"We are tracing all these, we are a project, include the security on the first day,
tracking them to see if there's a pattern, (this way) you know the (total) cost," he advised.
after a year or two years, we (expect to) Al Hawi advised computer users to be wary
Dh10,000 to Dh20,000 maximum, now you're
have a full amount of information to be able to of e-mails asking for bank details. He added that
talking about millions of dirhams," Al Hawi
analyse and know these patterns," he added. the simplest task of up dating anti-virus is also
pointed out.
Hussain said the operations centre is very very essential.
Besides that, you are talking about very
effective in foiling attacks before they impact the "Something like this very simple, (yet) people
confidential information being stolen or being
infrastructure. are not aware of these things," he said. For those
viewed by other people.
"(When) we see this alarm, we have analysts who cannot do so during the day, "you do all
"The hacker when he sees the credit card, he
in the operations centre who analyse all these your updates at night," Al Hawi recommended.

doesn't use it. He keeps it with him and
data and they come up with some precautions," Courtesy: Khaleej Times
26 blackmails the bank. They never use the credit
 Exclusive Flare Report
okia, the world leader in mobile www.nokia.co.in. The picture
N devices has further strengthened its
style and imaging portfolio with the
launch of the sleek and chic Nokia
6700 Classic and Nokia 6303 Classic. The
devices, which were launched by Bollywood
that starts the maximum
conversations and is the most
talked about in the virtual world will
emerge as the winner. The winning entry will
get a complete makeover by a well known
diva, Priyanka Chopra, are targeted at the suave fashion designer. In addition, Priyanka will also
and savvy Indian consumers who are looking talk and twitter about her favourite pictures on
for superior functionality with premium finish her twitter.
at competitive prices. Speaking at the occasion, Mr Vineet Taneja,
Nokia also announced that it will continue its Director Marketing, Nokia India said, "Nokia is
association with tinsel town's reigning queen delighted to strengthen its bond with India's
and Nokia's youth style icon, Priyanka Chopra style conscious consumers, both by extending
who will be seen in a new print and digital our association with Priyanka Chopra and
campaign being unveiled by the company soon. with the launch of Nokia 6700 Classic and
With the tagline "Pictures get us talking", the Nokia 6303 Classic.”
new campaign has a contemporary visual appeal Talking about her association with Nokia,
that brings out how people use the elements of Priyanka Chopra said, "I am very excited to
mobile imaging in their way of mobile continue my association with Nokia, a brand
communication rather that is a key part of my everyday life. I'm an avid
than just voice. mobile user and I find that Nokia delivers a
Alongside the complete experience in a great looking package!
Nokia 6700 Classic It's a leader in style, innovation, technology and
and Nokia 6303 above everything else its user-friendliness... you
Classic launch, can't but get hooked to your Nokia! The new
Priyanka also Nokia 6700 Classic and Nokia 6300 Classic are
rolled out an super stylish and packed with exceptional
interesting functionality."
consumer I am also very excited to be a part of the
engagement "Pictures get us talking" contest. No matter
initiative - where you are or what you're doing, every
"Pictures get interesting moment can be turned into a
us talking". memory with the brilliant cameras on all Nokia
The phones. I know I'm going to have a tough choice
consumer in deciding the best pictures, so I'm using twitter
contest to discuss the most interesting ones. I'm inviting
gives users everyone to jump in and help me choose the
an best!"
opportunity Giving details of the new devices, Mr Taneja
to upload said, "The new devices combine the superior
their functionality and enhanced user experience with
interesting premium designs and materials available at an
and unique extremely competitive price point. The Nokia
pictures on 6700 Classic shares the same 'DNA' as its
the Nokia predecessor Nokia 6300 and we believe that it
website - will be one of our best selling devices in 2009."
The Nokia 6303 classic has a sleek and stylish
design with some great features such as the 3.2
mega pixel camera and built-in GPS receiver to
name a few. There is a good sized 2.2 inch TFT
colour screen with 16.7 million colours and 320 x
28
Free download | flare.com.pk
240 pixels, making the screen bright and
colourful. Dimensions of the Nokia 6303 classic
are 10.88cm x 4.62cm x 1.17cm and weighs 96
grams making it fit comfortably in the palm of
your hand.
As the 6306 classic is made from stainless
steel it has a good quality feel to it and will be
good protection in case you drop it, there are two
colours available cool steel or matt black. There
is 64 megabytes of built-in memory and the
Nokia 6303 also comes with a one gigabyte
memory card, the phone supports up to four
gigabytes so plenty of room for all those pictures
and downloads. You can expect to get up to
seven hours talk time and 450 hours standby
time when the battery is fully charged.
The Nokia 6700 classic is the gorgeous new
mobile phone. This fantastic looking phone is
full of technology such as A-GPA and a five
megapixel camera as well as uplink voice
cancellation, which removes back ground noise
helping you hear more clearly. There is a 2.2inch
TFT screen with 16.7 million colours and pixel
resolutions of 320x240, for clear viewing and
vibrant colours. Nokia's 6700 classic is a sleek
phone that fits neatly in your hand, as the
dimensions of this Nokia phone are 109.8mm x
45mm x 11.2mm and weighs a not to bad 116.5
grams. You can choose a number of colours for
your Nokia 6700 classic such as Shiny chrome,
matt steel and sleek black, with metal keys and
built with premium materials the Nokia classic
oozes quality. This handset will provide four
hours talk time and 300 hours standby time
when your phone is fully charged.
Free download | flare.com.pk
okia plans to launch its music
N service ‘Comes with Music’ in
India by the end of this year. The
service aims to give consumers
unlimited music downloads from the soon to
be formally launched Nokia Music Store for
a year.
Nokia's Music Store, on the verge of an
official launch in the country, will enable
consumers to browse, download and sync
music either to their computer or directly on
to the mobile device. The India store will
offer over a million tracks from both
international labels and local partnerships,
says Nokia India marketing director Vineet
Taneja.
India is amongst the fastest growing
mobile markets in the world today adding
approximately ten million new subscribers
every month.
Flare Report Exclusive
For Nokia, India is the second largest market
globally and hence an extremely
important and strategic market for
its business.
"We have kept ahead of the
market as our strategy is to offer
the most comprehensive product
The consumer contest
gives users an opportunity
to upload their interesting
and unique pictures on the
Nokia website -
www.nokia.com in the
picture that starts the
maximum conversations
and is the most talked
about in the virtual world
will emerge as the winner
portfolio, to establish a strong experience-
5800 XpressMusic, a touch device with
driven retail network, and to focus on
human interface, Nokia 5310 XpressMusic,
customer centric innovation across all
and Nokia 5130 the most affordable
segments," says Taneja.
‘XpressMusic’ device amongst others.
“India has shipped close to 85 million
As for mobile music, the feature will
mobile handsets between April 2007 and
continue to be a key priority area for Nokia
March 2008, compared to less than 66
in 2009. With more than 425 million music-
million units shipped in the previous fiscal,
enabled mobile devices and more than 700
registering a year-on-year growth of million devices with an FM radio sold till
around 29 per cent,” he says. date makes Nokia the world’s largest
In the last quarter of the financial manufacturer of music-enabled
year FY 2008, country's shipment has mobile devices,” says Taneja.
touched 22.3 million which amounts to The company's Music Store is currently
around 10,000 phones every hour live in 15 markets globally, which has
(IDC). helped Nokia to gain insights on what
Also mobile phone production people want in a music device and track
revenue is expected to reach USD important trends on how people consume
13.6 billion by 2011 a CAGR of 26.6 music, he adds.
per cent. The company has tied up with a host of
Nokia is one of the few players leading major independent Indian record
in the industry that offers two labels including Tseries, Big Music, Eros,
unique music sub-brands Venus and Yashraj, as also with the Indian
‘XpressMusic’ targeted primarily Music Industry (IMI), a consortium of over
at the youth at an affordable price 150 music companies.
point and Nseries - multimedia Nokia also has tie ups with international
devices that have a special music music labels like
edition. Today Nokia has over six Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, EMI
XpressMusic devices including Nokia and Warner.

29
 Telepedia Flare Report Free download | flare.com.pk

he market for mobile applications, or

T apps, will become "as big as the internet",

peaking at 10 million apps in 2020, a
leading online store says. However,
GetJar say, the developer community will decline
drastically as each developer makes less money.
"Apps will be as big if not bigger than the
internet," according to Ilja Laurs, chief executive
of GetJar, a leading independent application
store.
"They will peak at around 100,000 by the end
of the year. That will be a tipping point and after
that, there will be a gradual fall in the rate of
development. "The full blossom will come in ten
years and mobile apps will become as popular as
websites are today with consumers," Mr Laurs
told BBC News.

'Economics'
While developers rush headlong to create
applications for this burgeoning marketplace, Mr
Laurs warned that many are simply doomed to
fail.
"The reality is that this space is only so big and
only able to support so many people.
Unfortunately the overhype that goes with

Apps 'to be as big

[Apple's] App Store is what has driven so many
to rush to develop for the market. It is fashionable
to do apps and every media outlet tells you apps
are cool.
Google believes the days of app stores are

as internet'
numbered.

'Hit-driven environment'
To date, Apple runs the most popular
application store with over 65,000 applications.
Last week it notched up another milestone with
1.5 billion downloads.
Its success was a shock both to Apple and the
industry. However, every smartphone company
is trying to replicate it, from BlackBerry makers
Research in Motion to the world's biggest mobile
phone business, Nokia.
Many at the MobileBeat conference in San
Francisco felt that the popularity of Apple's App
store is also its Achilles heel because it caters to
the "one hit wonder" model.
It is something social gaming company
Playfish is well aware of with its iPhone app,
"Who Has the Biggest Brain?"
"It has been played on the web by 15 million
people and when it launched on the iPhone it
went to the top of the iTunes chart. But, it
quickly fell away and I think that's an experience
many people are going through, no matter the
quality or originality of the content," Playfish co-
founder Sebastien de Halleux told.
The type of application you will see will help
enrich your life...which is really what mobile
applications are all about.
Lee Williams, Symbian Foundation, said,
"You are competing for the top slot in a
catalogue and you cannot, no matter who you
are, hold onto that slot for an indefinite period
of time. Many developers are realising that it is
hard to reach a sustainable business in a
catalogue environment because it's a hit-driven
environment."
Mr de Halleux said heated conversations are
going on within the industry to solve this
problem. He also said he believed Apple wanted
30 to find a way to help developers make money
Many, applications can be delivered through the
browser and what that does for our costs are stunning
making apps that consumers want to use and
pay for.
Meanwhile Lee Williams, executive director
of the Symbian Foundation, said he was not sure
the consumer or the industry needed any more
application stores.
"The App Store is flawed - right now [it] is
just a bucket of apps. You need to get beyond
that bucket and give the consumer the
opportunity to wander down a really relevant
aisle of content and applications that they can
get access to.
But the economics are a
different story. The ratio of
those developers who will fail
is about 90 per cent; they will
simply not make a return on
their investment or make a
good enough living at this
"When this problem is solved, the type of
application you will see will be about more than
an iBeer drinking app or a candle that flickers in
different colours.
"The type of application you will see will help
enrich your life in some way. It will let you do
your image sharing, your social networking and
establish presence with your friends, colleagues
and family in completely new ways - which is
really what mobile applications are all about,"
said Mr Williams.
Playfish titles are played by more than 25
million people every month. But Google's
engineering vice president Vic Gundotra told the
conference that the application store trend is just
a fad and that the focus will shift to powerful
browsers as the main mechanism for delivering
services.
"Many, many applications can be delivered
through the browser and what that does for our
costs are stunning. We believe the web has won
and over the next several years, the browser, for
economic reasons almost, will become the
platform that matters and certainly that's where
Google is investing," Mr Gundotra told the
conference.
But referring to technical problems at the
conference, MobileBeat organiser Matt Marshall
told that scenario could be some time away.
"You saw at this conference that the web
went down once or twice and that shows you
that even the main web has problems so what
about mobile?
"When you talk about mobile browsers it is
the biggest change in the last year. You have
networks like AT&T, Sprint and Verizon all
building out to the fourth generation and that's
going to allow much more power in delivering
those web browsers pages on your mobile
phone. But it's not here yet," said Mr Marshall.

 Event Flare Report
DGM Marketing Mr Mudassar Bilal and Sabina Bilal with
Warig Glow team.
arid made the launch of its new
W performances by the bands
brand GLOW more festive with an
electrifying concert featuring Strings
(Warid Brand Ambassador) and Call
at Royal Palm. The concert came like a wave of
Group photo of Amina, Brand Manager Glow, Billal & Faisal
of Strings and Haris of Warid.
fresh air to the entertainment hungry Lahori youth,
who were not witnessing many entertainment
activities in the city.
34 The glowing ambience, cool atmosphere and
Free download | flare.com.pk
thrilling performances by the bands proved to be
an oasis for the youth, wearing glowing pendants
around their necks, glow sticks in their hands
which were continuously up with jubilation. For
hours the dancing and shouting youth seemed to
forget everything except GLOW.
The great performance by Strings showed that
they have been rightly chosen as the brand
ambassadors to GLOW and their performance
rationalised the Glow-Strings association.
The glowing ambience, cool Audience in a cheerful mood during the Glow Night.
atmosphere and thrilling subscription based on what the customer wants to
choose.
The terrific launch of the GLOW campaign
proved to be an oasis for the ensures that Warid has offered the best to the
youth, wearing glowing youth. GLOW gives value for money, and a
pendants around their necks,
glow sticks in their hands
which were continuously up
with jubilation
Glow is a ground-breaking initiative
empowering the youth to define their circles by
nominating 10 members into their GLOW group.
Subscribers can enjoy unlimited SMS bundles and
free mobile downloads at glow.pk. Glow allows the
customers to decide how and when they want to A group of students enjoying the Glow Night.
communicate via voice, SMS or Facebook through
flexible bundles and pre-paid tariffs. They can provider of mobile entertainment to the youth. This
share with their friends the latest music, the next is just the beginning of a journey that will enable
movie review they should enjoy together or our customers to share, communicate and learn to
download, the latest scores, and the latest games. become the leaders shaping Pakistan’s future and
All are available for free initially and then will be GLOW is going to be with them.

 Telepedia Flare Report
n a short span of time, Chairman of
I Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
(PTA) Dr Mohammed Yaseen has tried
his level best to equip the irregular
telecommunications sector with the utmost
rules and regulations. He recently claimed
that Pakistani cellular phone companies were
offering cheapest call rates across the globe.
"In a recent conference in India, the Indians
claimed that they were providing cheapest
calls worldwide.
However, I confronted and made
calculations to prove that Pakistan was the
country providing the most inexpensive
phone facility to its consumers," said
Chairman PTA Dr Mohammed Yaseen in an
exclusive interview with APP.
When his comments were sought over the
spill over of Pakistani cellular phone signals
to the neighbouring countries, Chairman said
PTA conducted comprehensive surveys to
ensure that there was no spill over from either
side.
"The cell phone towers are installed in the
bordering areas under prescribes Standard
Operating Procedures (SOP). We are ensuring
that the SOP is strictly followed. Moreover, we
have held negotiations with the neighbouring
countries including Afghanistan and India to
address the issue," he added.
Answering a question about the
government's ordinance on objectionable
short message service (SMS), the chairman
PTA said the government had issued the
ordinance to establish a mechanism to check
on those elements involved in the obnoxious
SMS.
When asked about those involved in
fraudulent activities and fleecing the poor
consumers through SMS for cash draws, the
PTA chairman said the Federal Investigation
Authority (FIA) would move against such
elements under Spam Regulations.
36
He said the PTA had installed a Redressal
of Consumer Grievances Mechanism which
would ensure proper resolution to the
problems being faced by the telecom
consumers.
Dr Yaseen informed that the consumers
would have a complaint with the respective
telecom operator and if the issue is not
resolved, the consumer should file the
complaint with the PTA Consumer Protection
Directorate (CPD).
The consumers can make
a free-of-cost call to PTA
at 0800-55055 if their
complaint is not resolved
within given timeframe by
the concerned telecom
operator," he said
"The consumers can make a free-of-cost call
to PTA at 0800-55055 if their complaint is not
resolved within given timeframe by the
concerned telecom operator," he said and
added the PTA would take up the matter with
the concerned authorities and would get it
resolved amicably.
"We are providing level-playing field to all
the operators and if any operator violates the
laws, we would move for an action."
He claimed that PTA was efficiently
redressing the complaints of the
consumers and the redressal rate stood at 96
per cent during the month of April.
When asked about the PTA-FBR row over
the dues reportedly liable to the PTA,
Dr Yaseen said there was no controversy and
Free download | flare.com.pk
PTA was paying its instalments on a regular
basis.
"We have paid Rs four billion to the
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)," he added.
Asked about the poor performance of the
Pakistan Telecommunication Company
Limited (PTCL), Dr Yaseen said,
he had held a meeting with the PTCL
management and they had assured of
resolving all issues of the consumers by the
end of July.
He said the PTA would launch a survey to
check the quality of services being offered by
PTCL in the first or second week of August.
"Yes, a quality survey would be
conducted in the first or second week of
August, and if PTCL is found to
be violating the laws inscribed in License an
action would be taken."
He said the PTA was also urging PTCL to
allow other connections on PTCL's Fibre to
Home service.
When his comments were sought about the
claims made by telecom companies'
advertisements, Yaseen said the commercial
practices and advertisements by
the telecom operators should not be
misleading, inadequate or unclear in terms
and tariffs and there was clear and complete
specification of tariff information,
detailed billing information as per license
conditions and publication of Code of
Commercial Practice and Service Contract for
the awareness of consumers.
Yasin’s statement reflects that he is surely
burning the midnight oil to make
the telecom sector more and more
progressive customer friendly and revenue
generator.
His step to take notice of the cellular phone
complaints shows his first priority is the end-
user and he will hopefully succeed in relieving
people of cellular turmoil.

Free download | flare.com.pk
dongle is a small piece of hardware
A that connects to a computer or laptop.
It is a portable device and is often
identical in appearance to a USB pen.
Although earlier use of dongles was to
authenticate a piece of software, the word dongle
is now widely used to refer to a broadband
wireless adaptor.
Like others countries dongles has a growing
popularity in Pakistan: Wateen Telecom,
WorldCall, PTCL, Wi-Tribe already started their
businesses in the country.
Electrically, the authentication dongles
mostly appear as two-interface security tokens
Modern dongles include built-in strong encryption and use
fabrication techniques designed to thwart reverse engineering
with transient data flow that does not interfere
with other dongle functions and a pull
communication that reads security data from the
dongle. Without the dongle, the software will
run only in a restricted mode, or not at all.
Dongles are used by some proprietary vendors
as a form of copy protection or digital rights
management, because it is much harder to
replicate a dongle than to copy the software it
authenticates. Despite being a hardware device,
dongles are not a complete solution to the
trusted client problem.
Wordcraft was the first programme to use a
software protection dongle in 1980. Its dongle
was a simple passive device that supplied data
to the pins of a Commodore PET's external
cassette port in a pre-determined manner. This
was possible because the PET cassette port
supplied both power and data connections
through a proprietary edge connector. It did,
however, make the cassette port unusable for its
intended purpose.
The two-cubic-inch resin-potted first
generation device was called a "dongle" by the
inventor, in the absence of a suitable term. The
distributor, Dataview Ltd., then based in
Colchester, UK, then went on to produce a
derivative dongle which became their core
business.
Dongles rapidly evolved into active devices
that contained a serial transceiver (UART) and
Farooq Malik Telepedia
even a microprocessor to handle transactions
with the host. Later versions adopted the USB
interface in preference to the serial or parallel
interface. Currently, the USB interface is
gradually becoming dominant.
During 2008 to 2009, due to the financial
There are potential
weaknesses in the
implementation of the
protocol between the dongle
crisis, some big actions were taken in dongle
area. Aladdin first bought Eutron, a European
and the copy-controlled
dongle vendor before 2008. Six months later, software. It requires
Aladdin was acquired by SafeNet. After this
transition, Rainbow (SafeNet), Aladdin (HASP)
considerable cunning to
and Eutron merged to a single entity. make this hard to crack
Efforts to introduce dongle copy-prevention
per-user license key, which enables particular
in the mainstream software market have met stiff
features in the target application. This is a form
of tightly controlled licensing, which allows the
vendor to engage in vendor lock-in and charge
more than it would otherwise for the product.
There are potential weaknesses in the
implementation of the protocol between the
dongle and the copy-controlled software. It
requires considerable cunning to make this hard
to crack. For example, a naïve implementation
might simply define a function to check for the
dongle, returning "true" or "false" accordingly,
but the dongle requirement can be easily
circumvented by modifying the software to
always answer "true".
Modern dongles include built-in strong
encryption and use fabrication techniques
designed to thwart reverse engineering. Typical
dongles also now contain non-volatile memory -
key parts of the software may actually be stored
and executed on the dongle. However, security
researchers warn that dongles still do not solve
the trusted client problem: if you give a user the
cryptographic cipher-text, the algorithm and the
key, your cipher is likely to be breakable, even
with the algorithm and key encoded in
hardware.
In counterfeit versions of a programme, the
code to check for a dongle is often deleted or
circumvented. As a result, the counterfeit version
may be easier to use and thus may seem
resistance from users. Such copy-prevention is
preferable to the original.
more typically used with very expensive
Hardware cloning, where the dongle is
packages and vertical market software, such as
emulated by a device driver, is also a lethal
CAD/CAM software, MICROS Systems
threat to traditional dongles. To thwart this,
hospitality and special retail software, Digital
some dongle vendors adopted smart card
Audio Workstation applications, and some
product, which is widely used in extremely rigid
translation memory packages. The vast majority
security requirement environments such as
of printing and prepress software, such as CtP
military and banking, in their dongle products.
workflows, requires dongles.
Dongle drivers bring problems for end-users.
In cases such as prepress and printing
Most developers and software vendors want to
software, the dongle is encoded with a specific,
get rid of the dongle driver headache. There
are some driverless dongles on the market,
which make the protection easy for both
software vendors and end-users.
The Real time dongle contains an
internal real time clock, independent from
the Operating system clock, and designed
for software vendors who need to control
and manage rental and sale usage and/or
maintenance.
This allows pay per use by charging the
end users timely and periodically for actual
periods of use. This function is based on a
real time clock in the dongle which records
the specific time (hour, minute, second) and
date (day, month and year). If there isn't
battery inside dongle, the dongle is not real
time dongle. There are only two real time
dongles, the one is HASP Time, and the
other is UniKey Time.

37
 Telepedia Flare Report Free download | flare.com.pk

The Abu Dhabi Group’s investment
portfolio, which it says is worth more than the new cash used to fund growth.
USD10 billion, includes a number of
banking and construction businesses,
predominantly in Asia and Africa
he Abu Dhabi Group, an investment Ruia and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the
operated telecom networks in
emerging markets and the partnership
is intended to capitalise on shared
opportunities, said Prashant Ruia, the
group chief executive of Essar.
“We have significant
complementary strengths,” he said at a
signing in a royal residence in Al
Khazna, half way between Abu Dhabi
and Al Ain. “We’ve got a reasonable
amount of experience in the telecom
space, and we’re looking at a
complementary partnership that will
improve the services we provide to the
African market.”
Essar already operates a mobile
network in Kenya, but gave no
comment on the possibility for
integration between it and networks
owned by the Abu Dhabi Group,
particularly in neighbouring Uganda.
Essar’s investment will be in the form
of equity stakes in each network, with
A preliminary agreement between
the Abu Dhabi Group, also known as
Dhabi Group, and Essar was signed in
Al Khazna in a meeting between Mr
The size of Essar’s investments and the ways
in which the two companies will work together
was not disclosed at the signing ceremony. Both
parties said specifics of the agreement, including
Both companies have built,
launched and operated
telecom networks in emerging
markets and the partnership is
intended to capitalise on
shared opportunities, said
Prashant Ruia, the group chief
executive of Essar
any possible managerial or technical co-operation,
would be announced in the coming months.
The Abu Dhabi Group’s investment portfolio,
which it says is worth more than USD10 billion,
includes a number of banking and construction
businesses, predominantly in Asia and Africa.
Aside from Warid Telecom, its only other
technology investment has been in Arvato Middle
East Sales. Last year Arvato worked with the Abu
Dhabi Media Company, the publisher of The

T company led by members of the royal chairman of the Abu Dhabi Group, who is also
family, will form a partnership with Minister of Higher Education and Scientific
India’s Essar to expand its African Research.
telecommunications business. Essar has also built a healthy business in India
Through its Warid Telecom subsidiary, the as an independent builder of telecommunications
National, to launch Getmo, an online
entertainment downloads store targeting the
Middle East.
Essar has built a healthy business in India as
an independent builder of telecommunications
Abu Dhabi Group owns mobile networks in network infrastructure. As mobile networks look network infrastructure. As mobile networks look
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Congo, Uganda and Cote to cut costs and streamline operations, demand for to cut costs and streamline operations, demand for
d’Ivoire. Essar’s telecom unit built one of India’s such service providers is increasing. such service providers is increasing. Mr Ruia said
largest mobile networks, which it now owns in a Mr Ruia said his company’s partnership with his company’s partnership with the Dhabi Group
joint venture with Vodafone, based in the UK. The the Abu Dhabi Group would remain focused on would remain focussed on operating networks for
two companies recently entered exclusive operating networks for the time being, the time being, particularly in the markets where
negotiations that will enable Essar, one of India’s particularly in markets where the company was the company is already operational.
largest diversified industrial conglomerates, to already operational. “We have to go step-by-step “We have to go step-by-step and see how we
invest in the Abu Dhabi Group’s African and see how we can take this forward,” he said. can take this forward. Warid has already made
businesses. “Warid has already made significant investments, significant investments, and we plan on increasing
Both companies have built, launched and and we plan on increasing them.” them.”

credentials of the person with whom they are

Nadra to verify all CNICs
Nadra took this initiative due to prevailing law and order situation and
to curb the menace of identity theft
Islamabad: National Database and
Registration Authority (Nadra) has signed
contract with cell phone companies, including
Mobilink, Telenor and Warid, for verification of
the computerised national identity cards
(CNICs) through SMS.
Nadra has initiated the facility under which
people can attain the verification of CNIC
through SMS. Subscribers will have the facility
to verify the CNIC by sending SMS at 7000. In
first phase, Mobilink, Telenor and Warid were
included in the facility, while negotiations with
two more companies, Ufone and Zong, are in
progress.
The agreement was signed in an impressive
ceremony held at Nadra headquarters, which
was attended by senior officials of Nadra and
mobile phone companies. Bilal Shiekh of
Mobilink, Aamir Ibrahim of Telenor Pakistan
38 and Syed Babar Ahmed of Warid Tel signed on
behalf of their companies, while Chief
Administrative Officer Brigadier Kamal Aziz
(Retd) represented Nadra.
This service will enable the
police and other law-
enforcement agencies to verify
the CNIC of any suspect at
checkpoint any time, besides
help common people to avoid
the bids of cheating by
mischievous people as they can
verify the CNIC of any person on
SMS
This unique facility is devised for the
convenience of general public which can be
utilised by any person desirous to verify
making business deals or they can verify the
CNIC submitted by their employees, household
workers and maids.
Brigadier Kamal Aziz (Retd), in his address,
said that verification would be done in real time
communication with Nadra's National Data
Warehouse, using Nadra and mobile phone
companies strong network infrastructure.
Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik
formally opened the service of verification of
CNIC through SMS on July 24. This service will
enable the police and other law-enforcement
agencies to verify the CNIC of any suspect at
checkpoint any time, besides help common
people to avoid the bids of cheating by
mischievous people as they can verify the CNIC
of any person on SMS.
The CNIC verification would be CNIC
number (which is to be verified) on special
numbers "7000" for general public and "7001" for
the law-enforcement agencies. In response,
Nadra will provide the details associated with
that CNIC such as the name of person to whom
that CNIC Number stands allotted (in Urdu)
along with any other content deemed
appropriate by Nadra pertaining to the CNIC at
nominal charges of Rs 10+tax.

 SITE ACQUISTION

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TELECOM

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HR OUTSOURCING

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 Synopsis Flare Report
Message on Independence Day
Usman A. Sheikh
Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer
KHL – Konnect Holden Ltd, Akbar Associates Group
n behalf of KHL I take this
O opportunity to wish the entire nation
and the Government of Pakistan a
very prosperous 62nd Independence
Day. This day should be a point of recollection
where we evaluate our progress, learn from our
mistakes and set goals to achieve for the
betterment of this great Nation. We should also
not forget the contribution that was put in by our
forefathers who in the face of massive opposition
fulfilled the vision of a great Islamic State. The
ICT industry of Pakistan has emerged as a sector
which has put Pakistan on the face of the world
How Telcos celebrated the Independence Day?
This August everyone is doing the best in
their capacity to mark celebrations for the 62nd
Independence Day. The ‘Go Green’ campaign is
doing a great job, turning the social networks
(Twitter/Facebook) Green. Not just this but the
Nation’s Tweeples aim to get Pakistan in to
Twitter Trending Topics on 14th August.
This post takes a look at how are the major
Telcos contributing to the Independence Day
Celebrations.
PTCL, the national landline operator is
Mobilink donating blood
Mobilink, Pakistan’s market leader in cellular
services and subsidiary of Orascom Telecom, as
part of its employee volunteerism activity series,
organised a blood donation drive at its offices
nationwide for children suffering from
Thalassemia and other blood diseases. Muzamil
Sheikh Media Manager said that in total more
than 200 pints of blood were donated to Fatimid
Foundation in Karachi and Lahore along with
similar healthy blood donations to Sundas
Foundation in Islamabad.
Organised under the auspices of Mobilink
Foundation, the employees were driven with the
common goal of providing Thalassemics, a
chance to live with an improved quality of life. A
42
as a dynamic and growing nation, all of us
should keep up this effort and try to bring in
more and more innovative ideas and solutions
to keep this growing trend on the right track
KHL since its inception in 2003 has grown
leaps and bounds, KHL is the first and foremost
company who specializes in OFC laying, BTS
rollouts and provision of 24x7 managed services.
Our local and international clientele
incorporates all the big companies working in
this region for provision of such services hence
KHL is on the on field integrator acting as the
backbone of a connected Pakistan. KHL has
operations in various fields of industry from
provision of conventional OFC laying services to
implementation of intelligent sensor based
telematic solutions. KHL has to cater to all the
needs of the industry as resource development
is the foremost vista of KHL. We continuously
try to work with companies who have expertise
in specialized fields and develop our resource in
collaboration with them so as to emerge as an
integrator for business all around. We are Joint
Venture partners with FWO for large
infrastructure development Projects. We have
outsourced with many large OEM
manufacturers as well as developed R&D
giving away cash prizes on new land-line
connections this August.
At the broadband from PTCL has come up
with another Independence Day offer, giving
away laptops on new broadband connections.
Mobilink has not come up with any
offer/promotion but celebrating in its own
way, their website has got an Independence
Aviator. Patriotic song from their last year’s
Independence campaign ‘Aye Watan’ plays in
the background and the cursor gets green with
pint of blood
generally
suffices three
patients
adding approximately two to six weeks in their
lives, and the contribution marks a commitment
to societal and communal well-being, he added.
He said that Employee volunteerism is a core
value of Mobilink’s Culture of Excellence and
employees are strongly encouraged to develop a
humanitarian spirit by participating in non-
profit activities and lifesaving initiatives, such as
this gesture, where healthy blood was collected
for the unfortunate children. The Torchbearers
are sanctioned to clock an average of 4 to 5
dedicated hours per person per month during
official working hours. On average the
volunteers spent more than 3,000 hours in 2008
Free download | flare.com.pk
support to one of our partner companies for
the provision of energy meters and telemetric
based solutions in accordance with the
telecom industry. KHL strives to innovate and
integrate ideas from a business model needs for
betterment of all stakeholders especially our
customers. Our technical expertise for auditing
and consultation are utilized by all major
vendors such as Motorola, Huawei, Alcatel
Lucent, ZTE, PTCL, Wateen, Wi-tribe, Mobilink,
Warid, Telenor, Nokia Siemens and Ericsson.
We have introduced two new global offices last
year & have signed numerous contracts with
Global OEM companies both for supply and
services such as ASUSTek Computers Taiwan,
ASCEND Technologies China, Beijing Tianpu
Solar China , Sagem Orga France, Atheeb
Intergraph KSA and Rich Motor Company -
Lebanon. Under the patronage of Al-Jaber
Group; KHL is implementing various projects of
infrastructure development within the GCC
markets
KHL inspiration and efforts for its national
agenda of self reliance is commendable and
suffices extensively the needs for an intensifying
industry in Pakistan today. KHL is proud to
cross borders as the first Pakistani multinational
which states:
“Adding Pride to the MADE IN PAKISTAN
Label “.

crescent and stars.
Ufone has put forward no offer or
promotions to celebrate Independence. Should
we expect a 3 bata 3 Independence TVC from
them!
Telenor,
arranged
bloggers meet
up in Karachi,
Lahore and
Islamabad to
launch the Persona Weblounge, but nothing
particular for Independence celebrations.
Warid, in collaboration with 4B Group has
come up with an exclusive Azadi Package.

Mobilink employees donate more than 200 pints of blood
as part of the nationwide blood donation drives
organised by Mobilink Foundation.
in community service and have already clocked
in 500 hours this year.

 Telepedia Noor Aftab Free download | flare.com.pk

conomically frustrated people seek a

E cheap medium to enjoy all those rare

relaxed moment that they encounter after
a hectic routine. What can be better than
sending or/and receiving miscellaneous short
messages on mobile phone! Yes, our people spent
much time on not only communicating through
cellular phones but also entertaining through
messages.
The introduction of strict punishment, first of
its kind since historic boom in the
telecommunication sector, seems to fail in curbing
circulation of ‘ill-motivated messages’ through
short messaging service (SMS), which are still
hitting mobile phones with more ‘innovative’ and
legally well-protected way.
Though government officials did not admit
that circulation of ‘anti-government messages’
was the main reason for introduction of
punishment for ‘ill-motivated’ or ‘indecent’
messages, many believe that these kinds of SMS
messages in fact prompted the government to
come up with strong reaction against those who
have been constantly engaged in this practice for
unknown reasons.
Some also opined that circulation of these

SMS motivation to be
kinds of SMS messages was really a part of a
propaganda campaign against specific political
figures because no other politician except for
some government figures was targeted in these
messages.

“I strongly believe that anti-government forces
are behind all this propaganda campaign just to
demoralise the government and create negative
sentiments against it among people,” said Yasir
Rehman, a member of pro-PPP student
organisation and a student of the Government
Asghar Mall College, Rawalpindi.
The government has announced that sending
‘indecent’, ‘provocative’ and ‘ill-motivated’
stories and text messages through e-mails and
SMS is an offence under the Cyber Crime Act
(CCA) and its violators could be sent behind bars
for 14 years. Similarly, any Pakistani living
abroad and violating provisions of the Act may
be charged and liable to deportation to Pakistan.
It is really strange to observe that texts of anti-
government SMS messages now being circulated
through cell phones are well-crafted as they
apparently do not violate the newly-introduced
Cyber Crime Act but comprehensively conveys
anti-government sentiments.
“For a moment, I thought it was a bad joke
but its reality — 14 years for sending indecent
SMS? I asked myself how about I bankrupt the
whole country, play havoc with the judiciary and
privatise everything with a golden boot and get
jailed for 5-10 years maximum or better sent for
pilgrimage to the holy land for an indefinite
period!” commented a blogger who runs an
online blog.
He further stated, “I seriously doubt the
intentions of the government, playing the Taliban
crackdown as excuse? No one is blaming the
security forces or criticising them! It would have
been a better stance if they have clamped down
on anti-Pakistan or anti-state websites? No, they
want to cover SMS and emails? A big cover-up
again.
Zulqurnain Haider, an educationist, said that
no one wrote about security forces of Pakistan in
comical way and the inclusion of their reference
was just a dummy to give the announcement of
punishment for indecent SMS messages some
44 weightage.
monitored by FIA
Some also opined that circulation of these kinds of
SMS messages was really a part of a propaganda
campaign against specific political figures because no
other politician except for some government figures
was targeted in these messages
“So my request to the government is to quit
employing dodgy revisions to safeguard its
popularity, do good for the country and it would
not have to introduce such acts to save its skin,”
he said. E-mail, SMS monitoring: mobile phone
companies, ISPs asked to provide customers data.
Following special directives of Interior
Ministry to start monitoring e-mails and short
messaging service (SMS), the Federal
The announcement of 14 year
imprisonment for sending
‘ill-motivated’ SMS also raised
eyebrows of various
segments of society who are
openly criticising this step
Investigation Agency (FIA) has asked the mobile
telephone companies and internet service
providers (ISPs) to provide records pertaining to
their customers.
Sources told Flare that FIA has been directed
to maintain records of persons using cell phone
and e-mail services. For the purpose, the Agency
has sent letters to all cellular companies, asking
them to provide complete details regarding both
registered and unregistered mobile SIMs.
They said that some of major cell phone
service providers (CPSP) are reluctant to facilitate
the investigation agency which would hamper
the monitoring process. Sources said that the
Cyber Crime Act (CCA) has empowered the
agency to take legal action against those
companies who are responsible to create hurdles
in the investigation.
They said that the campaign is aimed to curb
those unidentified elements involved in
spreading mala fide content to tarnish the image
of the civilian leadership.
They said that the ministry has directed FIA to
start monitoring these stories and take action
against the people involved in this ugly practice
under CCA, and added that all necessary
arrangements have already been figure out for the
purpose.
They dispelled the perception regarding
person to person monitoring, saying that it is
impossible for the agency to examine each and
every e-mail and SMS. Hence, action against
cyber criminals would be subjected on the
complaints.
It is worth mentioning that violators of CCA
can be penalised with lifetime imprisonment with
property confiscation. Any Pakistani living
abroad and violating the provisions of the Cyber
Crime Act can also be charged under the Act and
is liable for deportation to Pakistan.

Free download | flare.com.pk
Nowadays the most haunting issue is the random load-shedding which
can hit any area any time. Frustration is shown at massive level against the
authorities. Flare has collected a number of SMS to entertain its readers
who are lamenting the continuous power loss
15
nt ka kehna hai key 20
Saal 2013 ki Governme
m ho jae gi.
tak load shading khata
Suni Sunai batein 1920
- Light saal me ek dafa
jati hay 2000 - Light din
me 4 dafa jati hay 2010
- sath wale mohale ki jat
i hay to hamare mohale
ki aati hay 2015 - Hy
drabad ki jati hay to
Karachi ki aati hay 2020
- Suna hai kisi zamane
me light bhi howa ka
rti thi (Ye sb suni suna
batein or afwaheyn ha i Jannat hasil karain
in).
t ko light
Na din ko light na raa
ght!
Good Night! Good Ni
Humai WAPDA walou
n se itna pyar hai k wo
hum se rooth jain tou
humai neend nhe aati!
e chillai, Light Aai, Light
i kab aaye gi tou? Ay
Mere sapno ki Batti ran dagani
tou? Beeti jaye zin
rut mastani kab aye gi
aa chaali aa!
kab aye gi tou? Chali
Plz pora parhen! Plz
pora parhen ignore ma
karein! Yeh SMS 10 log
o ko send karen app ko
t Pakistan Mai MAH-
sakon mahsos hoga or
Tassali miley gi "Lanat
hai K.E.S.C pe!"
“EID MUBARIK” e know? Har raat candle
mobile charge hai is liy
Hairan nah on abhi tou ley
ka kya pata hai ag
wish ker diya... light
!
maheenee aaye na aaye
Teacher: Test yaad ha
i? Student: Jab perhna
betha to light chali gayi, y Pakistan mai load sh
bad main is dar se nahi
perha key dobara na ch
ali jae!
BREAKING NEWS
in
i k sirf isi APRIL me
WAPDA ka kehna ha lif ba rd ash t
ING ki tak
awam ko LOADSHED r jay gi!
ko aadat pa
karni hogi phir awam
Flare Report Telepedia
Plz mujhy miss call do
u yahan light nahi hai
mujhy cell mil nahi rah or
a!
Send it to your fri
ends and check ho
intelligent they are? w
one: Meray bache ko
Lady to Doctor on Ph
kya karun??
current laga hai, mein a
nafal shukrane ke ad
Doctor: Pehle aap do i ha i.
light aa rah
karein ke aap ki taraf
Zindagi bari udas hay,
Mujhay lagi pyas hay,
Muhay dunya say na
koi ass hay,
Allah karay uski light
chali jay,
Jo yeh sochay kay meri
poem Bakwas hay
i bhe gaye,
Dik k arman ansoo ma
li main rahe gaye,
Hum gali main the ga
main light chali gaye,
KAMBAKHAT beech
wo un ki amma
Jo bat un se kehna thi
se keh gaye!
Bijli! Zindagi milti hai aik ba
ar
Bijli gai, 1 baj gaya. Maut aati hai aik baar
Bijli aai, 2 baj gaye.
Iqrar hota hai aik baar
Phir gai, 3 baj gaye,
Phir aai, 4 baj gaye. Pyar hota hai aik baar
Phir gai, 5 baj gaye. Jab hota hai sab kuch
aik baar
Phir aai, 6 baj gaye. . Phir Light kiu jati hai
ught to you by WAPDA baar baar?
This time check is bro
es
n Electricity. But… giv
Apni zakat, khairat,
sadqat or qurbani ki A Smile costs less tha that you
iling... & Prove
khalain KESC ko dain
ta k aap ko aakhrat ma more light!! So Keep Sm
in !
Jannat or dunia mein
BIJLI miley! are the Best Tube Light!
Won tanha andhere
main bethi thi, Ghan
intazaar kerti hai uska ton
, Dil se subah sham ya
kerti hai usko, Bhoolay ad
se bhi bhula nahi pati
usko, Phir umeed ki
ek kiran nazar aai,
Andhere main roshni
nazar aai, Or woh zor
se
Aai.
al: Sabar
Pakistan ka Quami Ph
Co at
Quami Libaas: Kala
at
E-LOADSHEDDING Quami Khail: Muzakra
CHAND Nazar aa ka a: Ya Al lah Lig ht aa jaye
gaya Hay Tamam Lo Quami Du
kurbani k Laye Tayar g
ho jayin (Government)
Candle light dinner: Th
e most romantic country
of the world..? Guess
! O yes! Pakistan yo
u
light dinner…. thanks
WAPDA to
o TV
Breaking News on Ge a
ed ding khatam... Abhi itn
gai!
hi suna tha k light chali
–
bund kerne ki niyat
WAPDA MAN: Bijli nd
Ye to sab hi poochte he
in ke kya haal? Din kaisa
i 2 ghantey light bu
Niyat kerta houn ma raha? Kya programme
hai? Isi liye mein ne
mat key, zulam ghare
eb socha kuch naya poochu
kerne ki, waste hako . Zara hat ke. Light Ha
itch ki taraf... “yeh gai” Kya? i
awam pey, hath mere sw
45
 Synopsis Flare Report
Samsung brings “Meet the Star”
Lahore: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has
simultaneously initiated “meet the star”
campaign in Pakistan along with Middle East
and other parts of Asia. The Nationwide 15 day
activity aims at bringing Samsung Star Touch
Phone to consumers, educating them along with
providing a feel of the gadget. During the
activity consumers will get a chance to win
Samsung Star phone through lucky draw held
on site.
Mr Zeeshan Qureshi, Head of Samsung
Mobiles Pakistan & Afghanistan said, “Samsung
has always placed high priority at consumer
interaction and tried to gel our activities with
consumer lifestyle. Pakistani youth is well aware
of technological advancements and Samsung
through such activities aims at bringing
technological advancements to Pakistani
doorsteps”.
The Samsung team is visiting shopping
centres and restaurants in different cities along
with various celebrities in order to give prizes
Avaya signs on Apollo Telecom
Karachi: Avaya has signed on former Nortel
partner Apollo Telecom in a strategic move that
will strengthen its channel presence in Pakistan.
Avaya already has a strong channel base serving
its customers in Pakistan that will further be
reinforced with the addition of Apollo Telecom.
Serving the nation with integrated business
technology solutions on a global delivery
platform, Apollo Telecom will now deploy Avaya
communication solutions to businesses across all
major cities in Pakistan. Apollo Telecom was
previously the largest Nortel partner in Pakistan.
“With the phasing out of existing products, we
needed alternative solutions with a similar
technology platform, which is just part of what
Avaya offers us,” said Maj (retd.) Ata Ullah Shah,
CEO, Apollo Telecom. “In addition to being
leaders in Contact Centre and Unified
Communications technologies, Avaya has a
strong regional and local presence along with a
sound channel partner programme and channel
Illegal gateway exchange seized in Quetta
Islamabad: Pakistan Telecommunication
Authority (PTA) in its effort to curb the illegal
termination of International Voice traffic has set
Quetta: Accused persons in FIA custody. Quetta: Various credit cards and CNICs
46 recovered from the scene.
Free download | flare.com.pk
in the market and
consumers can visit their
nearest location to find
out about the product.
In case of Samsung
Star display at Mc
Donald’s, with purchase
of every large meal
consumers can enter the
draw through a coupon;
various celebrities are
invited for conducting the
draw. The event provides
consumers a chance to go
Lahore: As part of Samsung’s ongoing “meet the star” activity film star Noor is giving
up close with their
away a Samsung Star phone to the winner of lucky draw. favourite stars and
through lucky draw and give a live- interact with them. The
demonstration of the product. Samsung has activity is aimed at appreciating consumer trust
placed huge interactive touch kiosks to educate and loyalty which Samsung has enjoyed over the
customers about product at various places. years. This activity was been managed by Black
Samsung’s Star phone is a fully touch-screen Pvt. Ltd. The product is available in the market
mobile phone which is now making huge waves at 15,499 PKR.

support. We are certain this partnership will Tawil, channel and
emerge as key to developing new business marketing director
opportunities, as we expect our target market to for Avaya in MENA
enthusiastically adopt Avaya solutions. ” and Turkey.
Apollo has over 2000 existing customers across “Pakistan is
Pakistan, with the majority in the IP telephony demonstrating
and contact centre business. Apollo deploys potential for Unified
communications solutions and technology Communications;
innovations that help businesses cut costs, businesses are
increase speed to market and create new business looking for solutions that increase efficiency and
opportunities. This approach is backed by an 18 worker productivity, which are requirements not
year heritage in providing domain-intensive easily met with other technologies in the market,”
technology solutions and a solid delivery continued El-Tawil. “We see tremendous
backbone with industry leading credentials. opportunity in the region with Apollo’s existing
“Apollo has excellent coverage in all major customers currently working with legacy
cities in Pakistan. This is combined with a wealth technology that will be phased out and replaced
of experience and expertise in providing with more sophisticated and efficient solutions.
integrated telecommunications across the nation. With the availability of Avaya’s solutions in
With over a hundred consultants to focus on Pakistan, we expect many enterprises to upgrade
Avaya solutions, we are excited to have Apollo to IP telephony, which will help increase, Apollo’s
part of our channel ecosystem,” said Roger El- revenues and market share.”

up a grey traffic monitoring facility at Islamabad. credit cards used for payment of bills for the
Based on the information obtained through this mobile numbers involved in grey traffic were
system grey traffic activity was suspected in an recovered from the scene. In addition a huge
area of Quetta. quantity of CNICs and post paid bills of mobile
Acting on the numbers used in illegal activities were also
information provided recovered. Two members of a gang involved in
by PTA Headquarters illegal termination of International Voice traffic
further investigation were apprehended.
was carried out by This is the first case of its type in Balochistan
PTA Zonal Office and a successful raid which resulted in arrests
Quetta and a joint and recovery of evidence is a clear indication of
raid with FIA Quetta commitment of PTA to curb the illegal
was conducted at the international voice termination from the
suspected place. country.

A large number of
 Cover Story Zubair Ahmed Kasuri Free download | flare.com.pk

48
Free download | flare.com.pk
e often see companies joining hands
W to boost services, to facilitate
customers and to expand coverage
and productivity. We have also
seen national assets getting privatised by the
hands of government, but seeing the merger of a
top company is something unusual.
You must be wondering about the company I
am talking about. Dawn newspaper broke the
news of Telenor’s merger in China Mobile. It is
strange to see that Telenor has recently replaced
Ufone to grab the second position in the race of
telecom operators, but still it is planning to merge.
Why? why an operator with more than 20 million
subscribers is quitting? We know Telenor’s
nationwide reputation tarnished due to its links
with the Norwegian
company when the
Denmark newspaper
dared to disgrace the
Holy Prophet
(PBUH), but the
operator did not have
the heart to quit the
emerging telecom
sector of Pakistan.
What has now
pinched the
Norwegian company
Jon Eddy Abdullah
to pack up? Let’s start
from the beginning.
CEO Telenor Pakistan
Telenor Pakistan is
100 per cent owned by Telenor ASA and adds on
to its operations in Asia together with Thailand,
Malaysia and Bangladesh. Telenor launched its
operations in Pakistan in March 2005 as the single
largest direct European investment in Pakistan.
The Telenor Group is an international provider
of high quality tele, data and media
communication services with mobile operations in
13 markets across the Nordic region, Central and
Eastern Europe and in Asia. The Telenor Group is
among the largest mobile operators in the world
with over 165 million mobile subscriptions and a
workforce of approximately 40,000.
Daily Dawn reports, “According to sources,
Telenor group is interested to sell its shares in
Pakistan and is holding talks with the China
Mobile. Though both the operators have denied
any such development, sources said that
negotiations were being held secretly at the group
level.
“The Telenor group has already focused on
India for investment, as it recently sought to buy
about 67 per cent shares of Unitech Wireless and
telecom arm of Unitech Ltd in India. The Indian
market is experiencing a major growth in mobile
penetration and currently it stands at 27 per cent
with a total population of about 1.2 billion. There
has been a lot of potential in the market and the
global operators see it a best place for future
market.”
China Mobile’s first international business
venture, Zong, currently has over six million
subscribers. Before the merger talks with the
Telenor group, the China Mobile had offered to
buy the management shares of Warid Telecom
Pakistan.
China Mobile is the world's largest telecom
operator. Having a customer base of over 300
million customers, its network routes 700 million
Cover Story
decision is the decreasing
revenue in competitive market
of Pakistan where not only low
cost but also best quality is
required to achieve maximum
subscribers. The number of cell-
phone users in Pakistan has
reached over 90 million. Though
Average Revenue per User
(ARPU) shows declining trend,
over the few years aggressive
marketing and expansion of
network has enabled mobile
operators to grab more
subscribers on their networks.
But, the revenue
Telenor head office in Islamabad depreciation is not the only
reason. Let me share with you
text messages every day and handles 250 million the interview of John Eddy Abdullah, Chief
calls every hour. China Mobile's first overseas Executive Officer, Telenor Pakistan, with The
subsidiary, China Mobile Pakistan has the license News. He clearly indicated the merging of telenor.
“This means that in the long term, having five
Advertisements that have operators in a market with intense competition
and low prices may not remain feasible anymore.
nothing to do with culture of This can result in anything from mergers and
Pakistan have also helped acquisitions to dropping out of the market,”
the operator dent its image. Abdullah added.
Answering a question about deteriorating law
On the international and order situation in the country and other
horizon, India is set to grant factors impacting growth of the sector, he said
high inflation eventually reduced usage of mobile
Telenor the necessary services among consumers and pushed up the cost
security clearance to for the operators. Overall, it negatively impacted
increase its stake in Unitech the demand and supply and hence growth.
“Though inflationary pressure eases around
Wireless to the legal the globe and especially in our region, Pakistan
maximum of 74 per cent still faces a high double-digit inflation,” he added.
with the condition that no “Largely, the overall law and order situation
limits network expansion, restricts upgrading and
employees from Telenor’s maintenance of sites, increases security-related
Pakistan subsidiary will expenses and dampens investor confidence,” he
work for the Indian said and added as networks in Pakistan grew at a
tremendous rate, growth would certainly speed
company up if security conditions further improved.
Abdullah said Pakistan had the lowest call
to offer and operate voice, data and all value rates in the world and a continuous reduction in
added services in the entire country. One of the rates, as seen in the past, to attract customers was
fastest growing cellular
markets in the world,
Pakistan is a key region
that is likely to offer
expansion opportunities as
well the chance to make a
difference in the lives of a
growing clientele that is
demanding understands
and appreciates better
quality and service
standards.
Mobilink, Telenor,
Ufone, Warid and Zong
(CM-Pak) have reportedly
conveyed to the PTA that
there was a room for only
‘four’ players. A PTA
Protestors burn a telenor banner during a protest rally to condemn the publication of car-
official recently said, there toons depicting Islamic Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper
were chances that by 2010, no more viable for the future as the industry had
the country may have four operators. The already hit rock bottom.
statement confirms the Telenor-China Mobile “We also understand that when this industry
merger news to some extent. flourishes, it helps the economy by attracting
One of the very probable reasons for Telenor’s foreign direct investment (FDI), contributing 49
 Cover Story
heavily to the national exchequer, generating
employment and increasing productivity of
almost every sector. Therefore, it is imperative
that the taxation structure for the mobile industry
is rationalised further.”
When asked whether the taxation measures
were pro-growth or anti-growth for the industry,
he said tax reduction was obviously a pro-growth
measure. The rapid increase in penetration over
the last few years was made possible to a large
extent by subsidisation of activation tax by the
cellular operators.
The 50 per cent reduction in activation tax will
free up funds, which can be invested in capacity
enhancement and network expansion.
I would like to ask Abdullah if he can name a
state where economic recession has not hit. The
decrease in revenue is the dilemma of all and
sundry worldwide. Telecom operators have not
yet penetrated in all nooks and corners of
Pakistan and there is still margin for those who
continue to provide best services wit compatible
rates. I think Telenor is the only company that is
daring to quit by claiming increasing competition
hard to meet.
In fact, Telenor is eyeing the gigantic market
of India and let me tell you that the population in
India is poorer than Pakistani. Telenor cannot
survive there without offering lowest possible
rates. Besides, the Indian market is not flexible
like Pakistan as operators have to meet a number
of restrictions including security clearance. The
very proof of it is the restrictions imposed by
Indian government and security agencies before
Telenor failed to provide quality services
Telenor Pakistan has failed to attract masses
due to its poor policies and poor service which
has turned man on the street indifferent to it
inflicting huge financial losses and threatening
its survival.
Tall claims about the so-called European
technology and transparent business practices
accompanied the launching ceremony. The
then dictator, Musharraf was not only present
in the inauguration ceremony but he later
visited the company’s headquarters. Even, this
did not help the operator which was sailing in
the troubled waters since its beginning.
At that time of inauguration, management
of the company claimed that they have invested
one billion USD in Pakistan. General Musharraf
also took pride in the so-called investment that
was evident from his speech. However, fact
remains that even a quarter of the claimed
amount was never invested. Not all the money
used was more than a few million. The amount
was utilised for getting buildings for offices,
some equipment and ornamentation. Telenor
invested in its own country and neighbours
(Scandinavian countries) from where it bought
all the costly equipment. The instruments were
shifted to Pakistan for installation in the rented
facilities.
“How come they claim to have invested
huge amount in Pakistan,” a cell phone
50 company executive who has served Telenor
Abdullah said Pakistan had
the lowest call rates in the
world and a continuous
reduction in charges, as
seen in the past, to attract
customers was no more
viable for the future as the
industry had already hit
rock bottom
hiking stakes in Unitech Wireless.
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board of
India (FIPB) had last month deferred a decision
Protestors shout slogans against Denmark government
outside Telenor office to condemn the publication of cartoons
depicting Prophet Muhammad in a Danish
newspaper during a protest rally.
on allowing Telenor to hike its stake in Unitech
Wireless following reservations of security
agencies on the Norwegian firm’s strong
questioned. The story of deception does not end
here. It continued pushing the company to a
situation where it was left with no option but
to sell its assets. On July 23, the international
media reported that Telenor has declined to
comment on reports that it is in talks to sell its
mobile operations in Pakistan to China Mobile.
“We never comment on speculation,” Telenor
spokesman Paal Kvalheim said when asked
about intentions for Telenor Pakistan.
Rejection by masses has taken toll on the
company that is trying to strike a good deal but
those who want to buy it know its fragile
position. The circumstances would not allow
Telenor to close a favourable deal, sources said.
Telenor is again cheating masses by calling the
under process sale as a merger which is
contrary to the fact. This is the same company
that unleashed propaganda against other
operators for using substandard Chinese
equipment to save money but it ended up in
buying the same equipment from Chinese
vendors that proves duplicity of its
management.
Telenor has also a failed in many parts of the
country including northern areas when it
started erecting towers on heights to gain
ground. It did helped the company to gain a
sizeable customers only to throwaway SIMs
after realising that almost every call get
dropped. “Installing towers at will top means
Free download | flare.com.pk
presence in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Telenor has 49 per cent stake in Unitech and
now requires FIPB nod to complete its deal for
67 per cent shares. This would give Telenor
management control and four of the seven seats
on the board of directors.
Telenor-Wireless combine is expected to start
services later this year. Unitech has a pan-India
licence and has secured spectrum in 21 of the 22
telecom circles.
Telenor has seen enough during its stay in
Pakistan as it is among one of the most criticised
cell phone operators. It is also planning to
downsize its outlets in Pakistan. It has lost its
interest in the market as the Pakistan
Telecommunication Authority is on its way to
regulate the sector and soon there will be no
room for poor service providers.
There has been strong disunity within the
management of Telenor regarding various issues.
It has also become nearly impossible for Telenor
to manage its base stations in a time when
Pakistan is facing severe load shedding issues.
Companies like Warid have rightfully decided to
install solar base station which are not only
environment friendly but also cost effective.
Telenor is leaving. As PTA’s forecast, 2010
will be a year of four telecom operators. It is
expected that China Mobile will be able to show
some loyalty to the nation. However, I am
worried about the Telenor users who will be lost
after the merger.
I hope that the merger will not end with mass
protest...

great coverage but poor quality, it is nothing
but cheap popularity gimmick to deceive
unsuspecting customers which was not viable
in the long run,” an official of the largest
telecom company said while requesting
anonymity because he has not been authorised
to talk to media.
Tricks helped Telenor grab a sizable market
in Pakistan threatening contenders but later it
nosedived owing to negative policies.
Advertisements that have nothing to do with
culture of Pakistan have also helped the
operator dent its image.
On the international horizon, India is set to
grant Telenor the necessary security clearance
to increase its stake in Unitech Wireless to the
legal maximum of 74 per cent with the
condition that no employees from Telenor
Pakistan will work for the Indian company.
The Indian Foreign Investment Promotion
Board was due to approve the investment, but
delayed its decision pending a review of the
security situation.
The idea is that keeping the human assets
of Telenor’s Indian and Pakistani arms
separate is expected to take care of risks such
as spying and subversion. The development
needs to be watched cautiously by
local security establishment in both the
countries.

Free download | flare.com.pk
How can Telenor make
tele-doctor work?
If you must advertise this service, keep Telenor in the background and the
e-health initiative in the spotlight
he other day, an office colleague got sick.
T A severe case of food poisoning left the
poor guy in a weakened state. He was
asking around for what medicines
should one take for curing his symptoms when I
remembered Telenor’s new service. Thinking this
would be a good time to test out just how well
the service operates, I suggested he call it up and
ask. My reasoning was, their advice on medicine
would at least be better than what any one of us
could offer. My colleague also had a Telenor
number with enough balance, so that wasn’t an
issue.
I wasn’t surprised when I heard the first
traces of reluctance in his voice. Even though he
was feeling very sick, and asking everyone not
even remotely qualified in medicine for help, the
very thought of calling up an unknown doctor
wasn’t even acceptable. He started making
excuses like, how would they know what I’m
going through, they wont be able to test me and
the most stressed upon reason, they wont know
which medicines suit me.
All of his objections made sense, and so I let
the matter drop. After another half hour of
discomfort though, he got up and asked a fellow
office worker to take him to the E.R. at PIMS.
After an hour of waiting around in the line, his
condition finally got the better of him and he
went directly home to sleep it off, without
medical supervision.
The Problem with Tele-doctor
The tele-doctor service doesn’t have a human
face attached to it, and it is not personal enough
for people to even want to consider it. From the
reactions of my colleague as well as a few others
I’ve seen, it is still considered to be largely staffed
by amateurs posing as doctors and since it is a
Telenor service then making money is more
important than good service. The e-Health
initiative is almost hidden behind the big persona
(not the postpaid variety though) of Telenor as
far as their ads and other promotions go.
The fact that people would say that they will
not take advice from a doctor who doesn’t know
their history or conditions, who cannot do any
tests on them, or one who is not physically
present will then proceed to go to an unknown
All of this got me thinking,
just why doesn’t a service
which sounds helpful is
backed by a team of
registered and experienced
medical professional seem to
appeal to the masses
doctor in an ER, or take advice over the phone
from friends, or ask for medical advice from
colleagues and other non-qualified people tells
me that tele-doctor cannot be trusted because its
just not credible or personal enough.
For Telenor
How should you go about fixing it? Well, my
take is, create awareness and trust among the
people you are trying to reach. And that will
*not* happen by taking out full page ads in the
national dailies. You need to find a way to
become a part of the lives of the immediate
people you are trying to reach. Find out where
most of your demographics are and target them
specifically. (Sounds MBA’ish no?).
Basically what I’m trying to say is, reach out
to ‘current’ patients! People who need this
service now! And where else can you find a large
number of current patients but ER rooms at
major government hospitals! Setup stalls in these
Flare Report Telepedia
hospitals giving an alternative to people waiting
in line to be seen by a doctor by using the tele-
doctor service. Tell them that they can get either
an initial diagnosis (which they can compare
with what their physical doctor says) or get a
second opinion afterwards (and compare again),
to get a better indication of whether they’ve been
checked out thoroughly. If the diagnosis is
similar, you’ve built up a point of trust, if the
diagnosis is not then let them go for a third
opinion. Once you build up enough of these
points of trust, you’ll see the service being picked
up, since people love to talk about how good
‘their’ doctor or ‘their’ hospital is. I’m not really
sure why, but it is a fact - anyone who has been
cured by the advice of one doctor will keep on
advocating them for life. Become ‘their’ medical
advice service and you’ll see the numbers going
up.
In short, reach out to patients and give them a
trial of your service at no-charge. Don’t make
them pay for the first time they use it, instead
make it easier for them to overcome this barrier
by allowing them to totally disregard what the
tele-doctor’s say, in favour of their practitioner.
When both diagnoses are similar (or the e-health
doctor’s is right) people will have a smaller
resistance the next time a trip to the ER is
warranted, in calling up tele-doctor. And this
time, they’ll actually pay for it. (P.S for readers
who will debate this, this solution is not for
physical issues such as cuts and bruises or
fractures. Yes, I understand that.)
Oh, and one more thing… if you must
advertise this service, keep Telenor in the
background and the e-health initiative in the
spotlight! Remember, Telenor is corporate hence
bad… e-health is an initiative, hence good. You
want good to be associated with the good, not the
51
bad right? Courtesy: greenwhite.org

 T ech T ool Accessories
Wireless Video Camera
The Xcaster is a wireless High
Definition camera that is designed to
help organisations and companies
reduce their travel cost, decrease their
carbon footprint and substantially
increase their efficiency. This is
obtained through communicating
using tele-presence quality audio and
video along with advanced laser
based collaboration technology. The
compact and rugged designed
product features the latest streaming
and video conferencing standards
available on the market, including
SIP, H.323 as well as ISMA streaming.
Creative TravelSound i85
Creative announced the new
TravelSound i85, a pocket-sized
speaker with FM radio tuner for
Apple's iPod nano 4G media player.
Ultra compact TravelSoundis is a
docking speaker with integrated FM
tuner. It has four micro-drivers and a
digital amplifier. The device serves
also as an alarm clock.
Creative's TravelSound has an USB
port so users can transfer and charge
the iPod nano 4G without removing
the device. It has built-in lithium
polymer (Li-Po) rechargeable battery
offering up to 15 hours of play time
per charge.
HP iPAQ 910 Unboxing Video
The HP iPAQ 900 Series Business
Messenger features an integrated
QWERTY keyboard, Microsoft
Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
operating system and the latest
wireless technologies. It uses tri-
band UMTS/HSDPA and quad-
band GSM/GPRS/EDGE wireless
technology to allow customers to
make calls and quickly access the
Internet around the world, while
integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
wireless technology allows for
convenient connectivity.
64
F ree download |flare.com.pk
Audio 995 wireless headset
Plantronics have announced their
latest wireless headset, the
Plantronics. Rather than use a
standardised wireless technology
such as Bluetooth, Plantronics have
plumped for their own 2.4GHz
system which requires a USB dongle.
The range is similar to that offered by
Bluetooth, at around 40 feet, and the
Plantronics system also includes
control of volume, play and track
skips in iTunes and Windows Media
Player from buttons on the headset
itself. The microphone features noise-
cancelling technology and
automatically mutes when raised into
the upright position.
Nanny Spy A/V CAM
This is a brand new night vision
wireless colour camera with audio.
With the latest wireless technology,
this camera is able to penetrate
multiple walls in home and office
environment. With this wireless
camera set, you can record the motion
video and audio to a VCR or/and
watch the video on the TV without a
computer.
Best of all, with the build-in IR
LED, this camera is able to
operate at complete darkness (0
lux). This camera emits only
50mW of radio energy, which
greatly reduces the unwanted
"microwave pollution". Following are
some great applications of this device:
USB Flash Pen with Laser - 8GB
This elegant pen is a great office companion, providing a
few useful tools for everyday use, such as portable flash
storage of 8GB, USB 2.0 high-speed connectivity for file
transfers between the pen and your computer, a laser
module for presentations, and replaceable ink cartridge.
F ree download |flare.com.pk T ech T ool

Colour Laser Printer VX Revolution notebook mouse

Ricoh USA unveiled High-Quality
Colour Printer “AFICIO SP C400DN”.
The Printer is targeted at small scale
businesses. The Company has
designed the latest Printer to meet low
budget requirements of small scale
businessmen. At a lower price, the
AFICIO SP C400DN colour laser
printer delivers uncompromising
quality. The Aficio SP C400DN prints
at 26 pages per minute (ppm) in both The VX Revolution is Logitech's latest lapto
colour and black & white. The Printer p-friendly mouse but it is more than just a fancy
boasts of its lineage the SP design. It incorporates the new MicroGear high-
C410DN/C411DN series that got precision, low-resistance scroll wheel. It can be switche
fame for quality, high-speed printing d from the traditional "gear style" to a true free-wheeling style,
and toner efficiency. The spinning for up to seven seconds depending on how hard you
WebImageMonitor lets the users spin it. This can be really appealing to spreadsheet users - you can
check status of the Printer. shoot to the end of the document in seconds.

LG showcases 10,000:1 contrast ratio monitor

Sure, its fun to watch good quality movies on an HD TV, but with LG's latest
development you could well end up watching it on your PC. The Korean giant
recently showcased a new monitor W606 with their exclusive Digital Fine Contrast
(DFC) technology which boosts contrast ratio to 10,000:1. LG said, "The monitor
offers greater depth when viewing movies, making darks darker and whites the
whiter. The higher ratio offers greater image clarity and colour shading not
previously experienced on a computer screen.

Saitek's Latest Two Piece Joystick

Saitek's latest two piece joystick system has
improved over its previous generation system X45.
Improvements over the older joystick system are the
addition of a 2 inch square digital read out that can
display actual time, and huge amounts of
programmable buttons. Also, no AC adaptor is
required as the new design is completely USB Bus
powered. The LED lights on the buttons add that
extra bit of character that most people will like.

Iomega lunches 1GB ScreenPlay Pro HD Multimedia Drive

Promising to offer a high-definition theatre experience, Iomega has unveiled its latest
multimedia drive, dubbed ScreenPlay Pro HD. The 1TB drive allows users to bring
all their photos, music, standard- and high-definition videos to a home theater from a
PC by creating convenient link between the home network and the home theater.
The 7,200RPM unit formatted hard disk drive is compatible with a 10/100 Ethernet
connection, enabling users to remotely access their networked files or use a second
USB drive to transfer files.
The Iomega ScreenPlay Pro HD Multimedia Drive comes with a remote and also offer
built-in basic video recording capabilities from a set-top box, letting users save a
standard definition video clip for later viewing.
The drive supports HD signals up to 1080i resolution, along with DivX, MPEG-4 and
XviD video files. It supports a wide range of file formats which include MP3, AC3
(Dolby Digital Encoding), WAV, WMA, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (AVI/VOB) and JPEG.
Compliant with Windows XP and Vista operating systems, the ScreenPlay Pro HD
allows backup of important data with EMC Retrospect software or online with
MozyHome Online Backup.
65
 Tech Tool Latest LapTop Free download | flare.com.pk

Sony Vaio VGN-SR220J/H HP Pavilion DV7t-2040us

Rs Rs
104,690 159,190

The powerful, portable and durable VAIO SR notebook features a magnesium The new HP Pavilion dv7 widescreen panel offers you a new screen size that
alloy casing, Intel Centrino processor technology, long battery life and a 13.3 inch is ideal for both computing and entertainment modes. Use the ample horizon-
LED backlit widescreen display with XBRITE-ECO LCD technology. tal space for widget and toolbars and enjoy a great movie experience in their
Specifications original format.

Genuine Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Specifications

Technology Intel Centrino Processor Technology
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
Intel Core 2 Quad

Type Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6400 2.0GHz Processor Q9000 (2.0GHz)

Front Side Bus Speed 800MHz
L2 Cache 2MB
6MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB
Standard memory 4096MB

Installed 4GB PC2-6400 (2GBx2)
Maximum 4GB
Memory layout (2 x 2048 MB)

Speed 800MHz
Type DDR2
Maximum memory Supports up to 8GB DDR2 memory

Capacity 250GB
Hard Drive 500GB,
ATI Radeon HD 4650 Graphics

Chipset Mobile Intel GM45 Express Chipset

Dell Vostro 1318 Sony Vaio VGN-CS220J/T

Rs. Rs.
94,190 87,190

VAIO CS notebook, a gorgeous 14.1 inch notebook adorned by fashionable

The latest in Wi-Fi technology allows you to connect to the Internet wire- high-gloss colors inside and out. This thin-and-light PC slips easily in and out of
lessly and transfer larger content exceptionally fast. By utilizing MIMO hand bags and features an array of entertainment extras, including light effects
(Multiple In, Multiple Out), the Dell Wireless-N employs multiple integrated and an intuitive AV slide control that lets you control volume with the slide of a
Hyperband antennae to handle simultaneous wireless data streams when send- finger.
ing and receiving. Specifications
Specifications
Genuine Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

Windows Vista Home Basic Edition
Technology Intel Centrino processor technology

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8600
Type Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6400 2.0GHZ

2.40GHz / 1066MHz FSB
3Mb L2 Cache
Front Side Bus Speed 800MHz
L2 Cache 2MB

Ram 3GB DDR2 RAM
PC2 6400
Installed 4GB PC2-6400 (2GBx2)
Maximum 8GB

Hard Drive 320 GB SATA Drive
5400 Rpm Serial ATA
Speed 800MHz
Type DDR2

Acer Aspire Timeline 5810T (8+ hour battery life) SONY VAIO VGN–FW36G/B

Rs Rs.
77,490 54,190

More than 8 hours battery life (All Day Computing), ultra-light weight and The new Compaq 610 Notebook PC is designed for mobile users looking for a
sophisticated design, all at the right price. This is the Aspire Timeline. With the low-cost notebook with a 15.6 inch diagonal LED-backlit HD display, Intel
Aspire Timeline series, Acer has taken a big, if not the biggest step forward in processors and essential business features.
the concept of mobility. Specifications
Specifications
DOS
Intel Core 2Duo Processor T5870

Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
2MB L2 Cache , 800Mhz FSB

Intel Core 2 Solo Processor ULV SU3500 (1.40GHz / 800Mhz FSB with
Screen 15.6 inch WXGA High-Definition LED HD anti-glare with
3 MB L2 cache camera Widescreen

Mobile Intel GS45 Express Chipset
with Integrated Webcam
Max Resolution 1366 x 768

4GB Memory Dual-channel DDR3 SDRAM
Ram 1 GB DDR2 RAM
PC2-6400, 800Mhz FSB , Max 4GB
88
Up to 4 GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory,
Hard Drive 160 GB

320GB Hard Disk SATA
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
Free download | flare.com.pk Latest LapTop Tech Tool

Samsung 2233BW Dell E1709W

Rs Rs
22,990 10,890

This sleek, energy-saving widescreen offers outstanding Dell quality and

SAMSUNG design credentials come to the fore with the 2233BW, making sure
reliability at a tremendous value.
that your monitor takes pride of place in your office. The piano black finish, blue
Specifications
lighting, patterned rear panel and transparent bar combine to deliver a quality

Panel Size: 17 inch
design that second to none.

Optimal Resolution: 1440 X 900
Specifications

Contrast Ratio: 600:1 (typical)

Display Screen Size 22 Inch Wide
Resolution 1680 x 1050

Brightness: 250 cd/m2 (typical)

Brightness 300cd/m
Contrast Ratio DC 20,000:1 (1,000:1)

Response Time: 8 ms (typical)

Response time 5ms

Viewing Angle: 150 / 160 (typical)

Viewing Angle(Horizontal/Vertical) 170 / 160 (CR>10)

Color Support: 16.7 million colors

Colour Supported 16.7M

Pixel Pitch: 0.255mm

Plug & Play DDC 2B

Acer X193HQB HP LE2201w

Rs Rs
11,490 20,490

The silm and attractive 19 inch Widescreen offers optimised price performance
in one package, driving the latest display technologies like adaptive contrast man- Enjoy expansive views of your office software, Internet, and e-mail with the
agement and rapid response rate for a flawless performance. The X193HQ ensures HP LE2201w 22-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor, HP most energy-efficient large-
viewing comfort for sustained usage, without eyestrain. screen Essential series monitor ever.
Specifications Specifications

18.5 inch Wide 16:9 HD (409.8x230mm)
Display type Wide-aspect active matrix TFT

Panel Technology TN + film
Colors 16.7 M (6 + HiFRC)
Display size (diagonal) 22 in

Pixel Pitch 0.300 mm
Resolution 1680 x 1050 @ 60 Hz (WSXGA+)

Resolution 1366 x 768 @ 75 Hz
PPI 85
Viewing angle 160

Brightness 300 cd/m2
Viewing angle (vertical) 160

Contrast Rate 10'000:1 (ACM)
Bezel color Black

Horizontal-Vertical Frequency 30~80KHZ (H) - 55~60HZ (V)

Viewing angle 160(H),160(V) CR=10, 176(H),176(V) CR=5

Response time 5 ms

Compaq Presario W185Q LG 177WS

Rs Rs
12,290 10,990

The Compaq Presario w185q is a 18.5-inch wide-screen monitor with liquid

crystal display (LCD) and thin-film transistor (TFT) screen. Play Wide, Play LG Play MOVIES, Play GAMES. Wide enough to contain all
Specifications the excitement. Increase your productivity with an increased screen. Work on a

Display size 18.5-inch (46.99 cm) diagonal and viewable image spreadsheet, browse the web, watch a movie on one screen with room to spare.

Display type Thin-Film Transistor LCD active matrix Specifications

Integrated speakers 1 watt per channel
Size 17 Inch

Scanning frequency Horizontal scan range 30-64 KHz
Resolution 1280 x 720

Vertical scan range 50-76 Hz
Pixel Pitch 0.291mm 0.291mm

Viewing angle Horizontal viewing angle: 170 degrees
Brightness 250 cd/

Vertical viewing angle: 160 degrees
Contrast Ratio 5000:1(DFC)

Recommended resolution (H x V) 1366 x 768 @ 60 Hz
Viewing Angle 170/170

Contrast ratio Up to 600:1
Response Time 8ms

Response time 5 ms (typical) 89

Display Colors 16.2M

Pixel pitch 0.30 mm
 Tech Tool Game Review Free download | flare.com.pk

Many RTS gamers across the world, including yours truly, consider
Blizzard's Starcraft as one of the best RTS titles ever created. After almost 10
years, Blizzard's Battle.Net servers are still hosting thousands of dedicated
players who still battle against each other and enjoy every second, despite the
poor graphics and low resolution (640x480), compared to today's standards.
Blizzard keeps updating and improving their servers, which is a great and rare
thing for such an aging game.
For years, gamers speculated and spread rumors about a sequel being
developed, but nothing seemed to happen. Then, on May 19th 2007, Blizzard
Entertainment unveiled the highly anticipated sequel at the 2007 Blizzard
Worldwide Invitational event in Seoul, South Korea. The exciting news split the
fans, creating roughly two groups.
One group is consisted of those who believe that Starcraft 2 will become the
new standard in RTS gaming, the new king of the hill. The one game that will
attract thousands of RTS gamers into one place, creating a huge, strong
community. A community that will last long after the game will be released,
holding tournaments, leagues, free style games and who knows what else. It will
be a killer.
But on the other hand, there is the camp of fans who believe that the original
Starcraft was so perfect in every aspect that any change in the gameplay, or in
anything else for that matter, will only break the classic to pieces, creating
balance problems and many
other issues. New 3D
graphics will only result in
problematic control scheme
and take the whole gaming
experience away.
I know I belong to the
first group. If you still
haven't decided, or just
want to get some
information about the
game, join me as I explore
the new and fresh sequel for
a legendary RTS -
Starcraft 2.

Blockbuster action movies and video game tie-ins have joined lemonade and lawn
chairs on the list of summertime icons. PSP owners tempted to combine these things by
heading outside with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen should seriously reconsider.
This third-person run-and-gun shooter is ultimately functional, but the poorly-tuned
gameplay is uninteresting at best and aggravating at worst. Though blasting your way
through hordes of enemy robots can be satisfying, the inconsistent shooting mechanics,
unwieldy melee controls, lackluster visuals, and horrendous sound effects seriously
dampen the appeal. There is a substantial amount of game here, but you'll be hard-
pressed to find any fun.
Revenge of the Fallen features two sizable campaigns, Decepticon and Autobot,
which loosely follow the plot of the movie. The plot is conveyed through voice-acted
dialogues and intermittent cutscenes that look like a botched attempt to visualize what
goes on inside a computer. While the voice acting is well done and the music is
sufficiently dramatic, the sound effects are just awful. Explosions, robotic clanks, and
power-up twinkles all blend together in a muddled, muted cacophony that is drowned
out by the incessant sound of your guns. Laser beams are merely monotonous, but
machine guns are aggressively bad. As in, a kindergarten class armed with pots and
wooden spoons bad. And because you shoot your guns almost constantly throughout
every level, the only
respite is to turn
the volume down
from the main
menu. This takes
away the offending
effects and leaves
the dramatic music
in a strange
auditory limbo
that, sadly, is your
best option aside
from total muting.
68
Free download | flare.com.pk Tech Tool

The Dynasty Warriors franchise has become stagnant as of late.

Incomprehensible storylines and simplistic combat mechanics make it
increasingly difficult to get interested in the series' aging formula. While
Strikeforce doesn't address all of these problems, it incorporates a good
multiplayer experience and a number of new features that make it significantly
more engaging than many of its predecessors. As a result, this Dynasty
Warriors game will strike a chord for some newcomers without alienating the
series faithful.
Like previous entries in the series, Strikeforce is set in the Three Kingdoms
era of ancient China when three factions waged war for control of the land.
After choosing your kingdom and character, you're dropped into a town to
prepare for battle against the Yellow Turbans, a religious extremist group
inciting rebellion across the continent. Because each mission is presented a la
carte from a simple menu system, there is little emphasis on story. Each faction
has five chapters of these story missions, and between each chapter, you'll be
fed more exposition through perfunctory voice-overs and minimally animated
cutscenes. Diehard Dynasty Warriors fans may be interested in what's going
on, but for the uninitiated, the plot roughly boils down to this: Go here and kill
these people. There are usually at least four story missions available that can be
chosen in any order, as well as repeatable side missions that you can spend
time with when you need to level up before attempting some of the more
difficult story-driven objectives. Most missions
are limited to 30 minutes to keep the portable
game playable in small chunks, but you often
won't need the entire time to complete your main
objective.
A small town serves as your hub to upgrade
weapons, store and exchange items, and learn
new skills between missions. Using the new Chi
augmentations, you can equip one special skill to
each arm and leg for a total of four abilities that
will help you in battle. These augmentations have a wide range of effects like
increasing jump height, item potency, or dash distance. Weapons can also be
upgraded to increase their damage or to expand your maximum combo length.
To upgrade the Chi augmentations, weapons, and even the town stores, you'll
exchange the gold and materials you've earned in battle. Because the items you
find on the battlefield are randomized, loot hunting becomes a priority.

To celebrate the venerable Final Fantasy series' 20th anniversary, Square Enix came up
with Dissidia Final Fantasy, an action role-playing game that will feature a sizable cast of
the most well-known characters from the series. In the last two decades, there have been
more than a dozen Final Fantasy games and spin-offs, but Dissidia will reunite some of
our favorite heroes and villains from the main series and pit them against one another in
epic battles. At first glance, this is going to seem like a fighting game--because that's
primarily what you're doing--but with its role-playing game elements, storyline, and
customization, Dissidia is more than just one battle after another. We had an opportunity
to play a few skirmishes at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, but we recently received a
preview build to go more in-depth and check out the game's many features.
The story takes place in a distant realm, where two gods have been locked in an eternal
conflict. Cosmos (the goddess of harmony) and Chaos (the god of discord) have been
recruiting warriors from all over to fight in a deadly war. It seems that Chaos is now
gaining the upper hand and Cosmos is running out of steam. After gathering 10 of her
bravest warriors, Cosmos tells them that they must each track down a crystal, their last
hope of winning the war. Very little instruction
is given, but the warriors immediately set off on
their individual journeys, searching for
answers and the elusive crystals.
Story mode is set up so that you can play
through each hero's individual storyline in any
order. To complete the character's story, you
must clear multiple chesslike levels. Each map
is made up of a random array of squares on a
grid, with enemy pieces, treasure, and potions
placed on the board. The goal is to get to the
Stigma of Chaos on the other side of the board
to finish the level. As you complete battles, you'll gain levels, learn new abilities, and
receive items and equipment so that you can customize your character. Equipment is
shared among all the heroes, so you can easily swap items when you change characters.
As the story for each character unfolds, you'll notice that their personalities and
backstories parallel the events from the game they originally starred in. 69
 Synopsis Flare Report
Youth blog zone
Waridtel now brings the concept of
traditional blog websites to mobile phone in
order to create a unique experience for its
customers. Now Warid subscribers can register
to “Youth Blog Zone” and express their views
on a common forum. Members of “Youth Blog
Zone” can find out about latest gossip and
happenings, keep track of fashion trends and get
recent information about movies, music, sports,
business, politics, entertainment and much
more.
With this service, members of “blog zone”
can post questions of their interest and can also
leave opinions/comments on blogs.
Simply send ‘Youth’ in an SMS to 1166 and
get registered. Once you have registered for this
service, you are eligible to initiate discussions
and receive blog messages/thoughts from
members of blog zone. Charges of this service
are Rs10 plus tax/registration.
Jazz late night offer
With so much to do in the day,
there’s a lot to catch up to - at night.
That is why, Jazz introduces the perfect
Late Night Offer so now you can make
the most of your nights, along with our
fantastic day-time call rates. Subscribe to Jazz Late
Night Offer now and enjoy calling for only Rs.
3.99/hour to any Mobilink number, night after
night, from 12 AM to 7 AM. So now you can
always look forward to the clock striking
midnight, as the night is always young with Jazz
Late Night Offer. Jazz Budget Jazz One
Exciting offer
of international
MMSNow both prepaid and postpaid customers
can send and receive international MMS that
means audio, video, pictures and more! So
whether it’s a picture that you just snapped or a
video you’d like to share right now, send the
International MMS only with your Ufone.
Subscription
Existing MMS subscribers can use the service
seamlessly as there are no additional steps to
subscribe for this new service. All new (first
time) users can subscribe to MMS service free of
charge by simply calling Ufone helpline 333.
92 Like any normal MMS, enter another mobile
Sending a Blog:
After getting registered for this
service, you can initiate discussions and
express yourself by submitting your blog
via SMS to 1177. The blog should be
submitted within 138 character spaces. After
submitting your blog, you will receive your blog
ID from 1177. The blog you submitted will be
sent to all “Youth Blog Zone” members.
Example: “Hey guys, did you attend “glow
concert” at royal palm, awesome performance
by Strings and Call. I just loved it!”
If you wish to block an unwanted blog, send
“block <blog ID>” via SMS to 1177. You will no
longer receive opinions posted on this blog. If
you wish to unblock a blog, send “unblock
<blog ID>” via SMS to 1177. You will start
Jazz Octane Jazz Easy
Mobilink to Mobilink Calls
12am – 7am Rs3.99 per hour Rs3.99 for all
packages
Daily Fee Rs3.99 for all packages

A subscriber of
Jazz LNO will not be
able to switch his
package to other Jazz
packages. A subscriber
must first unsubscribe
from LNO and then can
switch his package by
dialling 123.

This offer is not
available for Jazz
Ladies First subscribers.

This is a limited time offer.
Subscription
Subscribers on Jazz One, Jazz Budget, Jazz
number in International format (with “00” or
“+” before the country code) to send the
International MMS. To receive an MMS, user
must have GPRS and MMS enabled handset
and GPRS & MMS subscription to download
the MMS. The price for outgoing MMS is Rs15
plus tax/64KB and a fixed charge of Rs 5 plus
tax per incoming MMS to be applied. The
below mentioned rates are applicable for both
Postpay & Prepaid subscribers:
Type Ufone
Outgoing MMS Rs15 + Tax (Per 64 KB)
Incoming MMS Rs5 +Tax (Per MMS)
Terms and Conditions:
Maximum size limit for sending and
receiving international MMS is 300Kb.
GPRS and MMS configuration will be
required along with GPRS and MMS compatible
handset to use the service.
MMS activation will be required for first
time users. MMS can be activated by calling 333.
All tariffs are subject to change as per
Free download | flare.com.pk
receiving comments on the blog as soon as you
unblock.
If at any time you wish to get offline would
like to stop sending/receiving blog messages,
just send “offline” in SMS to 1177@ Rs2 plus tax.
Staying offline for more than 30 days will result
in the termination of your registration.
If you wish to get back online in order to
send & receive blog messages,
send “online” in SMS to 1177. A
charge of Rs. 2+tax will be
applied.
Disclaimer
Warid does not endorse and
has no control over the content of
messages submitted by others. Blogs submitted
are not necessarily reviewed by Warid prior to
posting and do not necessarily reflect the
opinions or policies of Warid. Warid makes no
warranties express or implied, as to the content
of the Blogs. Nonetheless, Warid reserves the
right to prevent you from submitting blogs and
to edit, restrict, or remove such messages for
any reason at any time.

Easy and Jazz Octane can subscribe to
this offer by sending an SMS: In a new
SMS message, write: LNO; Send the SMS
to short code 2233; Subscriber will
receive a SMS confirmation: “Your
Package will be changed to Late Night Package
within 48 hours. Thank you for using Jazz”;
Customer will be subscribed to LNO offer in the
next 48 hours and he will be informed about
subscription via SMS; Each SMS sent to 2233, will
be charged as Rs2.5 plus tax.
Unsubscribe
Subscriber’s once subscribed to LNO offer, can
unsubscribe by sending an SMS: In a new SMS
message, write: UNSUB; Send the SMS to short
code 2233; Subscriber will receive a SMS
confirmation: “Your Package will be changed to
your normal package within 48 hours. Thank you
for using Jazz”; Subscriber will be unsubscribed
within the next 48 hours and will be informed
about un-subscription change via SMS; and Each
SMS sent to 2233, will be charged as Rs2.5 plus
tax.

PTML requirements. PTML as a matter of policy
disclaims responsibility for any publication or
terms and conditions and relevant local laws
apply.

Free download | flare.com.pk National Synopsis

age 9 years and Youngest Certified Web

12-year-old Babar Professional Associate (CIWA) at the age of
10 years. With his latest record he

advances in IT surpassed another Pakistani star Irfa

Babar Iqbal has brought great respect for
Pakistan in the field of information technology
(IT) for the fourth time in his 12 years. Proud of
Dara Ismail Khan, Babar Iqbal who is also
known as cyber kid acquired youngest Microsoft
Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) award.
Earlier he had grabbed three awards for
youngest Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)
at the age of nine years, Youngest Certified
Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) at the
Acting Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi giving
souvenir of the National Assembly building to the computer
wizard Babar Iqbal at Parliament House.
Kareem Randhawa who made the same
record at the age of 9 years and seven
months. Babar competed the exam for
which candidates of higher ages from 25 to
35 were appearing. His two brothers and
sisters are also Microsoft Certified
Professionals.
IT experts from all over the world have
been surprised by the success of Pakistani
child star. This bright prospect of young
Pakistanis shows the dazzling future of
Pakistan in Information Technology.

messages, this solution for information

PTA to provide free software

Islamabad : Pakistan Telecommunication to educational institutions across the country.
Authority (PTA) has started a project named A formal launching ceremony of the system
“SMS-based Information System” for educational was held at PTA Headquarters. During the
institutions, to equip them with an interactive occasion Mr Naguibullah Malik, Secretary IT
mobile application for broadcasting important handed over the software application along with
information to students and their guardians on its operating manual to Mr Abdur Rauf
their mobile phones. It is a system of sending Chaudhry, Secretary (Education). The
SMS by using computer software developed by application was presented to Ministry of
PTA. It has been Education for onward provision to the among
noted that usually public-sector educational institutions. Both the
management of secretaries also exchanged PTA souvenir with
educational each other.
institutions relies on This software would help recipient to be
mail-correspondence aware of events like lecture venue, coursework
with guardians, deadlines, result announcements, attendance
which is costly and details and upcoming school functions or
time consuming. PTA meetings. Since majority of students and parents
would provide this nowadays own mobile phones and most of them
software free of cost are familiar with sending and receiving SMS text
dissemination introduced by PTA in educational
institutions of Pakistan through SMS would
prove to be an important information and
communication source.
Pakistan, through the Ministry of Education
and various provincial departments, has been
focusing on using ICTs in accordance with the
millennium development goal of ‘Education for
all’.
Talking on the occasion Secretary IT
&Telecom appreciated the efforts undertaken at
PTA for proliferation of ICT-based solutions in
the country. He endorsed the Chairman PTA’s
efforts for enhancing ICT infrastructure and
services. Secretary Education also commended
the initiative and expressed his gratitude to
Secretary (IT) and Chairman PTA for developing
a valuable solution for educational institutions in
Pakistan. Dr Muhammad Yaseen, Chairman PTA
highlighted various ICT projects being carried
out at PTA.

Samsung unveils 1st LED TV

Lahore: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. the largest
cutting edge technology provider in the world, has
unveiled the latest, highly innovative series of
Televisions in Pakistan. The unveiling took place at
a forum of distributors and media in Bhurban.
Based on a breakthrough LED (Light-Emitting-
Diode) technology, the Samsung LED TV 6000 and
7000 Series provide state of the art picture quality
and are equipped with ultra clear panel, wide
colour enhancer and PC and USB connectivity.
These TVs provide convenience of interactivity.
7000 series is also equipped with a flash storage
library.
According to Steve Han, Samsung’s General
Manager, “Samsung has marked a transformative
moment with the introduction of new LED TV in
Pakistan and it has completely
revolutionised the way consumers
interact with and experience their
TVs”.
Transparent crystal display and
slim and sleek design coupled with
thinner wall mount allows these sets to
be hung on any walls. Farooq Naseem, Lahore: Mr Steve Han, Country Manager Samsung Electronics, Mr Farooq Naseem,
CEO, Digital World Pakistan shared Chief Executive Officer, DWP Group at the launch of Grand LED TV series. Picture
also shows Mr. Rizwan Butt Chief Operating Officer DWP, Mr. Khurram Farooq,
his views saying “This innovative Product Manager Samsung Electronics and Mr. George Chung, General Manager
launch of LED TV is the result of Samsung Electronics, Pakistan.
Samsung’s on-going effort in the technological realistic, smooth motion and true black levels
advancements. Their product focuses on the green- without after-image lag. It is way ahead of the
manufacturing and design leading to long-term, generic slim TVs because, despite an all-in-one type
eco-friendly HDTV solutions”. tuner embedded in its body, the total thickness of
The Samsung LED TV 7000 series provides this TV is almost equivalent to one human finger.

Telecom firms lack capability to monitor SMS remarked.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s cellular companies are
short of the capability or mechanism to “either
filter or monitor” all the SMS and email traffic, as
the number of messages crosses millions on a
daily basis.
Resultantly, the Federal Investigation
Authority (FIA) would launch an investigation
into the matter only if it receives a complaint by
any citizen, as each and every SMS or email
cannot be monitored.
“No sir, we don’t have the required
mechanism in place, both hardware and software,
that can monitor and then filter out SMS traffic,”
an official of a leading cellular company informed
APP. However, the official said that the company
could track all voice and data traffic of GSM
network but that would require extra features to
be added in the systems, which are not in place at
this point in time. “This would require millions of
dollars to be pumped into the system,” he
When
contacted, an
Internet Service Provider (ISP) official was also
empathetic to the cellular company official’s
version regarding monitoring of emails.
“The websites that contain inappropriate
content can be taken down by requesting the
respective host. However, tracking millions of
emails is not an easy job and needs technical
assistance as well as human resource,” added the
official.
93
 Synopsis Flare Report
Khushhali Bank celebrates 9 years of success
Islamabad: Khushhali Bank Limited,
established in August 2000 as the country’s first
licensed microfinance Institution celebrated its
ninth anniversary. Ghalib Nishtar, President
Khushhali Bank, said, “Khushhali Bank’s nine
year journey has been challenging and
rewarding. We began our journey with the
mandate of retailing microfinance services and
to act as a catalyst in stabilising the country’s
microfinance sector, which at the time was in its
infancy. Today, we can proudly say that we are
PTCL to provide modern telecom services
Karachi: President and Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) Pakistan Telecommunication Company
(PTCL), Walid Irshaid has said that the company
was making efforts to provide most modern
telecommunication services to its customers.
Speaking at two different meetings of Karachi
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and
Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati),
he said that PTCL has largest telecom
infrastructure and state-of-art technology and
committed to provide quality telecom sentries to
the people. He said that PTCL has recently
introduced various services including Smart TV,
DSL, Broadband facilities, VWLL phone, Internet
via USB and simplification of documentation
procedure etc.
He assures members of KCCI and Kati that all
their complaints will be removed in shortest
possible time. Walid Irshaid said that PTCL will
Scheme by Intel, PTA, Nadra for jobless people
Islamabad: Intel Pakistan Corporation, in
collaboration with Pakistan
Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and
National Database and Registration Authority
(NADRA) launched a programme to provide
employment opportunities to the unemployed
people and increase IT awareness and
94 computer penetration in the country.
realising our mandate with a strong resolve to
continue to pave the way towards a more
empowered and self sustained Pakistan.
Microfinance has been used as an effective
tool to increase financial access to the unbanked
population of the country for years now. The
establishment of specialised microfinance banks
for micro-financial services in Pakistan can and
has been contributing towards enhancing the
income generation capacity of individuals
through the provision of increased access to
capital and the opportunity to be part of
mainstream economy. It is true that poverty
eradication takes time but providing micro
credits to the poverty struck people is definitely
a step in the right direction and enables the low
income group work towards achieving a higher
soon introduce
some more
facilities to the
customers. He said
that arrangements
are being made to
implement a sharp
vigilance to
monitor staff
performance and
the one who
performed well to
Walid Irshaid, President & CEO, stay in the
(PTCL)
company.
Irshaid invites PTCL customers to suggest
measures to improve its services. The company
will not compromise on quality of services, he
added. He said PTCL has its network and
infrastructure in every city, town and village in
"It is a scheme with the name of 'Apna
Karobar', which would entitle individuals to
earn a decent livelihood by introducing and
extending ICT-based solutions", Intel World
Ahead Programme for Asia Pacific Regional
Director David Fosberg said at the launching
ceremony. He said Intel had introduced special
affordable low-cost platforms and brought
regulators and industry leaders like PTA and
Nadra together to offer a sustainable and viable
solution under the name of 'Apna Karobar'.
"Intel firmly believes that ICT is a driver
and growth catalyst for the economy and
wellbeing of the nation, and places greater
emphasis on usage and penetration of ICT. It
aims to bring innovative programmes to
achieve the goal," Fosberg said. PTA Chairman
Dr. Mohammad Yaseen said that the
programme offers an excellent opportunity to
Free download | flare.com.pk
standard of living and a more secure future.
Today KBL is the largest microfinance
institution in Pakistan in terms of presence
across 90 districts of the country and has
processed over 1.8 million loans with
cumulative disbursements exceeding Rs20
billion. Their customer base has increased
exponentially since 2000 and currently they
have approximately 373,000 active borrowers.
Khushhali Bank’s micro credit products have
greatly evolved over the years and also include
loans targeted towards various specialty areas
e.g. agriculture and livestock in addition to its
other line of products that include micro loans
for asset purchase, starting a new business and
to meet working capital requirements and
proactively mobilises deposits.

Pakistan, and a customer base of more then 5.4
million.
Chairman sub-committee on
telecommunications of Kati, Shahid Javed
Qureshi said that Pakistan has achieved
remarkable progress in the communication sector
over the last several years. This is evident from
the fact that today more than half of Pakistan's
population has access to mobile phones. The use
of internet and other communication network
have been growing rapidly.
Chairman Kati, Mian Zahid Hussain said that
local calls are free in many countries, PTCL has
not only reduced its duration from five minutes
to three minutes but it also charges every dialed
number even it is not connected He said that Kati
is willing to provide space to PTCL for setting up
PTCL cell in order to facilitate corporate sector
customers.

the jobless, particularly of rural areas, because
they would be not going to any office, and earn
around Rs10000 while sitting at their homes.
People in the rural areas through this
scheme would get the facilities of telephone,
fax, internet, e-mail and photocopy in their
own areas through the centres set up under the
scheme. Nadra Chief Operating Officer Saleem
Rafique said that the programme is aimed at
stimulating the unemployed to achieve
mastery through the use of technology. "With
the launch of this programme and by making
technological impacts our first priority, we can
make our nation financially strong by
providing them plentiful opportunities to
people where they can set up their own
businesses and earn a decent living in these
tough times of recession."

Free download | flare.com.pk National Synopsis

UBL to facilitate IESCO clients

Islamabad: One of Pakistan’s largest private
sector banks, United Bank Limited (UBL) recently
signed and implemented an agreement with
Islamabad Electric Supply Corporation (IESCO)
making it possible for IESCO consumers to pay
their bills online through the UBL Netbanking
website and contact centre.
In addition, consumers can also use their
mobile phones to avail this facility with UBL
Orion mobile banking, while plans are underway
to introduce cards in the continuation of this
facility.
Mr Musawwar Shah, Chief Commercial
Manager, IESCO and Mr Aurangzaib Alamgir,
SVP Business Head, E-Commerce Group, UBL
signed the agreement on behalf of their respective
organisations, in Islamabad.
Sharing his insight on the newly launched
facility Mr Alamgir said, “It is our
foremost priority to provide our
customers, wherever they may be,
with the best facilities and this
contract shows our commitment
towards achieving that goal.” He
further added that the e-billing
system would conserve time to
eliminate the need to wait in long
queues for utility bills payments.
With the passage of time, internet
usage has grown in Pakistan - so has
the number of transactions conducted
on the Net. Based on this insight, UBL
Netbanking, which was introduced
Islamabad: Mr Musawwar Shah, Chief Commercial Manager, IESCO and four years ago with a set of “first-of-
Mr Aurangzaib Alamgir, SVP Business Head, E-Commerce Group, UBL its-kind” features, has seen tremendous
swapping documents. success and grown in popularity.

Transition of “.pk” domain completed

Islamabad: The transition of county code Top
Level Domain (ccTLD) of Pakistan “.pk” has been
successfully completed marking it as the most
significant and noteworthy landmark in the
internet history of the county. In this regard,
Chairman PTA, Dr Mohammed Yaseen visited
Chairman PTA, Dr. Mohammad Yaseen visiting the root
mirroring for “.pk” domin at PKNIC office.
the Lahore office of PKNIC. PKNIC is the present
ccTLD operator for “.pk” domain. The purpose of
his visit was to appraise the newly upgraded
“.pk” infrastructure, data centre and customer
services department in Pakistan.
During the visit Chairman PTA noted that the
root server mirroring for “.pk” domain in
Pakistan was fully operational. PKNIC has
successfully implemented the root server
mirroring for “.pk” and tested it with all global
root servers from a.root-servers.net to m.root-
servers.net. The new authoritative mirror
M-2.PKNIC.NET.pk (203.128.7.123) would enable
local resolution of “.pk” websites. PKNIC
representatives briefed the Chairman regarding
mirroring techniques and provided some testing
on new Domain Name Service (DNS) resolution
mechanism of .pk ccTLD. Formal inauguration of
new PKNIC office shall be organised in August.
It may be mentioned that Chairman PTA had
a long association with “.pk” transition project
and has been working vigorously for the
successful transition of “.pk” domain to Pakistan.
There had been numerous attempts since a
decade to bring .pk operations to Pakistan;
however during his efforts for “.pk” transition,
Chairman PTA strongly perused and coordinated
the whole process resulting in execution of “.pk”
local mirroring.
On this occasion Chairman PTA said that
“.pk” domain is a national asset for the country
and improvement in its services would boost the
local content development; subsequently
encouraging enterprises to host their web content
under “.pk” and ensuring smooth operations of
an important internet resource. A dedicated team
at ICT Directorate, PTA under the supervision of
Chairman had been working on this significant
project for the improvement of local internet
industry.

PIA to increase salaries by 20pc

Lahore: PIA's management has decided to
increase the salaries of its employees by 20 per
cent effective from January 1, 2009.
The Collective Bargaining Agent with 8,983
members has entered into an agreement with PIA
where their salaries will rise by 20 per cent with
dues to be paid in three quarters.
Similarly PIA Senior Staff Association with
5,890 members and ATAP with 1,095 members
have also come to an agreement with PIA for 20
per cent pay rise effective from August 1, 2009 but
with no backlog to be paid to them. This was
stated by Defence Minister and Chairman PIA,
Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar while addressing a
press conference along with Managing Director
PIA, Captain Mohammad Aijaz Haroon at Jinnah
International Airport.
Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, who is also
Chairman of PIA Board of Directors said that
except for 1200-1300 members including those
belonging to PALPA, SEAP and FENA, who have
not yet held talks with the PIA Management, all
position of PIA itself is before
everyone. He said our effort is to
make PIA a viable airline through
various cost cutting measures,
already devised, and induct new
aircraft so as to reduce the aircraft-
Managing Director PIA, Captain Mohammad Aijaz Haroon photograph with employee ratio.
Office bearers of Peoples Unity of PIA Employees union CBA, PIA Senior
Staff Association (PIASSA) and Aircraft Technologist Association of Pakistan He said the employees have been
(ATAP) at PIA Head office where PIA employees gathered to celebrate the told to cooperate with the
recently announced 20% salary increase. management and whatever savings
other employees will be benefit from the pay raise would be achieved through cost cutting
agreement. He hoped that PALPA, SEAP and measures, a certain percentage of the same would
FENA too would come to negotiation table and also be shared with them on quarterly basis.
hold dialogue with the airline management to Defence Minister and Chairman PIA said
have their issues resolved. results can be achieved if they would work in
He pointed out that PALPA, SEAP and FENA loss-affected areas and go along while
of 1300 employees are yet to negotiate with the considering the airline as being their own. "This
management. "Whether these are pilots or would bring improvement in the service and lead
engineers, it is better to hold negotiations", PIA to progress and make it enter the profit
Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar pointed out and said earning stage in coming days". Ahmed Mukhtar
that pay rise is being given at a time when was confident that issues with PALPA, SEAP and
Pakistan's economy as well as the financial FENA would be resolved in a couple of days.
95
Free download | flare.com.pk
Kingston releases SSDNow V & Solid-State Drive
Taiwan: Kingston Technology Company, Inc.,
the independent world leader in memory
products, announced a new addition to its
SSDNow line of solid-state drives. Shipping
immediately, the SSDNow V+ features capacities
up to 256GB, higher input and output operations
per second (IOPS) and faster read/write speeds
than a standard mechanical hard-disk drive. It is
targeted to prosumers and enterprise companies
looking to increase performance and extend the
life of existing systems.
“The SSDNow V+ is the ideal solid-state drive
for power users, system builders, system
integrators, and in demanding corporate
environments where efficiency and performance
are important as more system resources are in
use,” said Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales
Director, APAC Region, Kingston. “Users will be
more productive as the drive’s higher capacities
and IOPS allow for more data storage and faster
Etisalat selects Alcatel-Lucent
for Unified Communications
Paris: Alcatel-Lucent announced that it has
been selected by Etisalat, the UAE’s leading
telecommunications service provider, for the
turnkey deployment of the state-of-the-art IP-
based telephony solutions across Etisalat’s offices
in the UAE. The project will be carried on through
Alcatel-Lucent’s premium business partner in the
UAE, Al-Futtaim Technologies.
Under the terms of the agreement, a complete
state-of-the-art, secure, integrated
communications solution will be installed
throughout Etisalat’s offices, including voice
communications, VoIP, LAN and VPN solutions.
The solution is based on the Alcatel-Lucent
OmniPCX Enterprise IP telephony platform and
Alcatel-Lucent My Instant Communicator Unified
Microsoft Office coming to Nokia smartphones
Microsoft and Nokia, in a challenge to Research
in Motion's Blackberry, announced that Microsoft
Office software will be available on smartphones
made by the Finnish company.
The software and cell phone giants said that
starting next year Nokia would include Microsoft
Office Communicator Mobile on its smartphones,
followed by other Office applications.
"This agreement represents an important
Microsoft business division president Stephen Elop (L) and Nokia's
executive vice president for Devices Kai Kai Oistamo announce a
global alliance to design, develop and market mobile productivity
solutions at a press event in New York.
boot and application load times.”
A computer’s operating system will benefit
from the drive’s impressive random 4K read
speeds of up to 6,300 IOPS, and random 4K writes
of up to 291 IOPS. The Kingston SSDNow V+ has
a blazing sequential read speed of up to
220MB/sec. and write speeds of up to
180MB/sec.
The V+ is the latest addition to the SSDNow
family of solid-state drives. The V+ is currently
available in the United States in 64GB, 128GB and
256GB capacities; the 64GB drive is available
worldwide with increased capacities to come. It
uses a standard SATA interface and is extremely
durable with no moving parts and less heat
generation than a typical hard-disk drive.
Kingston SSDNow V+ Features and
Specifications:
• Sequential Read Throughput*: 64GB,
128GB & 256GB – 220MB/sec.
Communications
solution.
“Our objective is
to provide a unified
communications
software suite that
would offer a state-
of-the-art integrated
user experience
across all
communication
mediums and
devices to our
employees in order to enable optimal
collaboration across our organization,” said Essa
Al Haddad, Chief Marketing Officer for Etisalat
milestone for both companies and the industry,"
Stephen Elop, the president of Microsoft Business
Division, said in a conference call with reporters.
"It's the first time Microsoft will develop rich
Office Mobile applications for another smartphone
platform," he noted, adding that the two companies
have identified several other areas for future joint
collaboration. "With more than 200 million
smartphone customers globally, Nokia is the
world's largest smartphone manufacturer and a
natural partner for us."
Microsoft and Nokia said the agreement will
allow Nokia smartphone users to view, edit, create
and share Office documents and use such popular
Microsoft programmes as Word, PowerPoint and
Excel.
"Together with Microsoft, we will develop new
and innovative user experiences for employees of
small and large businesses alike," said Kai Oistamo,
Nokia's executive vice president for devices.
Microsoft and Nokia both stressed their
National Synopsis
• Sequential Write Throughput*: 64GB –
140MB/sec.
128GB – 170MB/sec
256GB – 180MB/sec
• IOPS (Input and Output Operations per
Second)*:
Random 4K read – 6,300 IOPS
Random 4K write: 64GB – 84 IOPS
Random 4K write: 128GB – 158 IOPS
Random 4K write: 256GB – 291 IOPS

UAE.
The new solution will support 10,000 IP users
in a pure VoIP deployment over eight main sites,
with 3,500 My Instant Communicator users to
enable optimal collaboration with a full
integration of existing business applications
including complete support for the IBM Lotus
Sametime 7.5 environment, accessible from any
computer, IP phone or personal digital assistant
(PDA). It also comprises integration with the
operator’s network management platform,
contact center and a total of 3,500 fax-server users.
“Etisalat chose Alcatel-Lucent’s IP solution to
boost the efficiency of its employees, be more
competitive and generate new business, hence
increase productivity, improve customer
relations, and reduce costs,” said Venkat
Raghavan, General Manager, Al-Futtaim
Technologies. As one of the most forward-
thinking telecom operators, Etisalat has found the
benefits of an IP communications deployment
extend far beyond cost savings.

commitment to their rival mobile telephone
operating systems, Windows Mobile and Symbian.
Oistamo emphasised his company's
commitment to Symbian and said Microsoft's
productivity applications will add "tremendous
value to Symbian."
"It is really about creating a formidable
challenge for RIM rather than anybody else," he
said.
Nokia is the world's leading manufacturer of
mobile phones and holds 45 per cent share of the
smartphone market according to research firm
Gartner. But the Finnish company has been facing
increased competition in the smartphone business
from the iPhone and Blackberry.
Microsoft also faces competition in the cell
phone operating system sector from Google's open-
source Android software and free Web-based
programmes. Microsoft shares were up 1.99 per
cent to 23.59 dollars at midday in New York while
Nokia gained 1.22 per cent to 13.24 dollars.
97
 Free download | flare.com.pk

SMS could be the next big thing, but we have to redefine the importance of this
strategic messaging system since companies around the world using this medium in
various applications such as mobile banking, mobile purchasing, mobile bill payment
etc. But, in Pakistan there is a much need to have a different perspective of this
technology so people can facilitate this service as a problem solving solution. SMS can
be used in organisations such as.

1) Hospitals (one can send SMS and get information about doctors and hospitals);
2) Schools/Universities (if students wants to know about their grades they can
send SMS along with their role numbers to receive their grades);
3) Locations (if someone wants to know the directions of the city he or she can
SMS and know about
the specific locations);
4) Fast food deals can be
learnt via SMS; and
5) Companies want to run a
consumer based campaign, they
can do it in least expensive way
compared with other mediums
such as TV, Radio, Billboard etc.

A case study that tells about the

reality after implementing SMS
based solution. With more than six
million Dunkin Donuts consumed
across the world each day, the
SMS marketing campaign, which
has proved successful in Rome
over the past 2.5 months,
represents a new and exciting
promotional tool for the global
chain.
Within the first three weeks of
the campaign, the company was
able to increase its sales in Italy by
nine per cent.
Eocean team says, “SMS is the
next big thing for sure! Our SMS
based business solutions and
consultations are very powerful
tool for many businesses operating
in Pakistan.”
“Today mobile network
coverage is reaching to almost 90
per cent of the total population of
Pakistan, SMS has become one of
the main forms of communication
among the younger generation,
however, a much needed education
is required to use the technology in
correct way. Many organisations
think that SMS is only use for SMS
marketing, nonetheless, if correct
solutions are implemented with well
crafted business strategy, business
can hit bulls eye every time they
use SMS technology.”

98
,,,,,
Free download | flare.com.pk
Gates give up
Facebook
icrosoft co-founder Bill Gates said
M
he was forced to give up on the
social networking phenomenon
Facebook after too many people
wanted to be his friend.
Gates, the billionaire computer geek-
turned-philanthropist who was honoured by
India for his charity work, told an audience in
New Delhi he had tried out Facebook but
ended up when "10,000 people wanting to be
my friends".
Gates, who remains Microsoft chairman,
Phone gadget to diagnose diseases
esearchers have developed an add-on to
R a mobile phone that can take detailed
images and analyse them to diagnose
diseases such as tuberculosis.
The CellScope works as a so-called
fluorescence microscope that can identify the
markers of disease.
It is hoped the device will be useful in the
developing world, where such medical
diagnostics are rare but mobile ownership and
coverage are common. The research was
published in the free-access journal PLoS ONE.
The CellScope is made up of conventional
microscope optics as well as some equipment to
make it function as a fluorescence microscope.
Fluorescence occurs when certain molecules
are illuminated with a certain colour and "shine"
for a period in a different colour.
Fluorescent "tagging" molecules can be
specially designed to latch on to, for instance, the
bacteria that are a sign of tuberculosis (TB).
Google Maps’ unfair competition in France
French company is taking Google
A Maps to court for unfair
competition, seeking 500,000 Euros
(706,000 dollars) in damages from
the US-based Internet giant, a judicial official
said. Bottin Cartographes has lodged a
complaint with the Paris commercial court
against Google France and its parent company
Google Inc for providing free web mapping
services to some businesses.
The French company provides the same
services for a fee and claims the Google
strategy is aimed at undercutting competitors
by temporarily swallowing the full cost until it
said he had trouble figuring out whether he
"knew this person, did I not know this person".
"It was just way too much trouble so I gave it
up," Gates told the business forum.
The device can work also as a conventional
microscope. But diagnosing tuberculosis requires
a fluorescence microscope, which can illuminate a
blood sample that has been treated with "tagging"
molecules and detect just the light that those
molecules emit with great sensitivity.
"There are other people who have been
working on developing portable fluorescent
microscopes," said David Breslauer, a University
of California Berkeley researcher and lead author
of the study.
The researchers used a standard Nokia
handset with a 3.2 megapixel camera, developing
a "snap-on" addition that includes the microscope
optics and a holder for blood samples on glass
slides.
The CellScope uses cheap commercial light-
emitting diodes as the light source - in place of the
high-power, gas-filled lamps used in laboratory
versions of the device, and cheap optical filters to
isolate the light coming from the fluorescent tags.
The device has a resolution of just over one
millionth of a metre, and the team was able to
identify tuberculosis bacteria in a sample. Several
other tagging molecules are in development to
address the diagnosis of other diseases.
That computational power could be put to use
International Synopsis
Gates was in the Indian capital to receive
the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace,
Disarmament and Development, awarded by
the government for his work for the charitable
organisation, the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation.
The foundation, built by his massive
fortune, has committed nearly one billion
dollars to health and development projects in
India, targeting especially AIDS and polio.
Gates also confided to the audience that he was
"not that big at text messaging" and that "I'm
not a 24-hour-a-day tech person".
"I read a lot and some of that reading is not
on a computer," he said.
Gates, who sought to drive a vision of a
computer on every desk and in every home,
said the information technology revolution had
been "hugely beneficial" but added, "All these
tools of tech waste our time.”

in running image
analysis software, which
could easily be built into
a small application that
the phone runs.
But it is the mobile
communication aspect
that makes the device
particularly useful for
use "in the field".
"In many developing
world and rural areas,
you could be hundreds
of miles from hospitals
or miles away from
power - but the mobile
infrastructure is well-
established and pretty
much blanketing the globe," Mr Breslauer said.
"So if you can have a portable, battery-
operated system to take these images, analyse,
and transfer them, you're creating a portable
healthcare clinic. Your doctor can see your
samples without actually having to be present."
The team is now making a more robust, "field-
ready" version of the device, which will be used in
field testing and clinical trials in the future.

gains control of the market. "Google is ruining
the market," said lawyer Jean-David Scemama,
representing Bottin Cartographes, based in
Suresnes, outside Paris.
"Their strategy is to capture the market and
squeeze out the competition by creating a
monopoly for itself," he said. Scemama said
Google was offering the map services to some
companies for their internal use with the
understanding that it could provide
advertising on this site. A spokesman for
Google reached by AFP declined to comment
on the case. Hearings are set to begin on
October 16.
99
 Interview Flare Panel
Super Asia is among top ten
manufacturers of motorbikes: Faisal Afzal
Flare has conducted an interview with M. Faisal Afzal, Director Super Asia, who lamented the
government for energy crises and it should be resolved in specified period of time. Industry is very
much disappointed due to these severe power crises
First of all, would you please introduce yourself?
As you know my name is M Faisal Afzal. I did
my B Com from Hailey College Punjab University
and then for my MBA I went to NCBA. After my
MBA I decided to go to Westminster for my MA
IBM. Currently I am working as Director Super
Asia, taking care of finance & marketing of Super
Asia home appliances division. I also hold office for
Vice President Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce
& Industry.
How did you entered into the manufacturing
field and give brief introduction about the
company?
I joined my father's business. Super Asia is
renowned for producing high quality home
appliances in South Asia. . Today, Super Asia is a
conglomerate of companies with more than a
dozen different products serving many sectors of
society. Today, with its locally manufactured
products of international quality Super Asia is the
market leader in Washing Machines, Air Coolers
and Geysers. Super Asia is positioned amongst top
five in the fan industry locally and is among the top
ten manufacturers of Motorcycles in Pakistan.
Are you satisfied with your business just as it is?
We at Super Asia keep on improving our
products our procedures to meet customer
expectations. Super Asia work on the lines, cater-
to-all and thus has introduced products of different
values in the market with the latest technology.
Loadshedding has affected this
industry badly by multiplying the
losses. Exporters cannot meet the
production targets, cannot maintain
the quality, lots of wastage, high cost
of alternate energy etc. As this
industry is based on vendors and
thousands of families are attached
with it. A few big industries can afford
high cost alternate energy but vendors
cannot. So the whole production
process gets slow
Does the recession affect fan industry in
Pakistan?
Recession does affect fan industry but not as
much as other industries. Our industry has been
affected mostly by our country's internal problems
like political instability, shortage of gas, electricity
inflation, high interest rates etc. These problems
9:
Free download | flare.com.pk
due to the decrease in the price for raw material
internationally. This is very competitive industry
and there are more then 100 units, manufacturing
fans. There is cut throat competition in this
industry; no company if they want to survive can
make abnormal profits out of it.
How much load shedding affected manufacturing
industry overall in the country?
Yes loadshedding has affected this industry
badly by multiplying the losses. Exporters cannot
meet the production targets, cannot maintain the
quality, lots of wastage, high cost of alternate
energy etc. As this industry is based on vendors
and thousands of families are attached with it. A
few big industries can afford high cost alternate
energy but vendors cannot. So the whole
production process gets slow.
Do you think that the GST and others taxes on fan
industry affect the manufacturers?
Fan industry is paying higher taxes as
compared to other industry. In Pakistan tax rates
are very high as compared to any other country of
the world. I think government should focus on
increasing the tax base instead of putting more and
more taxes on existing tax payers. In this way some
people are paying too many taxes and some are
M. Faisal Afzal, Director Super Asia
totally exempted from it. That's why our tax to GDP
ratio is very low.
have created alot of troubles for industry & have
reduced the buying power of common man
How would you improve fan industry in the
resulting decrease in sales of consumer goods.
present scenario?
Is it true Gujranwala is considered to be the
Improvement comes with research and the
largest ceiling fan manufacturing hub in the
usage of the latest technology the world has to
country and how much your company
offer. By installing latest machinery, reducing
contributing country’s production?
wastages, improving process, having controls on
work flows and improving skills of labour force etc
It is true that Gujranwala is the largest fan
would be the steps that can be taken for further
manufacturing hub of the country. We can say that
improvement.
95% of fans manufacturing is happening in
Gujranwala & Gujrat. The remaining 5% is being
What is suggestion for improve this sector and
manufactured in other parts of the country with the
parts being sent for the fans from Gujranwala.
can government help in this respect?
My company is one of the top fan
First of all government should focus on energy
manufacturers, manufacturing different kinds of
crises and it should be resolved in some specified
fans available all over the country and also
period of time. Industry is very much disappointed
exporting to other countries. We have also won the
due to these severe power crises. Interest rates
FPCCI export trophy more than once in recent
should be observed carefully. This sector has very
years.
good export potential as its export is on rise every
year. Special interest should be taken for the
What is the factor to increase the prices of fans
marketing of this non traditional export product
day-by-day?
and should explore new markets. Tax rates should
be reduced. Special attention should be given for
The prices of fans went up last year due to
skill up gradation of labour force by developing
increase in prices of raw material internationally.
skill development institutes in this region.
As its basic materials are aluminum, copper, pig
iron, steel and plastics. This year prices went down
Free download | flare.com.pk
Director Technical Huawei Technologies Jackie Zhang Jing presenting a shield to
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister and Chairperson Higher Education Commission
Shahnaz Wazir Ali during her visit to Huawei UET Telecom IT Center (HUTIC) at UET
in Lahore
Director Information Ijaz Ahmad Ghori sleeps during a District Judicial Conference in
Dera Ghazi Khan.
Lahore: Head of Samsung Mobiles in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Mr Zeeshan Qureshi,
gives away the gift to famous modal Mahreen Saeed.
National Mosaic
Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Dr. Muhammad Yaseen, Member
(Technical) PTA Dr. Khawar Siddique Khokhar, Fatima Surrya Bajya and senior repre-
sentatives of mobile operators pose for a group photo during a PTA Consumer Forum in
Karachi.
Alka (Pvt) Ltd inked an accord with implement SAP ERP. This will help Alka Chemicals
in improvising business process efficiency. Present at the signing ceremony were (from
L-R) Noorus Samad, Deputy General Manager Siemens Pakistan, Moeen Ahmad, Man-
aging Director Alka (Pvt) Ltd and Nasir Munshi, Manager Business Development SAP
Pakistan.
Federal Secretary Information Technology Najeebullah Malik cuts the ribbon to inaugu-
rate 9th ITCN Asia Exhibition at Karachi Expo Center.
9;
 Mosaic National Free download | flare.com.pk

Ms. Sheilla Fruman, Country Director National Democratic Institute (NDI) USA called Sindh CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin called on President
on Interior Minister Senator A. Rehman Malik at Ministry of Interior in Islamabad. Asif Ali Zardari at President House in Islamabad.

A group photograph of Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani pushing the computer button for the online
Zaman Kaira with Chinese media delegation led by Gangyi Wang, Editor-in-Chief of declaration of the results of HSSC of FBISE Annual Examination 2009 at Prime Minister
Beijing Review in Islamabad. Secretariat, Islamabad.

Miss Madiha Khan got the Diploma of interior Karachi: Supernet Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Telecard Ltd., joins hands with HUAWEI
design at Aiwan-e-Iqbal at the Convocation day for the provision of WAN connectivity in Pakistan.
of National College of Arts, Distributed by Mr
Yousaf Raza Gillani, Prime Minister of
Pakistan.
:2
Free download | flare.com.pk International Mosaic

Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko visits a showroom of SK Telecom in Seoul during her
two-day official visit.

Actor Tom Green uses the video camera on his mobile phone as he ar-
rives as a guest at the premiere of the new comedy film "Funny People"
in Hollywood.

Muxhes take a picture with a mobile phone during the 10th anniversary of the organization "Vinni
Gaxhe," which means "Different people" in the Zapotec language, in Oaxaca.

A Bhutanese man speaks on a mobile phone as he reacts to the camera

A makeup artist waits for a model to stop talking on her phone before a Rome fashion week show
in Thimphu. in Rome, Italy.
:3
Free download | flare.com.pk International Mosaic

A man displays an iPhone along a street in Beijing where though not officially sold in Japanese actress Ko Shibasaki holds Fujifilm's latest compact digital camera "Finepix
China, the communications device is widely used. Apple has called on its Real 3D W1" during its press preview at the company's headquarters in Tokyo.
suppliers to treat workers with "dignity and respect" after the reported suicide of a
factory employee in southern China who had been accused of stealing a new iPhone
model. The missing phone was one of a batch of 16 samples produced by Foxconn.

An employee of Hitachi demonstrates the prototype model of an auto vending machine Sony employee displays the new digital camcorder "Handycam HDR-CX520V",
that uses Hitachi's finger vein authentic system to charge users at the company's equipped with a 6.6 mega-pixel CMOS sensor and a 5.5 - 66mm/F1.8 - 3.4 zoom lens, to
advanced technology exhibition in Tokyo. store high-definition video image on the 64GB internal memory and optional Memory
Stick card in Tokyo.

A man watches television on his mobile phone while commuting on a train in Tokyo.
Robot creator Tomotaka Takahashi shows off the new EVOLTA robot powered by Pana-
sonic's EVOLTA battery during a press conference in Tokyo.
:5
 No Line Rent
Competitive Rates
Crystal Clear Voice
Free VAS
 International Mosaic

Students look at Samsung Electronics' flat screen television sets displayed for visitors at the company's
headquarters in Seoul.

Model displays what Samsung claim to be the world's slimmest watch-

shaped mobile phone, just 11.98 millimetres (0.48 inchs) thick at a
showroom in Seoul. Samsung plans to release the watch-shaped mobile
first in France this month and then opening it up to other European
markets.

Japan's mobile communication giant NTT docomo employee displays the new information and naviga-
tion service on their mobile phones "Intuitive navigation", which shows an aroow for the direction on
the real image capture by a camera on the phone at the Wireless Japan exhibition in Tokyo. NTT do-
como started the trial service of the new navigation system.

A nurse wearing mask checks text messages on her mobile phone at a

government hospital in Calapan city on the island of Mindoro south of A family tries to capture a solar eclipse with mobile phone cameras in Dhaka.
Manila.
:7
Free download | flare.com.pk
Pakistani mobile users
5th in Asia
With 93 million cellular
subscribers, Pakistan stands
fifth position for number of
mobile users in Asia.
China easily ranks first
with 644.8 million
subscribers, while India
scores second position by
having 391.6 million mobile
phone users. These two
countries share 25 per cent
of total mobile phone users
in the world that is 1.04
billion subscribers of the
world’s total number of 4.15
billion.
The third largest mobile
Sabri-tech signs MoU with Malaysia
Lahore: A renowned
Pakistani Software
Development Company
Sabri-Tech, based in Lahore
has signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
with iContent of Malaysia, a
group of companies
specialised in content
development and third party
product selling.
This was briefed by the
Chief Operating Officer
(COO) of Sabri-Tech, Irfan
Najmi to the High
Commissioner for Pakistan,
Lieutenant General Tahir
Mahmud Qazi (Retd) who
visited the Pakistan Pavilion
in the Software and Services
Showcase, 2009, held in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
As per MoU, both the
Operators to restore
network
Islamabad: Mobilink has
planned to start work on
restoring its network in
Malakand division from
where militants have been
flushed out by the Army.
Briefing reporters,
Mobilink President and CEO
Rashid Khan said they did
not exactly know how much
their network had been
damaged due to the military
operation in Swat and
Buner.
When asked about the
money spent for Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR)
in accordance with
international standards, he
market in Asia is Indonesia,
with around 144.6 million,
followed by Japan. In fifth
position is Pakistan,
followed by Vietnam with
around 73.2 million users.
The seventh is the
Philippines with 71.7
million, followed by
Thailand 62.7 million,
Bangladesh 46.3 million
and South Korea 46.2
million.
The top ten countries for
mobile users in Asia have
3.48 billion people and 1.68
billion mobile users.

companies will collaborate
in developing Web
applications, consultancy
content, bespoke, telecom
and mobile applications,
besides focusing on
development of on shore/off
shore projects, team
outsourcing and third party
testing services.
Sabri-Tech made the
only said Mobilink was
doing enough to meet its
obligations. Mobilink has set
up camps for the internally
displaced persons (IDPs) at
Kund Park near Jehangira
Town which were
accommodating 1,000
families.
He said one month had
passed and the company had
planned to run these camps
for two more months. “It will
be the responsibility of the
government to take steps for
reviving business activities
in Swat and Buner following
the completion of military
operation,” he said.

National
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an SMS. All you need to do per SMS.
history as being the only Lieutenant General Tahir
foreign company taking part Mahmud Qazi (Retd) while
in the exhibition and also commenting on the MoU
being the first Pakistan signed between Pakistani
and Malaysian Companies
said that this is a landmark
event in the history of IT
collaboration between
Pakistan and Malaysia as it
will open up huge
Malaysian IT market for
Pakistani IT industry.
As an aftermath of
signing of MoU, Sabri Tech
has entered into negotiation
with various Malaysian
customers for providing
company to have entered software solutions which on
into collaboration with materialisation will open up
Malaysian ICT company. new vistas of opportunities
Other than Sabri-Tech, 150 for Pakistan to make a
Malaysian companies permanent foothold in
exhibited their products in Malaysia's developed IT
the exhibition. market.

Software for paying bills
via cell phone
The students of Punjab PTCL bills through their
University have developed respective mobile phones.
innovative and novel For this, one has to
software through which launch specific software in
even common people could mobile, choose the bill
pay their utility bills by just wanted to pay, enter bank
pressing the buttons of their account number or mobile
respective mobile phones. account number and then
Six students namely enter consumer bill reference
Ahsan Raza, Zain number.
Mehmood, Umair Bank connected by this
Mahmood, Khalil Kareem, software would verify all
Waqas Ali and Ahsan Ilyas these data and if data is
of Institute of found valid then bill would
Administrative Sciences, be paid within next few
University of the Punjab, seconds.
developed such software Then consumers would
through which even receive a message from bank
common people could pay indicating paid bill time and
their electricity, Sui gas and date which would be the
Synopsis
• “Jhatpat balance”
can be used to make on-net
and off net calls/SMS.
• Service is valid for
Warid prepaid subscribers
only.
• “Jhatpat balance”
won is valid for 10 days.

PTCL to
upgrade its
network
Lahore: Pakistan
Telecommunication
Company Limited Executive
Vice President, Jamil Khwaja
said that in order to facilitate
its valued costumers with
the best telecomm services,
PTCL is extending and
upgrading its network in
Lahore. In this regard, PTCL
has upgraded the Cable
network and provided the
ONU facility of Canal Bank
Housing Scheme to Rizwan
Gardens and the
surrounding areas to attain
relief and satisfaction of their
valued customers so that
they can utilise and enjoy the
telecomm services with ease.
proof that the specific bill
has been paid accordingly.
Bankers who tested this
software are of the view that
this system, if implemented
in full scale, would certainly
prove to be easy to use, time
saving, avoid lines, easily
reachable, reliable, secure and
cheaper and would help to
reduce the worries of the
people.
This service will pave the
path of quick services in
Pakistan for paying different
types of bills.
It will also make easier the
billing system which is
expanding due to growth of
servicws in the country.
:9
 Synopsis National
Avaya signs on Apollo Telecom
Lahore: The Avaya, the
intelligent communications
solutions provider, has signed
on the Apollo Telecom in a
strategic move that will
strengthen its channel
presence in Pakistan.
According to a press
release, the Avaya, which
already has a strong channel
base serving its customers in
Pakistan, will further be
reinforced with the addition of
Apollo Telecom (a former
Nortel partner).
Serving the nation with
integrated business
technology solutions on a
global delivery platform,
Apollo Telecom will now
deploy Avaya communication
solutions to businesses across
all major cities in Pakistan.
Apollo Telecom was
previously the largest Nortel
partner in Pakistan.
Telenor
prize retail
scheme for
partners
Karachi: Telenor
Pakistan, under its 'Easy-load
Millionaire Prize Scheme 2',
will give away prizes worth
Rs14.5 million to retail
partners from different
regions of Pakistan. Retail
Partners who have exceeded
their sales for the month of
March 09 by 10 per cent in
May 2009 are eligible to enter
the lucky draw. More than
135,000 retail partners from
across the country
participated in the scheme.

Broadband stakeholders mark out future roadmap
Islamabad: The second
meeting of Broadband
Stakeholders Group (BSG)
constituted by Pakistan
Telecommunication
Authority (PTA) was held at
PTA Headquarters.
Chairman PTA Dr
Mohammed Yaseen chaired
the session; participants
included senior management
of telecom companies, service
providers and software
association.
Broadband is considered
as a key enabler for
enhancing social and
economic productivity of a
::
country. Broadband is critical
“With the phasing out of
existing products, we needed
alternative solutions with a
similar technology platform,
which is just part of what
Avaya offers us,” said Major
(retd) Ata Ullah Shah, CEO,
Apollo Telecom. “In addition
to being leaders in Contact
Centre and Unified
Communications
technologies, Avaya has a
strong regional and local
presence along with a sound
channel partner program and
channel support. We are
certain this partnership will
emerge as key to developing
new business opportunities, as
we expect our target market to
enthusiastically adopt Avaya
solutions.
“Apollo has over 2000
existing customers across
Pakistan, with the majority in
the IP telephony and contact
Hair colour isn’t just handled
about coverage: it’s about a
whole new attitude.
Whether it’s to enhance your
natural hair colour, cover
grey strands or to give a
makeover, Garnier Colour
Naturals understands the
need for hair that retains a
rich, shiny colour on the
surface, while staying
healthy and strong from
within.
The new hair care
product Garnier Colour
Naturals, promises Pakistani
women just that: nourished
hair, with better colour.
Garnier Colour Naturals was Communication Arts in
launched in the market this Karachi.
month via a campaign Looking after all Publicis
to the delivery of private
sector services and
applications in commerce,
telecommunication and
banking. Furthermore it is
also indispensable for public
sector services and
applications in education,
health, community and other
key areas. Primary vision
behind formulation of BSG
was to establish a group of
experts who could plan out
essential suggestions for
growth and proliferation of
Broadband.
Key agenda of the second
BSG meeting was to discuss
the recently prepared first
centre business. Apollo
deploys communications
solutions and technology
innovations that help
businesses cut costs, increase
speed to market and create
new business opportunities.
This approach is backed by
an 18-year heritage in
providing domain-intensive
technology solutions and a
solid delivery backbone with
industry leading credentials,”
said Roger El-Tawil, channel
and marketing director for
Avaya.
Pakistan is demonstrating
potential for Unified
Communications; businesses
are looking for solutions that
increase efficiency and
worker productivity which
are requirements not easily
met with other technologies
in the market.

Garnier is now in Pakistan
by Red
draft report of BSG. The
report targets four major
areas of broadband
development along with
necessary recommendations
for improvement. The areas
encompass Broadband
Infrastructure & Next
Generation Broadband,
Broadband Policy
Regulation Framework,
Content & Application Take-
up and Rural Broadband
Connectivity.
During his opening
remarks Chairman PTA
congratulated the members
upon completion of an all-
inclusive first draft report. He
Free download | flare.com.pk
Ufone Bayhisaab
Karachi: With the launch The customers can
of the Bayhisaab offer, Ufone subscribe to this valuable
has given its valued new offer by simply sending
customers an unlimited SMS an SMS with 'SUB' to 704.
offer to any network and 20 This offer is available on all
Ufone to Ufone free minutes Ufone prepaid packages
only for daily charges of except for Life, Ghanta and
Rs15.99. One Number Free packages.

Worldwide aligned business that addressed several
fundamental issues such as
product positioning and its
relevance to the Pakistani
market, in collaboration with
the regional offices, and
support from the Paris
office.
With in-depth research
based on the consumer and
the retail environment, the
team put together a launch
that spoke directly to the
Pakistani Woman. The
product, packaging and
promotion in a variety of
media, such as electronic,
print and ambient
in Pakistan, Red advertising adopted a
Communication Arts bilingual approach with a
worked on a 360 campaign local flavour.

endorsed the efforts put in by initiatives up-taken by ICT
BSG for coming up with a set Directorate at PTA regarding
of suggestions both for the the growth of mobile-based
regulator and the policy ICT applications in the
makers. Chairman country.
highlighted his vision of BSG members discussed
enabling broadband growth the first draft report and
in every sector of the country. suggested necessary
He emphasised on future improvements required
& roadmap and desired the before releasing the final
BSG members to work on recommendations report. The
some realistic subscribers members also appreciated
targets for next two years. PTA for providing a common
Chairman PTA also platform to industry experts
accentuated the importance for joining their thoughts
of content and applications on improvement of
for proliferation of broadband considered as a
broadband services. He pivotal sector for enhancing
shared few of the latest productivity.

 Free download | flare.com.pk
No BTS on rooftop: CDA decision
Islamabad: The Capital
Development Authority
(CDA) has decided to bar
mobile phone companies
from installing base
transceiver system (BTS)
towers on rooftops in the
city.
The companies will at the
same time be given three
months to relocate existing
BTS towers made up of
boosters and antennas from
rooftops to the land
provided by the authority,
it’s learnt.
In October 2005 when a
strong earthquake struck the
city, the CDA had also
warned the mobile phone
companies against mounting
BTS towers on high-rises and
plazas but the illegal activity
PTCL to extend plus
package
Islamabad: PTCL has
decided to further extend its
Pakistan plus package, as a
limited time promotion of
Pcxggf"Ucggf"- SEVP PTCL
1,000 free nationwide WLL and broadband/ Smart
minutes following the TV connection.

PTA recovers 30 illegal Ultra low-cost computing by NComputing
jammers the
Karachi: NComputing (use Zealand, Canada, Macedonia, connecting his own monitor,
Pakistan
Telecommunication
Authority (PTA) in
collaboration with Federal
Investigation Agency (FIA)
has arrested two sellers
involved in illegal sale of
jammers in Karachi.
This initiative is part of
the pursuance of PTA's
efforts against illegal sale of
jammers in Karachi. PTA
carried out extensive survey
and upon investigation and
confirmation, successful
raids were conducted by
PTA and FIA on different
shops at Karachi Electronic
Market in Saddar.
continued with impunity.
Currently, there are 143
illegal and 80 legal BTS
towers in the city. According
to a senior CDA official, the
authority’s new chairman,
Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, has
directed the Directorate of
Municipal Administration
(DMA) to slap a complete
ban on the BTS tower
installation on rooftops for
the safety of people’s health,
and submit revised version
of the existing policy in this
respect to the CDA board for
approval.
He said currently, mobile
phone firms could install the
BTS towers at the places of
their choices, including
rooftops and greenbelts. The
official said under the
overwhelming response of its
consumers towards this
product. As per details, this
package is offering 1,000 free
nationwide minutes @ Rs199
w.e.f August 1.
Naveed Saeed, SEVP
Commercial, PTCL, said in
addition to our product
offerings, PTCL strives to
bring quality and
convenience to its landline
subscribers by providing best
quality voice, instant
connectivity, 24x7 helpline,
directory assistance and one
Toll free number (0800-80800)
for acquiring a new landline,
standard opening) and now in Pakistan. our keyboard, and mouse to an
A total of 30 jammers were
recovered and owners were
arrested. Under Telecom (Re-
Organisation) Act 1996, PTA
is to ensure
that the
rights of
the
licensees
and
telecom
users are
Mohammad Yaseen duly
Chairman PTA
protected.
It is worth mentioning that
since the era of new chairman
PTA has been very active in
taking strict action against
illegal activities

current policy, a cellphone
operator had to pay the CDA
Rs50,000 before installing a
BTS tower on rooftop and
Rs15,000 in the greenbelt.
He said the CDA had
planned crackdown on
mobile phone companies,
which had illegally mounted
such equipment on
buildings and in the
greenbelts. He said such
companies would be handed
down heavy penalty.
The official said
cellphone operators would
be provided land for
relocating BTS towers from
rooftops to the ground and
anyone not doing the
needful within three months
would be dealt with strictly.
He said the CDA would
Internet
users
to cross 22
million
Internet usage in Pakistan
is likely to see three digit
growth rate in next couple of
years, while it is anticipated
that total internet base will hit
22 million mark by year 2013,
out of which 4.3 million users
will be using broadband
Internet, said Dr. Yaseen,
Chairman PTA while
addressing a ceremony in
Islamabad.
It was told that PTA is
working in collaboration with
educational institutes to get
the new generation familiar
with internet.

demonstrated their latest
award-winning ultra low-cost
computing solutions at ITCN
Asia 2009, which is being held
at the Karachi Expo Centre.
Organised by the PSEB,
Ministry of Information
Technology ITCN is one of
Asia's biggest international
information technology and
telecom shows.
"NComputing virtual
desktops are taking the world
by storm," said Manish
Sharma, VP of NComputing
APAC. "We already have
customers in over 140
countries, including India,
Mexico, the United States, New
National Synopsis
HP adds
exempt from monthly fee for
two years the operators,
new
which shift their legal BTS
towers from rooftops to the servers
CDA allotted land within the Karachi: HP announced
stipulated period. the addition of
The official said the several new servers
Environment Ministry had to its HP ProLiant server
complained to the CDA that portfolio
the BTS towers emitted that provide advances
signals unsafe for human in energy efficiency,
health, and demanded action
performance and
against the culpable people
manageability, delivering
and firms.
increased value for
He said under the rules,
every IT dollar.
the cellphone operators were
Seven of the new HP
to seek a declaration from
ProLiant server platforms
the Pakistan Environment
Protection Agency (Pak- are built on the
EPA) that the BTS towers Six-Core AMD Opteron
they were interested in processors, delivering an
installing were environment- unmatched price to
friendly.
performance ratio.

W53 monitor series
by LG
Karachi: LG Electronics greatly reducing eyestrain
(LG), a leading provider of during extended use.
business solutions, These monitors include
an incredible Auto
Brightness feature that
allows them to automatically
optimise their brightness and
other picture settings based
on the ambient light in the
room and the content being
viewed.
LG based these settings
on the unified glare rating
announced the launch of its (UGR) recommended by
new W53 smart monitor International Commission on
series with cutting-edge Illumination to ensure
smart technologies that offer a comfortable viewing
top picture quality while experience.

customers typically slash their NComputing access device,
computing costs by 50 percent, which is then connected to the
maintenance by 70 per cent, shared computer. Unlike other
and electric consumption by 90 desktop virtualisation
per cent." solutions, the patented and
The NComputing solution highly efficient NComputing
is based on a simple fact: desktops deliver rich
today's computers are so multimedia and full-screen
powerful that the vast majority video.
of applications use only a small The programme provides
fraction of the computer's computing access for the first
capacity. Computing enables a time to 1.8 million
single computer to be schoolchildren throughout the
virtualised so that many users state. The solution works very
can tap the unused capacity well in enterprise and
and share it as if each person corporate environments, in call
had their own computer. centres, banks, hospitals,
Each user enjoys a full educational institutions and
desktop experience by most other working places.
:;
Free download | flare.com.pk
Sun customers switch
to HP
Karachi: HP announced a
new programme to support
the increasing number of
Sun customers looking to
transition to a more cost-
effective and stable server
and storage platform, says a
press release.
HP's Sun Complete Care
programme combines one of
the industry's broadest
technology portfolios and
the company's highly
experienced team of
professionals with a wide
range of transition and
modernisation services to
Pakistan’s IT exports up 19pc
Karachi: The country's
exports of Information
Technology (IT) and its related
services have registered a
modest growth of 19 per cent
compared with last fiscal year.
This is the lowest exports
growth rate since 2004
because the exports have been
witnessing 50 per cent growth
consecutively for the last five
years.
As per statistics obtained
from Pakistan Software
Export Board (PSEB), the
country's IT and IT-enabled
services exports have touched
USD201 million despite its
plunging demand in the
international markets as
compared with USD169
million exports in 2007-08.
However, the country has
missed its exports target of
Nokia, Accenture sign
agreement
Karachi: Nokia and
Accenture have signed an
agreement for Accenture to
acquire Nokia's Symbian
professional services unit
responsible for Symbian OS
customer engineering and
customer support.
The unit provides
engineering consulting and
product development
services on a global basis to
mobile phone manufacturers,
as well as chip manufacturers
and mobile operators.
Services provided by the
Symbian Professional
Services teams include
advanced technical support,
drive value for customers.
More than 100 customers
have chosen to migrate to
HP server and storage
platforms over the last six
months to significantly
improve the return on their
investments.
Worlwide HP has a very
good reputation and
customers like its products
and services.
HP is also very popular
in Pakistan with over 5000
clients and over 50 million
dollar contracts in the
country.

USD255 million as the global
economic recession has
affected its offshore demand
in the second half of 2008-09.
Managing Director
Pakistan Software Export
Board (PSEB), Talib Baluch,
said the achievement of
growth in exports is quite
good for the industry in the
scenario when global
techniques for enhancing
performance, memory, and
power, advanced error
diagnosis and repair, and
turnkey software
development services that
can be used in a range of
technical environments.
Approximately 165 people
will transfer to Accenture as a
result of the agreement. The
transaction is subject to
customary closing conditions
and is expected to close by
the end of third quarter 2009.
It is important to note that
Nokia is actively expanding
it’s ventures with other
player in Pakistani market.

IBM supercomputers most energy
efficient
Armonk: A new list found
that IBM supercomputers
already deemed the most
powerful in the world are
also the most energy efficient
according to the findings of
the latest Supercomputing
'Green500 List' announced by
Green500.org.
Energy efficiency--
including performance per
watt for the most
computationally demanding
workloads--is a core design
principle in developing IBM
systems. IBM offers the
broadest range of generally
downturn has exerted its
impacts on IT and other
industries worldwide. He said
IT industry has started feeling
the pinch of global economic
slowdown as offshore
demand of our exports has
been declining in the first half
of 2008-09, however, he added
the country's exports will take
time to rebound.

Illegal
gateway
seized
PTA and FIA National
Response Center for Cyber
Crimes (NR3C), Islamabad
has unearthed two illegal
international VoIP gateway
exchanges in F-6 and F-7
Islamabad. Three foreigners
have been arrested during the
seizure of these illegal
exchanges.
This initiative is a part of
the pursuance of PTA efforts
against illegal telecom traffic
and seventh successful raid in
Islamabad. During the raid
PTA and FIA team recovered
11×8 GSM tellulars, 4 GSM
media gateways and 1x router,
4 switches and more than
hundred GSM antennas.

National
applicable supercomputers
represented on the Green500
List including Blue Gene,
Power servers, iDataPlex,
BladeCenter and hybrid
clusters.
The list shows that 18 of
the Top20 most energy
efficient supercomputers in
the world are built on IBM
high performance
computing technology. The
list includes supercomputers
from across the globe being
used for a variety of
applications such as
astronomy, climate
PTCL seminar on
'Corporate Solutions'
Karachi: Pakistan
Telecommunication
Company Limited (PTCL)
organised a seminar on
"Corporate Solutions" to help
businesses meet their
demands amid global and
local competition on an
immediate basis.
Participants from co-
operate sector were given
presentation on technology
during the seminar to update
them on technologies like 3G
Connect, Leased Plus, DSL,
VPN, IP Connect, Digital
Cross Connect, DRS, VSAT,
IPLC, Video and Audio
Conferencing, Business
Communications,
Broadband on the GO,
Managed SAN, i-Sentry,
Unified Communications,
Web Hosting etc.
It was aimed at updating
the corporate customers
affiliated with multinational
companies, banks and DFIs,
pharmaceutical sector, oil
and gas sector, the
government departments
and such other clients to
improve their everyday
Synopsis
prediction and
pharmaceutical research.
IBM also holds 57 of the
Top100 positions on this list.
The number one most
energy efficient system in
the world -- an IBM
supercomputer based on an
IBM BladeCenter QS22 at the
Interdisciplinary Centre for
Mathematical and
Computational Modeling,
University of Warsaw --
produces more than 536
Mflops (millions of floating
point operations per second)
per watt of energy.

business performance.
PTCL is making its efforts
to continue introducing
much needed quality
services to its corporate
customers. PTCL has played
an important role in the
progress of IT and
Telecommunications and
further intends to introduce
these services on the
occasion of sixty-second
Independence Day of
Pakistan.
SEVP (Business Zone
South) PTCL Abdulla
Yousef, Sr Advisory Team
Member (Commercial) Dr
Sadik Al Jadir, EVP
Corporate Services Zaman
Gulzar addressed the
gathering.
EVP Corporate Services
and Product Development,
GM Corporate Services,
Kamran Mehmood, GM IP
Operations Abdul Qadir, Sr
Manager Product
Development Syed Ali
Javed, Sr Manager Corporate
Services Salman Saad Khan
presented upcoming new
;3
services of PTCL.

 Synopsis National Free download | flare.com.pk

NetSol, Chinese Bank sign agreement PTCL Vfone offers 3

NetSol Technologies Ltd.
has announced that China
Minsheng Bank Corp. Ltd
‘CMBC’ subsidiary company
Minsheng Financial Leasing
Co., Ltd “MSFL” has signed a
contract for NetSol
Technologies’ Financial Suite
of leasing and finance
products.
The NetSol
implementation with MSFL
incorporates product licenses
as well as customization,
implementation, and data
migration services. Ms Wong,
Executive Vice President of After extensive study,
Minsheng Financial Leasing research and preparation,
Co., Ltd said, “After careful MSFL selected four renowned
evaluation of globally leading software technology
companies to participate in
bidding for the project. Several
IT experts and companies
were invited as part of project
supervision and consultation.
With the deployment of the
NFS Retail Solution,
comprising of the CAP and
CMS applications, MSFL will
have stable and rapid
development of its operations.
Commenting on the
occasion, Mr Salim Ghauri,
Chairman & CEO NetSol
IT services vendors providing Technologies Ltd., stated,
software in the finance and “This implementation will
leasing space. strengthen Minsheng’s ability
CMBC is the first national to better serve its customers in
joint-stock commercial bank the rapidly growing Chinese
primarily held by non-public- leasing and finance market.
owned enterprises, also a Overall, we continue to
standard joint-stock financial enhance NetSol’s reputation as
enterprise founded strictly a leading IT solutions provider
according to the Company for the provisioning of
Law and the Commercial complex, high performance
Bank Law. leasing and finance offerings.

new exciting packages
Islamabad: PTCL Vfone,
the country's largest WLL
network, reinforcing its aim
to make communication
more affordable for its
customers has come up with
three new exciting packages.
According to details, Vfone
simple package offering call
rates as low as just Rs1 per
minute to any Vfone and at
just Rs1.50 to any PTCL
number; local or nation-wide
and off net mobile calls at
just Rs2.50, with no daily line
rent.
Whereas, Vfone Family
package offers calls to any
PTCL landline at just Rs2/3
minutes and to any off net
number for just Rs2/min,
with free nationwide calling
to all Vfone numbers, with
daily line rent of Rs five per
day.
In addition to above,
Vfone unlimited offers Free
Unlimited calls to over 1.3
million Vfone and PTCL
family members; both local
and nationwide, with no
prescribed time slots, thus
making 24/7 connectivity
possible, and off net calls at
just Rs 2/min; with a daily
Line rent of just Rs20.
In order to provide
more benefits to customers,
with every new Vfone
connection, customer would
get a balance worth Rs1000.
Further more on first card
loading of Rs1000, airtime
worth 1000 free minutes.
Exploring new horizons of
connectivity in this era of
information technology, high
speed internet browsing at
just Rs2/20 min (inclusive of
all taxes); SMS at just 25
paisas makes Vfone an un-
matched service provider.

Govt focusing on future IT market: Secretary

KARACHI: Federal
Secretary Information
Technology and
Telecommunication,
Naguibullah Malik, has
vowed the government will
make new policies in line
with future demand of the
market.
Speaking at a seminar
organised on the second day
of ITCN Asia 2009 on
Wednesday, he said the
government would make
policies in consultation with
the private sector to meet
demand of the IT industry.
He praised the services of
private sector in IT and said
they had been working on
self-sustaining basis over the
years. “The public sector has
been subservient to the
private sector,” he said while
throwing light on how the
government was planning to
bring quality and quantity in
the sector.
He explained IT meant
knowledge and access to
knowledge. Many important
sectors like aviation were
dependent on the IT industry
making it mandatory for the
government to make
sustainable and convenient
policies. “Gloomy picture is
being painted about Pakistan,
our companies should make
strong brands because
branding a product means
branding the country.”
The government would
put in place a broad-based
regulatory framework in the
near future to improve
quality of products, quality of (EU) laws because of which companies had shown annual
work and competitiveness in the EU banned some growth of 200 per cent for last
the IT sector, he said. Pakistani IT outsourcing six consecutive years. They
said e-learning was
advancing so fast that after
every three to four months
new technologies came and
brought definite changes.
e-learning also provides
numerous opportunities to
entrepreneurs while
changing the entire way of
human interaction, they
observed.
On the sidelines of the
ITCN Asia 2009, the Ras Al
Khaimah Free Trade Zone
Authority (RAKFTZ)
Law experts informed the companies owing to non- organised a seminar on ‘how
participants of the seminar compliance. to set up your business
that Pakistani IT companies IT experts highlighting the in the UAE’ that attracted
that outsourced generally did growth of the sector in a good number of
not know European Union Pakistan said that some IT participants.

PTCL: online customer support in Swat Relief goods distributed

Karachi: To ease up the PTCL maintenance team.
inquiring for the customers
He encouraged the
The e-mail address can customers to use 1218 to
by PTA
of Karachi, Pakistan also be used to address new register their concerns. He Islamabad: Pakistan distributed in various IDPs
Telecommunication service provisioning delays, Telecommunication Authority camps located at Mardan
also highlighted that
Company (PTCL) has disclosed SEVP Business sent relief goods worth one Division.
customers can apply for million rupees for internally The above mentioned items
established a customer Zone South PTCL Abdullah PTCL services including displaced persons (IDPs) of were purchased and sent to the
support service through Yousef Abdullah. "Our telephone, broadband, smart Malakand Division. The relief IDPs camps after a survey by
which the clients would be customers and their needs TV and EVO (wireless items were sent from the PTA the PTA team which assessed
facilitated with a prompt are the focal point of every Zonal Office, Peshawar. the immediate needs of the
broadband) by calling 0800-
response. Now, the decision and action we take," The relief goods include displaced persons in the
8-0800 for faster
customers can write to he said, adding that the electric fans, air coolers, stoves, camps. PTA officials said that
provisioning of service. The
Karachi. initiative would ensure that mattresses and foods items the Authority is with the IDPs
Rapid. Support@ptcl.net.pk: all customer concerns get PTCL official reiterated his
mainly flour, cooking oil, milk, in this hour of trial and would
If they do not get a response proper management company's support for the rice, sugar, tea, pulses, baby do its utmost to provide relief
;4 customers.

in the expected time from attention. food items etc. The goods were to the affected people.

Free download | flare.com.pk
Nokia N86 to be available soon
Karachi: The highly
anticipated Nokia N86 will
soon be available to
consumers. Nokia N86 is the
most advanced mobile phone
camera ever. It comes with a
powerful combination of
wide-angle Carl Zeiss optics
and an eight megapixel sensor,
resulting in performance
comparable to a stand alone
digital camera.
The Nokia N86 8MP is
designed to excel in both
Rs2.3bn to be spent on
IT sector
Faisalabad: The federal
government has earmarked
Rs2.3 billion for Information
Technology (IT) sector
during the current fiscal year
to complete 65 projects
worth Rs 16 billion.
According to official sources,
major thrust in the IT sector
would be on the Human
Resource Development
during 2009-10.
Commenting on the
National ICT Scholarship
Programme, the sources said
target for the current year
was to provide foundation
training to about 9,000
students.
About 700 successful
Wateen's WIFI zone Royal Palm
Pakistan's
Lahore: Wateen,
premier
communication and media
service provider, had signed
a contract to set-up a Wateen
WIFI Zone including a state
of the art online gaming
facility at the prestigious
Royal Palm Golf and Country
Club, which is spread over
140 acres of land and offers a
serene backdrop for business,
pleasure and social
interaction and can now keep
members connected to online
bright and low light
conditions; and it's optimised
for both video and still
imaging. Its high-speed
connectivity ensures easy and
convenient sharing. In essence,
it let's you capture more,
capture quality and capture to
share.
"People demand mobile
cameras that take excellent
pictures in all light conditions,"
says Imran Khalid Mahmood,
Country General Manager,
students would get
scholarships (target for five
years is 3,500 scholarships)
for 4-year Bachelor's degree
programme in various
national universities.
About 1,500 lady
councillors would benefit
from IT training under
Elected Lady
Representatives Programme
(PHASE-II).
The project would be
completed by March 2014,
sources added. The sources
said, "Pakistan Software
Export Board (PSEB) plans
to place 400 interns in
various companies this
year."

media through high speed
internet connectivity over
WIMAX.
Through this first-of-its-
kind collaborative effort,
Wateen will enable Club
members and guest to
seamlessly connect to the
Internet through Wateen's
Wifi deployment there
allowing professionals to
remain connected to their
business and workplaces,
remotely.
The inclusion of an
Nokia Pakistan. "That's why
the aperture of the Nokia N86
8MP is comparable to that of a
high-quality, stand-alone
digital camera. Whether it's
capturing majestic heights of
Himalayas or the panoramic
beauty of a sunset at Clifton
beach, the Nokia N86 8MP
will take brilliantly clear,
wide-angle images that are
instantly geo-tagged to be
uploaded onto sites like Ovi
Share or Flickr."
"When it comes to taking
the best digital photos, it's the
quality of the lens and the
sensor that count, not just the
quantity of pixels. The Nokia
N86 8MP is the first mobile
device with variable aperture,
adding to the Carl Zeiss
Tessar lens for excellent
results. It has never been
easier to capture special
moments in such a great
quality," says Helmut Heier of
Carl Zeiss.

Raseen to launch e-Commerce
Payment Gateway
Raseen Technologies has
partnered with a leading
Bank to launch the first 3D
secure compliant e-
Commerce Payment
Gateway in Pakistan to
process online financial
transactions, according to
Nauman Ahmed Director
Sales & Business
Development of Raseen.
It is a highly secure and
scalable service that
complies with international
financial standards including
Verified by Visa, MasterCard
Secure Code, J-Secure and
PCI standards minimizing
the risk of fraud and
merchant exposure.
online gaming facility, a one
of its kind venture at a club,
will also be an addendum to
the leisure time activities
which both senior and junior
members can take an
advantage of whilst
spending their time at the
Royal Palm Golf and
Country Club. The club
enjoys a large membership
base, all of whom will be able
to benefit from the Wateen
Will and Online Gaming
experience.

National
Punjab govt.
for promotion of IT
Lahore: The Punjab
government is taking all
possible steps to promote
information technology in the
province especially in the
government offices.
The Secretary Information
Technology Punjab, Mian
Muhammad Zulqarnain
Aamer stated this while
speaking at launching
ceremony of interactive
website of the Punjab
Institute of Mental Health.
He said that IT was
among the most important
segments of the modern
world environment as it
enables the organisations to
communicate in fastest,
reliable and convenient
manners.
Being the largest and
oldest institute of mental
health, PIMH had the largest
It is a fully managed,
feature rich payment engine
that acts as a gateway
between the merchant and
the array of agents involved
in online payment
processing. RPG integrates
with Merchant Web-portals
to provide seamless buying
experience through valid
credit/debit cards and also
covers additional delivery
channels.
The Raseen Payment
Gateway enables Merchants
to: Increase customer
satisfaction in an
increasingly competitive
market through value
differentiation. Improve
PTCL distributes prizes
among ‘linemen’
Lahore: Senior Executive
Vice President (HR&A) PTCL
Syed Mazhar Hussain and
Executive Vice President
(Business) Lahore Jamil
Khwaja distributed certificates
and cash prizes among 12
lineman of six telephone
exchanges. The exchanges are
of Gulberg, Cantt, Defence,
Garden Town, CTH and
Egerton Road to appreciate
their outstanding
Synopsis
record of various mental
illnesses, which could be
transformed into an elaborate
database, he said. He further
said that this database could
not only be helpful for
research purposes but if
linked with other hospitals,
could also help doctors
diagnose and treat their
patients, based on experience
of this institution.
The PIMH Executive
Director Dr. Nusrat Habib
Rana said that Web site
would help create a link
among the institute and
district headquarters
hospitals of the province for
the treatment of psychiatric
patients.
It is important to note that
the present government has
taken many concrete steps to
promote IT industry.

accounts receivables & lower
cost of managing cash
receivables Deliver
personalised targeted
marketing & overall
customer experience.
Key features of Raseen
Payment Gateway (RPG)
include Payment Channels,
Online Authorisation,
Security, Report and
Management and Multi-
Currency Support.
Raseen Technologies is
part of the Dhabi Group –
the UAE group that has
invested in Bank Alfalah,
Warid Telecom, United Bank
Limited, Taavun, and
Wateen Telecom.

performance. On this occasion
SEVP Mazhar Hussain said
that awards are being given
on merit, and such employees
are assets of the company. He
also announced that PTCL
would give two awards every
month to its best performing
workers. EVP (Business) Jamil
Khwaja said we should work
as a team and our main goal is
to earn the satisfaction of
;5
customers.

 Synopsis
Microsoft, Yahoo in web search partnership
San Francisco: Microsoft
Corp and Yahoo Inc inked a
10-year
Web
search
deal to
better
compete
against
market
leader
Google
Uvgxg"Dcnnogt" Inc but
Chief Executive Officer,
Microsoft stopped
short of combining their
display advertising
businesses. Yahoo shares fell
7.5 per cent, as some investors
were disappointed by the
MSN launches free
streaming video
Microsoft has announced
a UK service that will stream
full-length videos of
television shows for free.
The advertising-funded
MSN Video Player will be
available from next week
and will include over 300
hours of shows. Microsoft
said it will continue to
extend the service, adding
content by working with
broadcasters and studios.
The "beta" or trial service
features material from the
BBC's commercial
subsidiary BBC Worldwide
and ALL3MEDIA, including
Peep Show and Shameless.
Programmes will be
available in both Windows
Etisalat reports 10pc
revenue growth
UAE-based telecom
operator Etisalat reports a net
profit of AED 4.593 billion for
the first half of this year
compared with AED 5.045
billion in the first half of 2008,
which included profit on sale
of shares in Mobily of AED 892
million. Etisalat recorded net
revenues of AED 14.744 billion
for the first half growing by 10
per cent compared with AED
13.408 billion in the first half of
2008. Earnings per share for
the first half is AED 0.64
against AED 0.70 (AED 0.58
excluding exceptional item) for
the same period in 2008.
Etisalat's chairman
Mohammad Omran said the
financial results for the first
;6
half reflect that Etisalat was
International
limited scope of the deal.
Shares of Microsoft edged
higher, while Google shares
fell one per cent.
"Those who were
looking forward to a take-out,
the deal was rather
disappointing," said Marc
Pado, US market strategist for
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co "The
10-year pact, it's not a bad
thing. It's not as good as what
investors expected."
Under the deal
announced, Microsoft's Bing
search engine will be
the exclusive algorithmic
search and paid search
technology for
Media Video (WMV) and
Flash formats to cater for
both PC and Mac users.
The project is an offshoot
of the established MSN
Video, which offers short
video clips ranging from
music to sport and news.
The video service ranked
fifth in the UK in a recent
survey of video-on-demand
sites.
Ashley Highfield,
Microsoft's managing
director and vice president
of consumer and online, said
the firm is hoping to use its
"unparalleled reach" to offer
content to the 23 per cent of
UK consumers who watch
video online.

not directly affected by the
global financial crisis. Etisalat
had 7.26 million mobile
customers in UAE on 30 June,
down by 81,000 compared
with the end of the first
quarter, and also saw its fixed
line customer base decrease by
19,000 to 1.331 million on 30
June.
Free download | flare.com.pk
Teamwork to fight
Yahoo's
Yahoo will be responsible
sites. cyber crime
for selling San Francisco: Long-time
premium computer security rivals are
search ads joining hands to battle
for both increasingly sophisticated
companies. online attacks by cyber
Yahoo criminals.
stimated "The attacks are getting
the deal more complex, and if we
will boost want to get ahead of
its annual attackers the call is
Ectqn"Dctv|" perating to work together in a
Chief Executive Officer,
Yahoo income community approach," said
by about USD500 million Microsoft Security Response
and yield capital Centre director Mike
expenditure savings of Reavey.
USD200 million.
"One of the things
becoming clear is that
Pirate Bay faces new legal threat
The world's most high-
profile file-sharing website the
Wadsted told AFP.
The lawsuit has been
Pirate Bay faces a new volley brought by Columbia Pictures,
of legal action. Thirteen Disney Enterprises, Universal
Hollywood production Studios and 10 other firms,
companies have filed a new many of which were due to
lawsuit to try to get the
website shut down.
In April the site's founders
were found guilty of breaking
copyright law and were
sentenced to a year in jail and
ordered to pay USD4.5million
in damages. However, the site
has continued to operate,
allowing users to share
copyrighted films, TV and
music.
"We have filed a complaint receive damages from the
against The Pirate Bay because April settlement.
they have not stopped their The Pirate Bay was set up
activities after they were in 2003 by anti-copyright
sentenced to prison," the organisation Piratbyran, but
studios' lawyer Monique for the last five years it has
Windows 7 released
Microsoft declared its
Etisalat's internet customer next-generation Windows 7
base grew from 1.202 million operating system ready for
to 1.23 million on 30 June. delivery to computer
Despite these negative trends makers.
in the home market, A Windows 7 release-to-
manufacturers (RTM) is
meant to allow time for the
software to be built into
computers and other “smart”
hardware to be available
when Microsoft’s latest
operating system debuts
publicly on October 22.
“Today after all the
validation checks were met,
we signed off and declared
the company's chairman aims build 7600 as RTM,”
Brandon LeBlanc of the
to add 15 million customers
by 2010 to hit the 100 million Windows Team said in a
mark by focusing on message posted Wednesday
international markets.
at Microsoft’s official
customers want vendors to
work together, and they
want information and
protection out faster."
Microsoft used a premier
Black Hat security
conference in Las Vegas as a
stage to unveil
enhancements to the
software giant's computer
defence collaboration
efforts.
Microsoft released a new
tool designed to make it
easier for software security
firms to model hacker
threats and craft defences.

been run by individuals.
Millions of files are exchanged
using the service every day.
Following the most recent
lawsuit, the site was bought by
Global Gaming Factory (GGF)
for 60m kronor who intend to
turn the site into a legal, pay
service. The new owners have
outlined a "give and take"
model which pays users for
sharing their resources.

website.
“Not only is RTM an
important milestone for us,
it’s also an important
milestone for our partners.”
Microsoft put Windows 7
through myriad quality tests
and incorporated feedback
from partners and test users
before approving it for
release to computer makers,
according to LeBlanc.
Windows 7 code is
delivered to hardware
makers, according to
Microsoft. More than 10
million people joined in
testing Windows 7 software
in a voluntary test
programme, according to
Microsoft.

Free download | flare.com.pk
Vietnam limits cell
phones due to number
shortage
Hanoi: Vietnam will
allow consumers to
subscribe to a maximum
three mobile phone numbers
on each network from next
month due to the limited
amount of numbers
available.
The country of around 87
million has nearly 111
million phone subscriptions,
88 per cent of them - over 97
million - mobile phone
users, Information and
Communications Ministry
UAE's Etisalat eyes majority in Kuwait's Zain
Dubai:
Telecommunications
Emirates Nigeria," Jamal al-Jarwan told
Corp Reuters in a telephone
(Etisalat) is interested in interview.
buying a 51 per cent stake in "We're looking at a 51 per
Kuwait's Zain Group at the
right price, the chief executive
of its international unit said.
"We are interested in Zain as a
whole, given the right values ...
We need to sort out the
overlap in Saudi Arabia and
Google Earth goes to moon
Google marked the 40th
anniversary of the first human
footsteps on the moon by
adding virtual lunar
exploration to its free online
Earth map and imagery
service.
The moon joins Earth,
Mars, and Sky in an options
list in an upper tool bar on the
main Web page at
earth.google.com. Aspiring
lunar explorers will need
Google Earth 5.0 software,
which can be downloaded
free.
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz
Aldrin joined Google, X Prize
Foundation, and NASA
officials in Washington, DC,
for the launch of Moon in
Google Earth. Astronauts Neil
Armstrong and Aldrin on July
20, 1969 became the first men
data showed.
"Because the number of
mobile phone numbers is
limited, the telecom
resources must be put into
effective use," it said in a
circular.
This month Beeline VN,
40 per cent owned by
Russian telecom company
Vimpelcom, will launch a
service, becoming the
Southeast Asian country's
seventh mobile phone
service provider.

cent stake in Zain," he added.
Etisalat, which operates in 18
countries including Egypt and
India, is one of a number of
Gulf Arab telecom operators
that have expanded overseas
after losing their monopolies at
to walk on the moon.
“Forty years ago, two
human beings walked on the
moon,” said Moon in Google
Earth product manager
Michael Weiss-Malik. “It’s
now possible for anyone to
follow in their footsteps. We’re
giving hundreds of millions of
people around the world
unprecedented access to an
interactive 3D presentation of
the Apollo missions.”
Moon in Google Earth
meshes “Street View” style
panoramic photographs and
NASA video taken on the
surface of the moon to create
a virtual moonscape. Apollo
programme astronauts Jack
Schmitt and Aldrin provided
narration for online lunar
tours.

Bangladesh urged to cut SIM card tax
Dhaka: GSMA, the global
trade body representing the
mobile telephone industry,
called on Bangladesh to
eliminate its SIM card tax to
make cell phone connections
affordable to its more than
100 million unconnected
people.
The SIM card tax of 800
taka (USD11.6) per
connection is the single
largest obstacle to the
acquisition of new
subscribers, constituting a
major barrier to growth and
blocking new investments in
updated mobile networks
home. Zain, which is partly
owned by the country's
sovereign wealth fund, said on
Monday it still hoped to sell its
African unit despite French
media and telecoms giant
Vivendi calling off talks to buy
a majority stake in the
business.
Jarwan said that Etisalat,
the region's largest operator by
market value, was interested
in "the whole package" and not
just Zain's African unit. "We
overlap with Zain in many
countries, but overall we're
looking at it," he said. "Zain
makes a compelling story for
us." Jarwan declined to
comment on whether it was
already talking to Zain about
the possibility of taking a
stake. "Zain has no comment
on that," Zain's spokesman
Ibrahim Adel told Reuters.

China web browsers outnumber
American population
The number- of Internet
users in China is now greater
than the entire population of
the United States, after rising
to 338 million by the end of
June, state media reported.
China's online population,
the largest in the world, rose
by 40 million in the first six
months of 2009, the official
Xinhua news agency reported,
citing a report by the China
Internet Network Information
Centre.
The number of broadband
Internet connections rose by 10
million to 93.5 million in the
first half of the year, the report
said. About 95 per cent of
townships were connected to
broadband by early June and
International
that provide broadband via
mobile infrastructure, the
GSMA said.
The impoverished south
Asian country’s mobile
sector had grown rapidly,
but GSMA said that recently
“the growth of the sector has
come to a halt due to
increases in taxes.”
Mobile adoption growth
rates have been consistently
declining in the last three
quarters, and now stand
below three per cent per
quarter, the GSMA said.
“It is a negative
proposition all round, as
Twitter hacked by old
technique
Breaking into someone’s e-
mail can be child’s play for a
determined hacker, as Twitter
Inc. employees have learned
the hard way - again.
For the third time this year,
the San Francisco based
company was the victim of a
security breach stemming
from a simple end-run around
its defences. In the latest case, a
hacker got the password for an
employee’s personal e-mail
account-possibly by guessing
or by correctly answering a
security question - and
worked from there to steal
confidential company
documents.
The techniques used by the
attackers highlight the dangers
of a broader trend promoted
by Google Inc. and others
92.5 per cent of villages had
telephone lines that could be
used for Internet access,
Xinhua said, citing the official
data.
Rural coverage is expected
to improve as the country's
three telecoms operators
China Telecom, China Mobile
and China Unicom invest 40
billion dollars in a national 3G
network over the next year.
China's fast-growing
online population has made
the Internet a forum for the
country's citizens to express
their opinions in a way rarely
seen in the traditional, strictly
government-controlled media.
The growing strength and
Synopsis
consumers lack access to
mobile services, the
government loses with
lower tax collection as the
number of user declines, and
mobile operators have a
diminishing customer base,”
said Ricardo Tavares, senior
vice president for public
policy at the GSMA.
“The elimination of the
SIM card tax is essential to
re-establish the growth path
of the mobile industry in
Bangladesh and would work
in a counter-cyclical way
stimulating the whole
economy.”

toward storing more data
online, instead of on
computers under your
control.
Stealing the password for
someone’s Gmail account, for
example, not only gives the
hacker access to that person’s
personal e-mail, but also to
any other Google applications
they might use for work, like
those used to create
spreadsheets or presentations.
That’s apparently what
happened to Twitter, which
shares confidential data
within the company through
the Google Apps package that
incorporates e-mail, word
processing, spreadsheet,
calendar and other Google
services for USD50 per user
per year.

influence of the web
population has prompted
concern in Beijing about
potential social unrest, and the
government has stepped up
its control over the Internet in
recent years.
After rioting early this
month in the capital of the
restive northwest Xinjiang
region, the government cut off
online access to most of the
area, in one of the largest
known Internet blackouts in
China yet.
It has also blocked access
to Twitter, Facebook,
YouTube and a range of other
sites used for networking and
;7
sharing content.

Free download | flare.com.pk International Synopsis

Telstra's $4bn profit Epicor puts ERP on the road

TELSTRA has produced
a $4.07 billion profit for the
2009 financial year, but new
chief executive David
Thodey has abandoned most
of his predecessor's 2010
guidance targets as the
realities of the economic
slowdown, and the
company's declining fixed-
line revenues, kicked in.
The giant telco posted a
10.3 per cent rise in profit for
the 12 months ended June
30, up from $3.69bn a year
earlier, to exceed market
forecasts of $3.82bn.
Revenue slipped below
the company's guidance of
3-5 per cent growth, rising
only 2.7 per cent to $25.5bn
as the company continued to
contend with the decline
in its fixed-line telephony
business, which dropped 4.9
per cent to $6.3bn for the
year.
Revenue at Telstra's
mobile business grew by 10
per cent to $6.1bn,
while wireless broadband
revenue jumped 69.2 per
cent to $587 million and
fixed retail broadband
revenue was up 15.9 per cent
to $1.5bn.

Epicor Software has
quietly snapped up a small
Australian firm, Spectrax,
which specialises in mobility
for road warriors.
The company did not give
a figure for the deal, but
Spectrax chief executive
Anthony Julien said he was
happy with the outcome: "We
managed to get the sale
across the line in a very
difficult economic period."
The two companies had a
working relationship and
Spectrax tried to expand
overseas in a bid to take the
company to greater heights,
but realised an acquisition
might be a better path.
"We put our toes in the US
and UK markets, but learnt
very quickly that without a
large vendor backing you, it's
nearly impossible to break
into those markets," he said.
The move is a shot in the
arm for Epicor, which does
not have products that cater
to workers who need access
to enterprise resource
planning systems while on
the road.
"Our offerings have so far
been on-campus, but this
untethers us from the
constraints of our own
applications," Epicor director
Rodney Winger said. Over
the past few months Epicor
has been running tests on
Spectrax software in
preparation for worldwide
availability.
Spectrax's field service
offering will be the first to hit
the global market in a few
weeks, rebranded under the
Epicor Mobile Field Service
banner. Epicor Australia Vice
President Craig Charlton said
Spectrax customers would
join a list of its local clients
including Computershare,
Bupa and General Pants.
Epicor has 600 customers in
Australia.

US govt. not to get secret company Internet data

Washington:
Telecommunications
providers will not have to give
the government sensitive
revenue and Internet speed
data for a programme to map
broadband use in US homes
and bring high-speed Internet
service to more people.
The US Commerce
Department said on that
companies such as Verizon
Communications Inc,
Comcast Corp and AT&T Inc
do not have to share how
much money they make from
each Internet subscriber. Nor
must they say how fast their
Internet connections typically
run. Instead, they will provide
data by the block, usually
about a dozen homes
depending on the size of the failing to make it public allows Internet service advertise
block. the companies to advertise - maximum service speeds as a
way to entice customers. More
speed means faster access to
online entertainment and
information. Internet
connections can work at
slower speeds than the
maximum speed advertised,
especially when many
subscribers are online at the
same time.
The American Cable
Association and other groups
representing the companies
opposed some of the rules
They also will share the and charge for - something before the government
speed of Internet service that that they often cannot deliver, clarified the data policy.
they advertise. Companies do said Joel Kelsey, a telecom "The agency's
not want to share the specific policy analyst at Consumers modifications will improve
data because they do not want Union, a watchdog group. and expedite (the mapping)
their competitors to see it. But Companies that sell effort," ACA President
Matthew Polka said.
Larry Landis, an Indiana
utility regulatory
commissioner and chairman
of the federal-state group that
will map high-speed Internet
availability, praised the
Commerce Department's
National Telecommunications
and Information
Administration for being
flexible. The Commerce and
Agriculture departments will
award loans and grants to
state and local governments,
and non-profit and for-profit
companies, including
telecommunications
companies, to participate in
the government's broadband
programme.

NComputing out for virtualisation New friend for

San Francisco:
NComputing is out to span
the digital divide with a
version of cloud computing
called "virtualisation," which
essentially turns one
machine into many. The
California-based start-up
has installed more than two
million computer "seats"
worldwide in the past two
years and its business is
rocketing, particularly in
developing countries where
cash is scarce.
"We are showing how the
next wave of IT is going to
have a profound effect on
digital inclusion because it
will be affordable to
everyone," NComputing
Chief Executive Stephen
Dukker told AFP.
"This technology is not a
classic obsolete, hand-me-
down to the developing
world. This is leading-edge
technology being deployed
in corporations today and
the foundation behind cloud
computing."
NComputing builds
software that takes
advantage of the fact that
chips in computers are far
more powerful than most
users need. V Space software
divides processing power in
computers into arrays of
"virtual" machines, each
linked to separate monitors
and keyboards.
A typical personal
computer (PC) user
routinely calls on about 10
percent of a machine's
computing power, according
to NComputing. The latest
computing technology can
be put into workstations for
as little as USD 70 per virtual
machine, according to
NComputing.
While the US is
NComputing's biggest
single market, more than
half of its business comes
from developing countries.
"There are a billion people
on the planet living on less
than a dollar a day; they've
got big worries on their
minds that probably don't
include computers,"
Partridge said.
"There are a billion with
wealth enough to buy their
one-to-one computers. Then,
there is this huge group in
between that could really
benefit from broad access to
PCs."

Facebook: FriendFeed
Facebook announced that it
has acquired FriendFeed, a
Silicon Valley start up which
allows members to see what
their friends are doing online
and share content.
Facebook said that the 12
employees of the Mountain
View, California-based
FriendFeed will join Facebook
and its four founders will hold
senior roles on Facebook’s
engineering and product
teams.
Facebook said
FriendFeed.com “will continue
to operate normally for the time
being as the teams determine
the longer term plans for the
product.”Financial details of
the purchase were not
disclosed. The acquisition of
FriendFeed follows Facebook’s
failed attempt last year to buy
hot micro-blogging service
Twitter. FriendFeed has been
described as a potential rival to
Twitter in its ability to conduct
real-time search, an area where
Facebook has been seeking to
expand. “Facebook and
FriendFeed share a common
vision of giving people tools to
share and connect with their
friends,” FriendFeed
co-founder Bret Taylor said in
a statement.
“We can’t wait to join the
team and bring many of the
innovations we’ve developed
at FriendFeed to Facebook’s
250 million users around the
world,” added Taylor,
previously the group product
manager who launched Google
;9
Maps.

 Synopsis International
GPs say no to computers: study
General practitioners may
have a computer on their desk,
but less than one-quarter are
making full use of its
capabilities, according to a new
report.
While 97 per cent of GPs
had access to a computer for
either clinical or administrative
use in 2007-08, up from 87 per
cent in 2000-01, just over 11 per
cent of GPs did not use it at all,
the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare report on
GP activity said.
The findings are based on
an analysis of 10 years' data
collected continuously through
the Bettering the Evaluation
and Care of Health (BEACH)
Intel trumps forecasts,
bodes well for
PC sector
San Francisco: Intel Corp’s
quarterly results and outlook
blew past Wall Street
forecasts on better-than-
expected consumer demand
for PCs, especially in Asia,
setting an auspicious
tone for the technology
sector.
Shares of Intel, the world’s
largest chipmaker, jumped
eight per cent on the
report, driving Standard &
Poor’s 500 stock index futures
sharply higher and
bolstering technology shares
such as arch rival Advanced
Micro Devices Inc.
Intel projected third-
Facebook
claims 250
million users
San Francisco: Facebook
founder Mark Zuckerberg said
the number of people using the
online social networking
service had climbed to 250
million. "The rapid pace of our
growth is humbling and
exciting for us," Zuckerberg
said in a message posted at
Facebook's official blog.
"For us, growing to 250
million users isn't just an
impressive number;
Palo Alto, California-based
Facebook was founded in 2004
and has become the most
popular online social
networking service, eclipsing
News Corporation-owned
;: MySpace.

programme.
Federal Health Minister
Nicola Roxon said the report
showed GPs were spending an
increasing amount of time with
older patients, and managing
more chronic diseases.
It also found that the use of
computers for medical reasons
quarter revenue at USD8.1
billion to USD8.9 billion,
compared with analysts’
average forecast of
USD7.8 billion, according to
Reuters Estimates.
Intel’s strong showing
came despite what it
described as weak demand
from the corporations that
traditionally are big buyers
of computer equipment,
and comments by Intel
executives that Microsoft’s
forthcoming Windows 7
operating system is
unlikely to revive corporate
spending this year.

Cyber crime lords using big
business tactics: Cisco
San Francisco: Cyber
criminals are aping
executives when it comes to
sales, marketing and risk
management in the world of
online treachery, according to
a report networking giant
Cisco released. "A lot of
techniques they are using
today are not new; it is really
about how they may be doing
some of the same old things,"
said Cisco chief security
researcher Patrick Peterson.
"The novel thing is that
they have taken the Harvard
Business School, General
Electric board room business
training and applied it to
their old techniques."
The California technology
"had not produced any
difference in measurable
indicators of quality of
patient care". A 2006 study
found only 21.7 per cent
made use of all of their
software's clinical functions
including holding all data
electronically.

Poor IT job market may fuel
online crime
Washington: The ever-
weakening job market could
well lead to an increase in
online crime as laid-off
workers, especially those with
computer skills, turn to scams
to support themselves, Cisco
Systems Inc said in a mid-year
security report released.
Disgruntled employees
may target their former
employers, and Cisco warned
that insiders "can be especially
damaging for an organisation
because insiders know
security weaknesses."
A former information
technology analyst at the
Federal Reserve Bank of New
York was arrested in April
along with his brother on
suspicions of taking out loans
using false identities. FBI
firm specialising in computer
networking gear summarised
current threats in a "Midyear
Security Report" that
concludes hackers are
increasingly operating like
successful businesses.
Peterson cited how cyber
hackers capitalised on
interest in the death of pop
icon Michael Jackson in late
June.
Disasters, celebrity doings
and other major news is
routine fodder for bogus
emails and websites booby-
trapped with computer
viruses, but in the case of
Jackson's death, crooks
cranked out fake news stories
to dupe readers.
Free download | flare.com.pk
Brazilians spend more
time on web than
the US users
Sao Paulo: Brazilian web
users are now spending
more time on the Internet
than their US and Japanese
counterparts, according to
an Ibope/Nielsen survey.
The study showed that
Brazilians went online for an
average 70 hours in June,
more than the 68 hours
reported in Japan
and the 65 hours in the
United States.
Internet penetration in
Brazil is still lagging
investigators found a flash data."
drive attached to the bank The
employee's computer with snippets of a conversation
applications for USD73000 in with a botmaster, or someone
loans in the names of stolen
identities, the report said.
Cisco warned companies
which use short-term IT
consultants or who contract
out the tasks to "be particularly
vigilant about the level and
term of their access to sensitive
Billions of spam messages
with links to trick websites or
videos promising scintillating
Jackson images and
information were fired off in
the days after his death,
according to Cisco. "Sales
leads" that followed online
links were turned into
"customers," whose
computers were stealthily
infected with nefarious codes
for stealing data, usurping
control of machines or other
evil deeds.
Cyber criminals are
reportedly embracing a
nefarious version of a "cloud
computing" trend of offering
computer applications online
as services.

compared to wealthier
countries, though.
Fewer than one in four
Brazilians - just 44 million
out of a total population of
190 million - have Internet
access at home.
Online activities
recorded include not just
website navigation but also
instant messaging,
e-mails, downloading,
listening to music and using
the computer as an IP
telephone.

report included
who remotely takes over
computers without users'
knowledge and often sells the
resulting access to spammers.
Phishing is the practice of
convincing a victim to give up
valuable information - like a
password .

Cut power
costs by
dimming
laptop
display
Hanover: Simply adjusting
the brightness of your laptop's
display can go a long way
toward conserving battery life.
It's just one of the simple steps
computer users can take to get
the most battery life out of
their laptop, since the portable
computers can use a lot of
power.
The tip comes from
German computer magazine,
c't. Drawing on advice from
experts, it also suggests doing
without a screen saver, since
they also use up unnecessary
energy.

Free download | flare.com.pk International Synopsis

Speed and security make Firefox 3.5 AVM

worth a look
Hamburg: Many internet
users spend more time with
their browsers than with their
cars. Which makes it all the
more important to know the
pros and cons of the browser
you choose for your global
surfing. With that in mind,
Firefox 3.5, which came out
on June 30, is worth a look.
“We’ve put more than
5,000 improvements into
version 3.5,” says Mike
Shaver, one of the chief
designers at Mozilla, the
company that, with a host of
voluntary contributors, backs
the browser. Most the faster speed - should be up pages to webmail
improvements are “under the very obvious to any user. applications to web-based
photo manipulation should
run faster, says Shaver.
All that’s left is for website
operators to make use of the
technology, which should
come fairly quickly, since it’s
free and Firefox is already
used by 300 million operators
worldwide. In Germany, with
40 per cent of the market,
Firefox has already overtaken
the newest versions of
hood” and will barely be “Firefox 3.5 is twice as fast as Explorer, 7 and 8, according
noticed by the average user. its predecessor,” says Shaver. to marketing researcher
However, some things - like Everything from calling Fittkau and Maass.

presents
new
wireless
USB sticks
Berlin: AVM has
presented a new line of
WLAN sticks. Dubbed the
Fritz!WLAN USB Stick N 2.4,
they support a standard 2.4
gigahertz WLAN frequency
and allow data transmission
at rates of up to 150 megabits
per second. Installation is not
necessary, since the stick
comes pre-packaged with all
necessary files.

Microsoft Office users India to conduct special audit of top

attacked by
cybercriminals
Boston: Microsoft Corp
warned that cybercriminals
have attacked users of its
Office software for Windows
PCs, exploiting a running the vulnerable Office
programming flaw that the
software giant has yet to
repair.
The world’s largest
software maker issued the
warning as it released patches
to address nine other security
holes in its software.
“Despite of fixes,
Windows users continue to be
under attack. Microsoft is
taking two steps forward,
while attackers are putting it
one step back,” said Dave
Marcus, McAfee Inc’s Avert
Labs director of security
research.
Hackers booby-trap
websites with malicious code
that loads onto computers
software. Infected PCs are
commandered into a botnet, a
network of hijacked
computers.
Microsoft did not say how
many machines were
attacked. It estimates that
some 500 million people use
its Office suite, which includes
Word, Excel and PowerPoint
software. A company
spokeswoman said that
programme would soon be
available through Microsoft’s
website. Office XP, 2003 and
2007 are vulnerable to the
attacks.

five telecoms
New Delhi: India has
ordered a special audit of the
country's five leading private-
sector mobile telecoms firms
to check whether there had
been any misreporting of
revenue, the junior telecoms
minister said. "Certain phone
firms have been charged with
misreporting their revenue,"
Gurudas Kamat said in a
written reply to law makers
in the upper house of the
Parliament.
"Hence, the Department of
Telecom has decided to
conduct special audit of
Bharti Airtel, Reliance
Communications, Vodafone
Essar Ltd, Idea Cellular Ltd
and Tata Teleservices Ltd," he
said. Separately, the minister
said state-run Bharat Sanchar USD10 billion from the IPO.
Nigam Ltd's net profit for the The offering ran into
year to March 2009 had opposition from the
dipped to 1.04 billion rupees government's communist
(USD21 million) as revenue allies and the firm's
fell and wage costs rose. He employees. BSNL Chairman
did not give the comparable Kuldeep Goyal said last
figure for the previous year. month the government,
Revenue for the year to which no longer relies on
March was 349.37 billion the support of the
rupees the minister said, communist parties, was
eight per cent lower than again thinking about the
380.53 billion rupees in the share sale and a decision
previous year as reported on should come shortly.
BSNL website. In a written response to
The state-owned firm's another question, Kamat
board last year approached said new telecom operators
the government for Etisalat DB Telecom,
permission to sell 10 per cent Unitech and S-Tel had told
stake in an initial public offer the government they were
and an official had said they deploying network
expected to raise about infrastructure.

Apple smashes profit forecasts, iPhone shines

San Francisco: Apple Inc's
quarterly profit blew past Wall
Street forecasts thanks to
strong sales of Macs and
iPhones and higher-than-
expected gross margins,
boosting its shares four per
cent. The company continued
to defy the global recession
with a solid 13 per cent jump
in fiscal third-quarter net
profit.
It sold more than seven
times as many iPhones - 5.2
million units of its latest
signature device - as the year-
ago period. "The numbers are
great. Their gross profits
continue to surprise people
and there is a return to product
momentum ... a return to
growth in the Mac business,"
said Andy Hargreaves, an
analyst at Pacific Crest
Securities. "And then the
iPhone is doing tremendously
well and that is a potent
combination."
Apple reported a net profit
of USD1.23 billion, or USD1.35
a share, for its fiscal third
quarter ended June 27, up
from USD1.07 billion, or
USD1.19 a share, in the year-
ago period. Earnings per share
beat by far the average Street
forecast of USD1.18 according
to Reuters Estimates, and
topped even the most bullish
"whisper" numbers of
USD1.30 to USD1.35.
Sales of Macs and iPhones
both beat analysts'
expectations, helped by
product refreshes and lower
prices, while iPod shipments
were toward the low end of the price on the second- and it is unable to make
forecasts. Apple said it sold 2.6 generation model to USD99. enough iPhone 3GSes to meet
demand - a shortfall the
company said it is working to
address.
Although the smartphone
segment continues to grow
more crowded with
competitors, Chief Operating
Officer Tim Cook said on a
conference call the company is
"years ahead of other people"
in its competitive position. The
install base for the iPhone and
the iPod Touch - which share
operating systems - is now 45
million Macs, up four percent The iPhone is often million, Apple said. Yet there
from a year ago, and 5.2 thought of as more of a had been some concern about
million iPhones in the June consumer device, but Apple margin pressure heading into
quarter, during which the said nearly 20 per cent of the results, given the product
company launched its third- Fortune 100 companies have price cuts and the trend of
;;
generation iPhone 3GS and cut bought at least 10,000 units higher component costs.

 Synopsis International Free download | flare.com.pk

Technology 'priority for Britons'

UK: Britons are more
willing to cut back on
holidays and meals out than
on spending on
communication technology
during the recession, an
Ofcom review suggests.
The watchdog's annual
report says spending on
mobiles, the Internet and TV
is regarded as a higher
priority than almost
anything except food. In a
poll of 862 people, over 40
per cent said they would
save on holidays and eating
out and 19 per cent chose
spending on mobiles.
Ofcom's Peter Phillips
said people were "more
canny" about paying
services. The study also
highlights a major rise in the
use of social networking
websites.
Some 19 million people
in the UK, 50 per cent of
internet users, visit
Facebook, spending an
average of six hours a month
on the site, it says. This is an
increase from four hours in
May 2008.
The report said the
proportion of 25 to 34 year
old people said they had a
social networking site profile
grew by six percentage
points in a year to 46 per
cent, while the figure also
rose among 35 to 54-year-
olds to 35 per cent. But the
proportion of 15 to 24 year
olds with such a profile
dropped from 55 per cent in
the first quarter of 2008 to 50
per cent in the first quarter
of 2009, the study added.
Ofcom researchers asked
consumers where they were
likely to be cutting back on
spending during the
recession, as part of its
communications market
report. Of those asked, 47
per cent said going out for
dinner, 41 per cent said DIY
and 41 per cent holidays.
This compared with 19
per cent who said they
would cut back on mobile
phone spending, 16 per cent
who said TV subscriptions
and 10 per cent who
highlighted broadband
services.
The report says the trend
is supported by the fact
communications are costing
less, with longer, cheaper
mobile phone contracts and
the bundling of services such
as television and internet at
reduced prices.
Ofcom's Peter Phillips
said: "Despite the recession,
people are spending more
time watching TV, using
their mobile phone or
accessing the internet. "They
would rather do without
meals out or holidays than
give up their phone,
broadband or pay TV
package.”

Nokia Mobile phone subscriptions nudge 4b

to launch 'homegrown' thanBerlin: There will be more Bitkom's Friedrich Jousssen, Growth rates are far more
four billion mobile phone who also heads mobile phone modest in industrialised

China phone subscriptions globally by the provider Vodafone's German countries, where the market is
end of the year, according to operations.
Beijing: Nokia will launch China and strongly
its first handset based on supported by Beijing, as few
China's homegrown TD- other countries use the
SCDMA network before the system. More Chinese cell
end of 2009, in partnership phone users are changing
with China Mobile, a senior their use of handsets from
executive of the world's voice calls to advanced
biggest cell phone maker mobile services, such as
said. Colin Giles, Nokia's navigation and Internet
president for China, told applications, since China
Reuters that the device would handed out 3G licenses
be in the mid-to-high price earlier this year.
range and that it would be a Giles said Nokia would
smartphone based on Nokia's launch around 40 new
Symbian platform. products this year, similar to
Foreign handset makers previous years, including
have been slow to develop both 2G and 3G handsets in
phones that run on the TD- China, the world's largest
SCDMA standard, a mobile market with over 600
technology developed in million subscribers.

more mature. The European
figures published. Whilst there In India alone, mobile Union already has more
are far more than four billion phone usage is expected to mobile phone contracts than
handsets around the world, the
figure refers to the number of
in-use numbers, or
connections.
The research comes from
the German industry
association Bitkom - drawing
on figures published by Berlin-
based Information Technology
Observatory.
With the world's
population currently estimated
at 6.8 billion that means three grow by 32 per cent this year, citizens, so the industry is
out of five people will be using to 457 million people. In Brazil, focusing on mobile internet
mobile phones. "The strongest a 14 per cent increase is provision via advanced UMTS
growth in mobile phone usage anticipated, while China's technology, the fastest mobile-
now comes from emerging and usage is predicted to rise 12 per phone signal currently
developing countries," said cent, to 684 million people. available.

Mobile commerce facing hurdles In France,

Los Angeles: Imagine
waving your cell phone and
being admitted through the
turnstile of a subway station,
or ordering and paying for a
gift without once having to
open your wallet or enter a
credit card number. Yes, you
can - just not so much in the
United States.
Mobile commerce has
been touted as a major
growth prospect for years, but
the industry still faces several
big hurdles before it takes off
in the US, executives and
analysts say. Consumers will
likely keep paying the old-
fashioned way with cash and
credit cards, as mobile
commerce has been
322 hampered by cultural
reticence, business model TECH
concerns and other issues, Pasadena, California.
despite predictions that
handsets will replace wallets. commerce is taking hold in
"We're not too many years
off where the restaurant will
just send the bill to your smart
device," eBay chief executive
John Donahoe said at the
recent Fortune Brainstorm:
conference in
Meanwhile, mobile
Asia where almost 500 million
mobile transactions will occur
in 2009, according to research
firm Gartner, versus 34
million in North America. By
2012, Gartner expects that
transactions will grow to 2.4
billion in Asia and 221 million
in North America - a potential
boon for the telecoms carriers
that will host such commerce,
including the likes of NTT
Docomo, which pioneered
contactless payments in
Japan, or AT&T Inc, which
enjoys an exclusive
arrangement to market
Apple's wildly popular
iPhone.
In Korea, people can buy
gifts on a handset and text
friends to pick it up in the
store. And in the Philippines,
people can get money from
families overseas faster and
cheaper via text message than
by using a bank transfer.

92pc of
residents
use mobile
Paris: The number of
mobile users continues to
rise in France with 91.8 per
cent of residents subscribing
to wireless services as of end
June, up from 88.1 per cent a
year ago, the telecoms
regulator said.
French wireless
operators, including Orange,
Bouygues Telecom and SFR,
together attracted 678,000
customers during the second
quarter, raising the total
number by 1.2 per cent
against the same period last
year.