Khosa Asked to Resign as Advisor to PM: ProPakistani

Khosa Asked to Resign as Advisor to PM
Wateen Tops Another Chart, Plagiarization!
Ufone Sets up Tent Villages for the Needy
Wateen Gets Rs. 2.1 Bln Funding from Dhabi Group
Android Phones – The Next Big Thing?
Mobilink’s 420 – a Loot Maar Service: Letters to Editor

Khosa Asked to Resign as Advisor to PM

Posted: 12 Oct 2010 12:58 PM PDT

Khosa Asked to Resign as Advisor to PM is a post from: ProPakistani

Prime Minister had appointed Khosa as his Advisor on Information Technology in February 2010

Ruling party has asked Muhammad Latif Khan Khosa, advisor to Prime Minister on Telecom and IT, to resign from his post.

Dawn News, citing sources, has reported that Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has accepted Khosa's resignation.

Khosa is now given the responsibility to defend the government in the NRO review case before Supreme Court.

After multiple controversies, Khosa was removed as Minister In-charge for IT and Telecom Ministry in July 2010.

Mr. Khosa remained Minister In-charge for MoIT for four months and advisor to PM for eight months.

Wateen Tops Another Chart, Plagiarization!

Posted: 12 Oct 2010 12:18 PM PDT

Wateen Tops Another Chart, Plagiarization! is a post from: ProPakistani

By Hamad Dar

When writing a blog online, we have started embracing the fact that it's going to get copied and it's going to get copied a lot. And since we already have embraced the fact, we let our stories and content go, well, sort of.

We like our words being spread, even if that's the way they get it. However, it starts to itch us a bit when that goes way out of the hands.

We usually let people use our content (even word to word) requiring a credit link, just to credit our efforts there (even though it still causes us losses monetarily). But not everyone writes to us to ask, or puts the credit link, we usually let that go too, unless it's someone who shouldn't really be doing that, or does it too often.

In-fact, the latter category, they have installed scripts which automatically lift content from our RSS feeds and effortlessly republishes it on their websites.

Wateen has finally made it to the said category. Almost all the content that makes it way to the "Wateen's Infotainment Portal" is scrapped off from blogs around the globe.

We can put countless links here for reference which have been taken off from my website and there are again countless which are being taken off from other similar blogs and for some reason, they didn't find it serious enough to write us back, when we contacted them through their contact form.

Below are few of the links which have recently been scrapped off from KoolMuzone

Ufone Sets up Tent Villages for the Needy

Posted: 12 Oct 2010 05:54 AM PDT

Ufone Sets up Tent Villages for the Needy is a post from: ProPakistani

Ufone recently set up tent villages in flood hit areas to help those in dire need of shelter.

The recent floods have left the nation at a standstill and even though a lot is being done some how the scenario on ground plus the stake holders suggest that it isn't enough.

Keeping in view the immense need of shelter, Ufone has set up tent villages using re-cycled PVC flex which are taken off from hoardings and billboards after when a commercial campaign is expired.

So far villages have been put up in Charsadda, Sukkur and Multan and are catering to up to 300 people per tent village.

Mr. Akbar Khan Chief Marketing Officer Ufone said

Pakistan is in great need of support from the people and the corporate sector and Ufone as a socially responsible organization is trying its best to meet the requirements by providing basic needs starting from shelter. As the winter is slowly setting in the need for sturdy shelter is essential. Other than the organization a number of our employees have gone out of their way to help the affectees on a personal basis. It is time we all come together for the better of the nation.

Wateen Gets Rs. 2.1 Bln Funding from Dhabi Group

Posted: 12 Oct 2010 12:39 AM PDT

Wateen Gets Rs. 2.1 Bln Funding from Dhabi Group is a post from: ProPakistani

Wateen Telecom today announced that it has received Rs. 2.1 billion as emergency fund injection from Dhabi Group.

Wateen didn't say any word on the type of funding, however, it is assumed that its a soft loan – spanning over a longer duration of period.

This fund injection will not dilute Wateen's shares as a result, said the statement.

The primary objective is to secure losses, pending liabilities along with stabilization of Wateen telecom in the market and the stocks.

Wateen says that the decision that came from board of directors will imply as an influx of US dollars into the country while for Wateen it shows shareholders' confidence in the company and its management while supporting the business plan.

Update:

On other hands, Business Recorder reported today that Wateen posted Rs. 2 billion as after tax loss in the year ended June 30, 2010 (FY10) as compared to profit after tax of Rs 927.763 million in the corresponding period in FY09.

The board of directors of the company in its meeting held at Abu Dhabi, UAE declared Rs 4.43 per share loss in the period under review against earning per share of Rs 2.22 in the same period a year back.

According to the financial results sent to Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), the company’s revenue declined to Rs 7.961 billion in FY10 against Rs 15.410 billion in FY09.

The cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortisation) declined to Rs 5.917 billion against Rs 10.607 billion. Depreciation and amortization increased to Rs 1,648.499 million against Rs 946.810 million. The company posted Rs 3.091 billion as loss before taxation in FY10 against profit before taxation of Rs 1.446 billion in FY09.

It merits mentioning here that Wateen had raised Rs. 2 billion with its IPO earlier this year.

Android Phones – The Next Big Thing?

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 11:25 PM PDT

Android Phones – The Next Big Thing? is a post from: ProPakistani

By Zahra Baray

Technology today is evolving within a blink of an eye. The necessities of ones life are changing with every new invention that is announced. If Abraham Maslow was to rethink over his hierarchy of needs, then the basics of the physiological level would not just revolve around food, shelter and clothing but inventions like the cell phone would be inclusive of the need pyramid.

Cell Phones transitioned into our lives for the basic purpose of communicating within cities but today this purpose is long gone. They are beyond just a means of communication; in fact they are one of life's most needed accessories. A symbol depicting ones status and preference for style driving people on a mad rush for the latest in town phones. The word that has recently become the talk of our towns here in Pakistan are Android Phones. I personally am still stuck at a stage of finding a decent yet stylish cell phone for myself which could replace my Nokia 2630 and this need to change, dear friends, has been provoked by my maid's new cell phone which happens to have a stylus.

Anyhow, in my search for cell phones the word Android phones came to light and I decided to research a bit on what exactly they were. Android phones are cell phones that use the Google-developed Adroid operating system and platform which means that they are a revolution in the cell phones industry. Now what is so revolutionary about them is that the Android software uses a complex system that can run multiple applications at the same time and in the background of a phone, making multitasking easier and the functionality of the phone more fluid than other cell phones. But I always believed that this was what a Smart Phone does so I researched a bit further as to how one could differentiate between a Smart Phone and an Android Phone. The answer, Android Phones are those Smart Phones that use the Android Operating System. Since Android Phones are driven by the Android application, several cellular manufacturers worldwide have launched their own versions of the Android Phones. Motorola Droid X, HTC EVO 4G, Samsung Galaxy X, LG Ally to name just a few. The year 2010, according to androphonez.com was a great year for Android phones, with more than 30 phone models available at the time the list was split and it's not even the half of the year.

These phones are no ordinary phones but have various applications built in them. The applications available in an Android Phone are similar to that of a mini computer with GPRS access to the internet, facilitating you to always stay connected and check your emails, possibilities of downloading the Facebook applications and since it is a Google Invention, all Google applications can run on it freely.

Another important distinction of the Android platform is that it is not tied to a specific manufacturer. Any manufacturer interested in producing its own version of an Android phone is welcome to use the platform for their own devices. The result could mean a large number of competing cell phone companies using Android to power their mobile phones and market their devices.

Owing to the success of these phones abroad, one of our local giants was the first to introduce the Android Phones made by Motorola in Pakistan. But unfortunately they couldn't own the platform of being the only ones for long. As now there are several Android Phones providers spread all across Pakistan but what needs to be questioned is, if normal Smart Phones like the BlackBerry and iPhone already exist in the market with prices touching the ceiling and falling after a few months of their introduction, would the introduction of the Android Phone follow the same pattern or simply offer low priced services for the Pakistani consumers? Although Apple currently enjoys dramatic iPhone growth and that too which is increasing with every new version of their new series, it's future market share is likely to suffer from the cost barriers it is building into its pricing model which is designed to maximize its profits with ongoing revenue stream from third-party content. According to Newsweek, there's only one place where anyone can buy iPhone applications and that is Apple's online Application Store; so it is not just the revenue from the sale of the iPhone that Apple enjoys.

When technological advancements bring to the world a new cell phone, a new technology, a new necessity every other day, then there shouldn't be a price war for consumers to be the victims of. We have seen tech savvy people complain about the fall in the price of the iPhones with every new version and it is quite but obvious that a new cell phone once used, does not return the same resale value. So if the pace with which these inventions come to the market remains the same or increases, then very soon every other day your cell phone or Android Phone or Smart Phone would become outdated and loose its value. Also if it is a necessity for young businessmen, a style symbol for the youngsters and a *keep away phone* from non tech savvy parents, then the prices of these phones should be kept at an affordable and reasonable level. And reasonable for the masses not just a few handful of elites who can afford a BMW.

Although the Smart Phones market has great potential in developing economies of South East Asia but instead of just an influx of technological goodies, companies need to rethink their plans for emphasizing on the cost element of these phones so that instead of a more for more pricing strategy, consumers can benefit from a more for less strategy.

This is a cross post from Telecom Recorder

Mobilink’s 420 – a Loot Maar Service: Letters to Editor

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 11:20 PM PDT

Mobilink’s 420 – a Loot Maar Service: Letters to Editor is a post from: ProPakistani

I own a Mobilink number (0300-22X-XXXX) for last 9 years or so. Recently I have been a victim of obnoxious and obscene messages from a Telenor number.

Firstly i called on 10th Oct 2010, at 111 they charged me Rs. 1.19, made me hold, for the longest i’ve ever, for 23 minutes, and said that I should call at 420, “Obnoxious Call & SMS block Service” by Mobilink.

I did that; call was being charged at Rs. 4.78 / min, they picked the call after 1.3 minutes so that the 2nd minute is started then they asked for CNIC details and other useless stuff for 2 more minutes and told that this number will stop sending you sms within 48 hours.

It took around 5.5 minutes & cost me Rs. 28.68. After 48 hours I got sms from my service provider that your complaint has been resolved.

And trust me I have been getting same irritating stuff from very same mobile number despite of Mobilink’s claims.

I called 420 service again for complaining that my issue has not been resolved – while they told me that cross-network blocking is not possible through 420 service. It took me another 3 minutes for what they charged Rs. 14.34. Means a total sum on these calls was 43.02 and that too for NOTHING.

If this was the case then why did they misguided me & persuaded me to call at 420 – if SMS blocking service is not available between the service providers…???

I truly condemn this act of LOOT Maar by Mobilink.

I guess if every call at 111 or 420 is being charged heavily and is of NO help then there is NO helpline as such that exists to cater customer queries.

We get disgrace for a paid service out of our own pocket…!!!

Regards,
Nazish

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