Zong Signs MoU for Environment Protection: ProPakistani

Zong Signs MoU for Environment Protection
Telenor’s Easypaisa Turns One!
Nokia Launches its Recycle Program – a Customer’s Social Responsibility

Zong Signs MoU for Environment Protection

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 10:58 AM PDT

Zong Signs MoU for Environment Protection is a post from: ProPakistani

ZONG announced an initiative for protection of metropolitan environment in Lahore, as a Corporate Social Responsibility project. In this regard ZONG signed a MoU with City District Government Lahore. Picture shows Mr. Waseem Ajmal Ch, MD /DO (Lahore Solid Waste Management) is shaking hands with Ali Kamran, Director, ZONG.

Zong has announced an initiative for protection of metropolitan environment in Lahore, as a Corporate Social Responsibility project. In this regard ZONG signed a MoU with the Solid Waste Management & Lahore Waste Management Company – a part of Solid Waste Management – City District Government Lahore, for creating awareness amongst citizens for environmental protection, with public sector investment in cleanliness of Lahore city through Solid Waste Management & a professionally managed company.

As part of the MoU, ZONG will design and execute a public awareness campaign focusing on cleanliness of surroundings within the Lahore city while encouraging public to dispose off their litter in a proper way. During the signing ceremony, officials from the City District Government Lahore, ZONG and other dignitaries were also present.

Using its strength in cellular mobile telephony, ZONG will provide mobile phone connections to Solid Waste Management – City District Government Lahore workers & Lahore Waste Management Company that will have dedicated numbers for citizens to call in and register their complaints. Moreover this would be a generation shift from simple wireless to cellular subscription, making the staff more accessible and hence effective.

"Urban centers like Lahore generate thousands of tons of litter every day. It is important that citizens proactively support collection and disposal of litter in a systematic yet environmentally friendly manner," stated Ali Kamran, Director ZONG. "As a responsible corporate citizen that believes in preservation of the environment, ZONG has decided to partner with Solid Waste Management – City District Government Lahore and use its technological advantage to reinforce positive values in our society," he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Waseem Ajmal Chaudhary, District Officer (Solid Waste Management) / Managing Director Lahore Waste Management Company said, "We are extremely pleased to partner with ZONG in this environmentally important project. We hope that this project will help encourage the citizens of Lahore to take care of the environment of their city with renewed zeal."

It is to be noted that improper or irresponsible disposal of everyday litter by the public leads to spread of deadly diseases, environmental damage, blocking of storm-water drains, besides giving an unpleasant look to the surroundings. ZONG's initiative has a lot of potential to encourage behavior change amongst citizens, who should be proactive participants in maintaining cleanliness.

Telenor’s Easypaisa Turns One!

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 04:15 AM PDT

Telenor’s Easypaisa Turns One! is a post from: ProPakistani

Easypaisa has successfully completed one year of operations. The service, which was launched jointly by Telenor Pakistan and Tameer Microfinance Bank last year, has helped provide people across Pakistan with access to convenient financial services.

Roar Bjærum, Vice President Financial Services, Telenor Pakistan while commenting on easypaisa's one year of completion said:

"Easypaisa is a uniquely convenient way for everyone to carry out financial transactions such as money transfer and bill payments. More than six million transactions worth Rs10 billion have been moved through the system in this one year, with a million transactions worth nearly Rs2 billion moved in the last month alone. These numbers reflect our customers' increased trust in the services. Our aim is to continue to change the way financial transactions are carried out in Pakistan, and to develop a portfolio of easypaisa services that meet different customer needs."

Ali Abbas Sikander, Group Executive Director Technology & Operations, Tameer Microfinance Bank, speaking about the milestone said:

"In Pakistan, there are currently an estimated 30 million economically active people who have no access to basic transactional services, let alone savings and other financial safety net solutions. Now, with easypaisa, these people can have a bank account without a physical bank branch and can conduct financial transactions from the comfort of the home using just a basic cell phone. All transactions are transparent, regulated by the State Bank of Pakistan, and are accounted for towards the country's economy."

The service, when it was launched a year ago, was available at 2,200 outlets. Currently, easypaisa services are available at more than 11,000 outlets in 700 urban and rural areas across Pakistan. The spread is even greater than the number of bank branches in Pakistan which is 8,000.

Nokia Launches its Recycle Program – a Customer’s Social Responsibility

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 10:00 PM PDT

Nokia Launches its Recycle Program – a Customer’s Social Responsibility is a post from: ProPakistani

Pakistan has become 86th country in the world where Nokia has launched its recycling program, through a press event in Karachi.

"Take Back" program will have recycle boxes at all 9 Nokia Care centers across the country. Along with, there would be 400+ collection points and a mobile van in Karachi to serve urban mobile market.

The initiative is launched to invite the mobile phone users to recycle their old phones.

Nokia isn't accepting only Nokia made models, but also Samsung, Siemens and other makes are also encouraged to be dropped into Recycle Boxes.

Moreover, customers can drop old batteries, chargers or any other accessories in drop boxes too.

When asked about any incentives offered to customers or society in return, Nokia said that there are no incentives for customers in this. They will have to drop their phones for no-return at all!

So there is no monetary advantage involved here. Nokia assumes that it's the customer's social responsibility.

However, for society's betterment, Nokia said that it will re-invest money saved through recycling, which ultimately will help company bring better devices at low cost.

In response to a question that there are already options available to customers where they can sell their old/useless phones for Rs. 200 or so, Nokia said "Naiki ki koi keemat nae hoti".

During the briefing, Nokia said that devices collected through this program will be shipped back to Hungry. When asked about the establishment of a recycling unit in Pakistan, Nokia explained that transporting it outside Pakistan is less costly than actually maintaining the plant here.

Following are other highlights of Nokia's Briefing:

Nokia is saving some 500 million Euros, globally, out of this recycling program
Nokia was the first company in Pakistan to introduce simple packaging.
80 percent of Nokia's new devices are recycle-able. New packaging is also made up to 65% of recyclable material. It's free of PVC since 2006.
According to Nokia's country manager in Pakistan, average life of cell phone is one and a half year or two at most.
According to a survey conducted by Nokia, only 3% people know about recycling. 74% have no idea about it. 50% of the people are unaware that it is possible to recycle mobile phone
Interesting fact: According to Nokia's surveys almost 8% of cell phones are stolen each year.
Nokia has been trying to reduce the cost of cell phones so basically they are putting their saved money in reducing the cell phone cost.