Category Archives: Telecom and IT
Zong to Set up a Customer Service Center at Wagah Border to Facilitate Visitors from India
Zong, Pakistan’s first and only Super 3G and 4G LTE telecom network and a part of China Mobile Pakistan, has agreed to set up a mini customer service center (CSC) at PTDC motel, Wagah border, Lahore. The CSC is being set up to provide Indian visitors with Zong’s network connection upon their arrival into Pakistan.
Speaking about the initiative, Dr. Zhao Peng, CCO, Zong said, “At Zong, we have always strived to provide the best service to our customers. To showcase this technical prowess and to provide a better experience to Indian visitor’s from across the border, we decided to set up a CSC at the main point of entry into the country. Being a company looking to evolve basic telecom services in Pakistan, we have always looked to create a synergy with the local masses and this initiative showcases our solidarity with the consumer. The idea is to welcome and facilitate visitors from across the border with state of the art, telecom service provision”
These special Zong Sims will offer Indian visitors excellent network coverage throughout their stay in Pakistan and add value to their trip by providing them with seamless connectivity and high speed internet connection.
K-Electric Opens Under-16 Lyari Football League with UNICEF, PFF and the Anti-Narcotics Dept
KE (K-Electric) has formally announced the beginning of the Under-16 Lyari football league to be held from May 16 – 25, 2014. KE is holding this mega sports event in partnership with UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), PFF (Pakistan Football Federation) and the Anti-Narcotics Department. Nayyer Hussain, CEO KE was the chief guest of the opening ceremony, held this evening.
KE chose to partner with UNICEF because they have been working for the youth of the world for many years, providing solutions for preventable diseases that affect the younger generation of the world. As such the Football League would empower the youth and UNICEF will help them learn about these preventable diseases. The Anti-Narcotics Department was also taken on board for this Football League because KE believes that the youngsters of Lyari should be protected and educated about the Narcotics and other harmful substances.
The event started with a press conference conducted by Usama Qureshi, Chief of Staff-CEO KE, along with league partner Lt.Col. (Retd). Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi TI (M), General Secretary PFF, Sania Naz, MPA Sindh Assembly and Brig Mohammad Abuzar, Force Commander, Regional Directorate Anti Narcotics Force Sindh. On this occasion Ahmed Faraz, General Manager Media & PR, KE and Zabe Khan, Head of Sports were also present.
Usama Qureshi added, “The tournament will provide a platform for the youth of Lyari to display their talent and keep away from negative activities that currently affect the youth of the country. KE firmly believes that creation of powerful platforms is critical for allowing young and upcoming players to display and harness their talents. It also provides a communication platform to engage the youth and build a strong positive association with them, while at the same time providing much needed inspiration, as well as a strong and healthy sports arena for the youth.”
Speaking on the occasion, KE’s GM Media & PR Ahmed Faraz said, “K-Electric is holding this tournament following its century old tradition of patronizing sports in the city. This is in line with its vision that the best way to serve the society through sports is to inspire the youth to take up healthy sporting activities”.
Giving details the Press Statement added that youngsters below the age of 16 are participating in this league. A total of 12 teams will perform from 11 UCs in Lyari with one combined team from Lyari.
Each team would consist of 18 players and two officials whereas there would be four groups with three teams per group. The top team from each group would go on to play the quarter final, the semi final and then the final. The tournament will be held at the People’s Stadium, Lyari and is open to all.
K-Electric believes that nurturing football among youth and providing a platform to children who are not enrolled formally in any program is a positive contribution to the society and KE believes in harnessing such talent at the grass root level. With this spirit KE has planned this tournament especially focusing on uplifting the morale of Lyari and its people.
Get More Out of Mobile Internet with the Nokia 225
Microsoft Devices Pakistan bolstered its line-up of high-quality mobile phones today with the launch of the Nokia 225, a device which underlines the company’s commitment to connect the next billion to the Internet. Slim, sleek and stylish, the Nokia 225 offers affordable Internet access through the cloud-powered Nokia Xpress Browser, all on a beautifully designed 2.8” display. Nokia’s slimmest data phone to date, and featuring Nokia’s inherent bold coloring, the Nokia 225 offers style and substance to first time mobile owners, upgraders and people who like to have a secondary phone.
The Nokia 225 features the cloud-powered Nokia Xpress Browser, which uses less data and delivers fast performance, even over slower networks. The preloaded Facebook and Twitter apps offer instant access to social networks direct on the home screen, while people can explore the world from their device via Microsoft’s Bing search.
“The Nokia 225 is an affordable mobile phone designed to impress,” said Arif Shafique, Country General Manager, Microsoft Devices Pakistan & Afghanistan. “We remain committed to connecting the next billion to the Internet, and this handset builds on this promise. Offering a rich media experience and simple functionality combined with Nokia trust and quality, the Nokia 225 enables us to bring the Internet to more people at a lower price point.”With a new slim design and 2.8” colour QVGA display, the Nokia 225 offers a rich media experience to consumers who prefer the classic keymat phone design. Crafted with Nokia’s renowned quality and attention to detail, the Nokia 225 comes in a range of bold colours, designed to stand out. At 10.4mm thin, the Nokia 225 is slim and elegant, making it an ideal fit for pockets and handbags. The Nokia 225 also features a splash- and dust-proof keymat which is durable and easy to clean, plus the seamless design ensures a smooth and tactile messaging experience.
The large display is ideal for quality entertainment on the go including gaming, taking photos, online browsing and downloading and playing video online. Helping to make the mobile gaming experience more enjoyable, the Gameloft store is preloaded on the Nokia 225 with five games ready to play, straight out-of-the-box. It also has an FM radio and is MP3 compatible, with a playback time of up to 51 hours and offers up to 32GB Micro SD card support.
The 2MP camera is perfect for capturing favourite moments and sharing them with friends and family via the preloaded Facebook and Twitter apps, or via Nokia’s SLAM technology, based on Bluetooth. With smart dual SIM technology, people can switch between SIM cards allowing a quick and convenient way of managing data costs. With battery standby time of up to 27 days for the dual SIM device, the Nokia 225 offers hours of enjoyment and exceptional value for first-time mobile phone buyers or for those who like to have a secondary phone.
University of Cambridge 800th Anniversary Scholarships Announced for 2014
Two outstanding students in Pakistan have been awarded 2014 Cambridge 800th Anniversary Scholarships to fund their undergraduate studies at the University of Cambridge. The scholarships have been made possible thanks to funding from the parent organisation of Cambridge International Examinations (Cambridge Assessment).
Cambridge 800th Anniversary Scholarships were launched in 2009 to enable students from Pakistan to study at the University of Cambridge without the worry of creating a financial burden for their families. The scholarships provide full funding, covering fees and means-tested maintenance, for undergraduate study at the University of Cambridge.
Shahzaib Ali and Muhammad Faaiz Taufiq Pakistan will begin their courses in October 2014.
Shahzaib Ali said: “It seemed a distant dream to study at Cambridge, the best university in the world. But thanks to their generous 800th Anniversary scholarship award, I will be able to pursue my dream and ambitions without any financial constraints. I am deeply grateful to Cambridge for deeming me worthy of this wonderful opportunity.”
Muhammad Faaiz Taufiq said: “I am extremely grateful for this prestigious and generous scholarship. The 800th Anniversary Scholarship Award will enable me to study my favourite subject, Mathematics, at Cambridge, a university which has always been at the forefront of mathematical discoveries and breakthroughs. Throughout my life, I have had great dreams of making valuable contributions to Mathematics. I hope that this course at the University of Cambridge will be a significant step towards the realization of these dreams.”
Michael O’ Sullivan, Chief Executive, Cambridge International Examinations, said: “We are delighted to award our outstanding students with the 2014 Cambridge 800th Anniversary Scholarships. We believe that getting into university is really only the first step and that developing the skills to get on in both work and life is just as important. We wish our new scholars every success as they continue their academic careers and look forward to life beyond university.”
The two places offered by the University of Cambridge are conditional on the students achieving specific grades.
Over 500 schools in Pakistan offer Cambridge programmes and qualifications, including Cambridge O Level and Cambridge International AS and A Levels.
ZonG Wins the Most Coveted 3G & 4G Licenses
In a bid to honor its esteemed subscribers, ZonG, Pakistan’s fastest growing telecom network has achieved yet another milestone. The company recently won the much anticipated Spectrum Auction for Next Generation Mobile Services to become the only 3G & 4G operator in Pakistan. Thriving on this success the company will soon offer a complete new array of first of its kind services to its distinguished customers.
ZonG’s parent company, China Mobile Communications Corporation (CMCC) officially launched its 4G services in December 2013. By March 31st 2014 the company had 781.08 million total customers making it the largest operator across the globe. CMCC’s successes speak for itself, today it has 2.79 million 4G customers & almost 225 million 3G subscribers. Till date CMCC has more than 252,000 4G sites across China and is targeting more than 500,000 4G sites by end of this year which makes CMCC the largest 4G operator in the world. At the same time, CMCC is also a giant within the handset distribution channel of over 200 million handsets sold to end customers on a yearly basis, out of which 50% are 4G handsets.
Expressing his delight on this occasion, Dr. Fan Yunjun, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ZonG said, “I would like to congratulate the Government of Pakistan & PTA for making the bidding process extremely transparent and fair, and also acknowledgethe entire ZonG team who is now a part of history, as their hard work and determination has finally paid off. China has a long term commitment to people of Pakistan and Zong is committed to service excellence and believes in bringing the best technology with the virtue of the world’s largest 3G and 4G operator.” This is a moment of pride as the consumer will now have access to the most advanced telecom technology and this is our chance to prove ourselves as the “Indispensable Digital Life Partner for Life” for every Pakistani.
Adding to the above statement, Dr. Zhao Peng, Chief Commercial Officer, ZonG said,“We believe in continuous progress and innovation, which in turn means better services and facility for our esteemed customers. This agreement with PTA for the 3G & 4G licenses is just another example of our dedication towards providing better and efficient services to our subscribers. Through such endeavors we show our commitment towards taking the telecom services in Pakistan to the next generation.”
This is the beginning of a new era in mobile internet which will allow us to experience extremely fast download speeds. The company has been taking giant leaps in the competitive market of telecom services by introducing customer centric services for different segments of mobile phone users along with expanding its network at an exponential rate. As the fastest growing cellular company in the industry, ZonG remains the telecom operator of choice in Pakistan.
ZonG and UNICEF Join Hands to Defeat Polio in Pakistan
As the number of polio cases in Pakistan reached 49 so far this year more partners come forward to protect the children and rid Pakistan and the world of the menace of the this debilitating disease.
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To create an enabling environment for polio eradication in Pakistan, ZonG and UNICEF signed today a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on strengthening the use of mobile phone messages to ensure more children are vaccinated during the polio campaign.
The widespread usage and viability of cell phones across Pakistan provides great opportunity to reach out to communities who are most at risk of the disease. The mobile phone messages will specifically target polio reservoirs to enhance knowledge and to help take informed decisions. The initiative is unique in character within polio eradication efforts and polio partnership in the health sector.
Through our strategic alliance with UNICEF, we want to make a positive impact in the life of every Pakistani child. As one of the major communication facilitators of Pakistan, ZonG underlines its commitment and responsibility to use its technological innovations to spread awareness about polio and strengthen families’ cooperation with the vaccination teams visiting their homes”, said Dr. Fan Yunjun, Chairman & CEO, ZonG
“Our partnership with ZonG will give the much needed impetus to the social mobilization and awareness raising programmes in support of polio vaccination in the virus circulation high risk areas.”, says Dan Rohrmann, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. “This support and collaboration could not have come at a more critical time.
Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world along with by Afghanistan and Nigeria where the crippling disease remains endemic.
Nokia X in partnership with Telenor Goes on Sale in Pakistan
Nokia Pakistan announced today that Nokia X part of the new Nokia X family of affordable smartphones that run Android™ apps, has begun selling in Pakistan. The new device is the perfect introduction to a world of Android apps, coupled with signature Nokia experiences, and the most popular Microsoft services, as well as free internet for 6 months from Telenor – Pakistan’s leading cellular provider.
The Nokia X features Nokia’s renowned quality and design, with a fresh, tile-based user interface inspired by our Lumia family. It comes with Fastlane, a screen which lets people switch between their favorite apps more smoothly. People can access curated, quality-tested apps from Nokia Store, more than a dozen third-party app stores and by side loading. All devices are also pre-loaded with a variety of very popular third-party apps and games.
“We believe that our new offering will resonate with consumers around the country and set a great precedent for the level of quality that can be achieved in the fast-growing, affordable smartphone segment” said Arif Shafique, Country General Manager, Nokia Pakistan & Afghanistan.
Omer Bin Tariq, Director Internet & Devices at Telenor Pakistan, added: “Telenor believes in empowering societies through communication technology, and our 6 months’ free internet offer with the Nokia X is aimed at extending the real benefits of internet to consumers in Pakistan. Telenor has further cemented its position as the leader in the internet area, and this co-launch is yet another step towards building a strong partnership between Telenor and Nokia”.
Nokia X is a beautifully crafted smartphone with Nokia’s signature design approach and bold, bright colours like bright green, bright red, cyan, yellow, black and white. At only 10.4mm thin, the slim, durable monobody design sports a 4” scratch-proof display and capacitive touch screen along with a 3MP camera. The device runs on the Nokia X Software Platform and is powered by a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Dual Core Processor and 512MB RAM. It has a 4GB built-in memory and 32GB expandable memory. Nokia X also offers access to popular Microsoft services, including Skype, OneDrive, Outlook.com etc.Customers will also benefit from Telenor’s free internet for 6 months on purchase of the Nokia X from anywhere in Pakistan.
Nokia Connects the Next Billion with Affordable Smartphones
Today at Mobile World Congress, Nokia underscored its commitment to connecting the next billion to the Internet by releasing five new affordable handsets, including Nokia X, a family of smartphones that run Android(TM) apps, Microsoft services and signature Nokia experiences.
– The Nokia X, Nokia X+ and Nokai XL are priced to capture the fast-growing affordable smartphone market and provide an on-ramp to Lumia and Microsoft services like Skype, OneDrive and outlook.com.
– The Nokia Asha 230 is Nokia’s most affordable full-touch Asha device to date, priced at EUR 45.
– The Nokia 220 is an Internet-ready mobile phone with social apps, priced at only EUR 29.
Stephen Elop, executive vice president of Nokia’s Devices & Services, commented on the launches:
“Nokia has connected billions of people around the world, and today we demonstrated how our portfolio is designed to connect the next billion people to great experiences.”
“Our deliberate approach is to offer four tiers of products including our affordable entry-level devices like the new Nokia 220; our entry-level Asha touch phones like the new Nokia Asha 230; our new Nokia X, Nokia X+ and Nokia XL smartphones primarily for growth economies; and our Lumia portfolio, which is where we introduce the greatest innovation and provide full compatibility with the Microsoft experience,” he added.
Nokia X family delivers the best of all worlds
The Nokia X family features Nokia’s renowned handset quality and design, with a fresh, tile-based user interface inspired by our Lumia family. All devices come with Fastlane, a screen which lets people switch between their favorite apps more smoothly. People can access curated, quality-tested apps from Nokia Store, more than a dozen third-party app stores and by side loading. Out of the box, they can enjoy signature Nokia experiences including free* HERE Maps, with true offline maps and integrated turn-by-turn navigation, and Nokia Mix Radio for free* music streaming and downloadable playlists. All devices are also pre-loaded with a variety of third-party apps and games.
The Nokia X family is also an affordable introduction to popular Microsoft services, including free* cloud storage using OneDrive. With the purchase of any Nokia X family smartphone in select markets, people will get one month of Skype’s Unlimited World Subscription for a limited time, ideal to make international calls to landlines in more than 60 countries and to mobile phones in 8 countries.
The first device, the Nokia X, comes with a 4″ IPS capacitive display and 3MP camera. The Nokia X+ is optimized for multimedia enthusiasts, who can enjoy even more games, music, photos and video thanks to more memory and storage. Both the Nokia X and Nokia X+ will be available in bright green, bright red, cyan, yellow, black and white**. The third family member, the Nokia XL, boasts a 5″ display with 2MP front-facing camera – ideal for Skype video calls – and a 5MP rear-facing, autofocus camera with flash. The Nokia XL will be available in bright green, orange, cyan, yellow, black and white. The entire Nokia X family is powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon(TM) dual core processor and supports Dual SIM, letting people switch SIM cards to get better tariffs.
The Nokia X will go on sale immediately, starting at EUR 89*** and rolling-out in Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The Nokia X+ and Nokia XL are expected to roll out in these markets starting early second quarter, priced at EUR 99 and EUR 109, respectively.
Beautifully crafted phones for the “mobile first” generation: Nokia Asha 230 and Nokia 220
Nokia also unveiled two further handsets designed for people experiencing the Internet for the first time.
Adding to the popular Asha range of devices, the Nokia Asha 230 is the ideal introduction to full-touch mobile phones. The Nokia Asha 230 includes all the benefits of the Nokia Asha Software Platform, including Fastlane and access to popular social apps like Line, We Chat and WhatsApp. One swipe up from the lock screen activates the Nokia Asha 230’s camera, and one touch enables people to share images to their favourite social network. With a forthcoming software update, the Nokia Asha 230 will introduce 7GB of free cloud storage on Microsoft OneDrive, and the option to automatically back up photos to the cloud.
Priced at just EUR 45, the Nokia Asha 230 is the most affordable Asha touch device ever. Available in single and Dual SIM variants, it will start rolling out immediately across Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.
Nokia also introduced its lowest-priced, data-enabled phone: the beautifully designed Nokia 220, which makes mobile Internet accessible to more people around the world. With its 2.4″ colour screen, dust- and splash-proof keypad, the Nokia 220 is a well-crafted choice for people experiencing mobility and the Internet for the first time, with Facebook and Twitter pre-loaded and Bing as the default search engine in the pre-loaded Nokia Xpress browser. Retail prices for the Nokia 220 start at EUR 29. It will be available for sale immediately in single and Dual SIM variants and rolling-out in Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.
Women Exclusive Van Service Kicks off in the Twin Cities of Islamabad & Rawalpindi
Taking further the Government of Punjab’s objective of women empowerment, Al-Abrar Associates, RTA (Regional Transport Authority) and ZonG have joined hands to launch a Women Exclusive Van service – “Tabeer” for the commuting women of Islamabad/ Rawalpindi.
Lack of safe, secure, comfortable and economic transport is one of the reasons that even skilled and educated women are unable to break out of the cycle of grinding poverty. In rush hours men crowd bus stops resulting in delay and frustration for women. To provide a sustainable solution to this issue, DRTA has taken a revolutionary step of Project Tabeer in collaboration with Al-Abrar Associates, sponsored by Zong Flutter to allow every woman the right to avail convenient transport facility to commute for work.
Expressing his views on the Project Tabeer initiative, Mr. Awais Manzoor Tarar, Secretary DRTA said, “With the very first initiative of its kind taken by private sector, DRTA in collaboration with Al-Abrar Associates and support of Zong wishes to take the endeavors of Government of Punjab for women’s empowerment to a new level. Public Transport is one area where we feel women face a number of problems and hence we couldn’t think of any better platform than a dedicated van service for the working women of Islamabad and Rawalpindi which will offer them a safe and easy commute.”
12 exclusive branded vans will facilitate women, in not only commuting between the twin cities, but also serve as a hub of information on ZonG Flutter packages with the added advantage of allowing women to avail recharge facility on the go. This is in line with Zong Flutter’s tagline, “Meri dunya, Merey khwaab”, specifically dedicated to help women realize their dreams. Project Tabeer is yet another step in that direction. Speaking on sponsoring Project Tabeer, Ms. Esna Bhatti, Product Manager Flutter, ZonG said: “We are grateful to RTA, Al-Abrar Associates and the Government of Punjab in turning the Tabeer project into a reality. Since ZonG Flutter is all about females, the project was a natural fit with the values that ZonG Flutter stands for. Hence, we decided to become the principal sponsors of the project”.
Sharing her thoughts on Project Tabeer, Ms. Nabila Yazdani – Deputy Director HR, ZonG said, “At ZonG, we are sensitive to the many problems faced by Pakistani women to stand up for their rights and understand the hurdles faced by Pakistani women every single day. Hence, Tabeer is our way of letting women in Pakistan know that we respect their ambitions and want to become active partners in helping them achieve a prominent status in the society”.
Talking about the project, Mr. Ali Hamdani, CEO Al-Abrar Associates said, “We are pleased to collaborate with ZonG, Government of Punjab and RTA to bring together this very special project. Al-Abrar, Government of Punjab and ZonG Flutter share a common goal of facilitating the women of Pakistan. There could be no better way of empowering the women of Punjab than launching Project Tabeer, women exclusive van service providing them a safe and comfortable commute facility to get a step closer to their dreams and ambitions. We plan to expand this facility in other areas of Punjab after initial success in the twin cities”
ZonG Makes Mobile Internet More Pocket-friendly than Ever before
ZonG has taken another step to drive telecom industry growth by introducing city based packages for mobile internet. With this new offer, ZonG customers can subscribe to Mobile internet packages using GPRS at affordable rates. This service has initially been launched in these four cities: Lahore, Sialkot, Gujrat and Daska.
All customers living in these cities can subscribe to either of the two packages: Volume offer or Time offer. Volume offer can simply be activated by dialing *111*1# or by sending SMS ‘VOL’ to 6677 with subscription charges of Re. 1 per day and usage charges of Re. 1 per MB. On the other hand, Time offer can be activated by dialing *111*2# or by sending SMS ‘TIME’ to 6677 with subscription charges of Re. 1 per day and usage charges of Rs. 2 per Hr.
Speaking about this new offering, Dr. Zhao Peng – Chief Commercial Officer (CMPak) said, “As more and more smart phones become available in Pakistan at affordable rates, the demand for good mobile internet packages is also increasing. Zong’s latest offering of city based mobile internet will give Pakistanis an option to surf internet via mobile at most affordable rates. Hence, ZonG is playing a key role in driving up mobile internet usage that is likely to contribute to higher economic activity and at the same time increase mobile internet penetration level in Pakistan.”
One of the major goals behind launching pocket friendly internet packages is to give the masses residing both in Urban and Semi Urban areas a basic understanding and feel of mobile internet to ensure better response to the launch of 3G services in Pakistan in near future. This initiative is a first of its kind in the industry which will certainly position ZonG as a key enabler of mobile internet in the cities of Punjab.
hkhizrazaheer 