Accessing your email from any type of phone is now possible! For the first time in the industry, Telenor Pakistan launches the new ‘Telenor SMS Email service’ that brings all e-mails directly to any type of mobile phone through SMS. All major features of a normal email are available through this service.

‘Telenor SMS Email’ service is a new mobile e-mail solution that supports all popular e-mail accounts including Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo and any other POP-based mailboxes. There are no constraints as far as mobile phone features are concerned. All phones with SMS features support the service without installation of third party software. New e-mails are pushed as SMS alerts immediately upon receipt to the phone. These emails can be read in detail and replied to immediately. The service is also accessible through the website and through a WAP browser on the handset.

Chief Marketing Officer Telenor Pakistan, Lars Christian Iuel sharing his thoughts on ‘Telenor SMS Email’ service said, “Telenor Pakistan is fully aware of the innovation our customers expect from us. In Pakistan mobile usage significantly exceeds the internet penetration. In such a dynamic environment, where on-the-go services are much coveted, SMS e-mail becomes highly relevant for the consumer. Another industry first, the user friendly ‘Telenor SMS Email’ caters the need of all those customers who demand innovation coupled with simplicity. We hope that this service will play its role in bringing increased access in our customers’ life.”

‘Telenor SMS Email’ service best caters to professionals and students on the go. Accessible everywhere, this innovative email solution is primarily targeted to provide value added services to those customers who cannot use the GPRS & EDGE services on their mobile phones due to various reasons.

For activation of the service, subscriber just needs to send an SMS ‘SUB’ to 555. The subscription will cost Rs. 30 + tax, which allows 1500 email message alerts for one month. The price for forwarding, replying to, blocking, unblocking or requesting for a link to the complete e-mail will further be charged at Rs. 0.5 + tax per message. The subscription to SMS email is valid for thirty days.

M/s Breezcom setup was using bandwidth for international connectivity while multiple GSM SIMs were being used for local call termination. The confiscated equipment includes one Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway along with other accessories. Computer carrying data of illegal telecom traffic was also confiscated. It is estimated that the setup was causing revenue loss worth millions of rupees to national exchequer. FIA has registered a case against the accused and arrested two owners of the company and initiated legal action against them as per Telecom Act.

It may be mentioned that PTA has acquired a Technical Solution for addressing the menace of grey traffic brought into the country through illegal means. It is a proven solution which is currently being used by various telecom operators across the globe. PTA as a regulator shall continue to track such unlawful activities to apprehend the individuals involved and to protect public money.

PTCL has started providing medical facilities to its employees and local residents of remote areas where medical facilities are not easily accessible, through its PTCL MOBILE MEDICAL UNITS.

The mobile medical unit service has been initiated on the special instructions of Mr.Walid Irshaid President and CEO PTCL, to ensure medical treatment facilities at the door step of our employees serving in remote exchanges.

PTCL has arranged these mobile medical units initially for Islamabad and Lahore with the aim of expanding this service to other parts of the country.

The mobile medical unit provides medical treatment services including referral to panel hospitals. The mobile medical unit service also extends treatment facilities to the general public as a gesture of corporate social responsibility on behalf of PTCL.,

The service and initiative by the PTCL Management has been highly appreciated by the employees and general public.

It is not just the field of technology and development in which PTCL has excelled its engagement in corporate social activities, particularly in health, education and social development.

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) signed an agreement with USF to provide broadband services in under served areas of Faisalabad Telecom Region (FTR) including the districts of Bhakar, Faisalabad (excluding city), Jhang, Khushab, Mianwali, Sargodha and Toba Tek Singh. Under this agreement PTCL will establish 235 Educational Broadband Centers, 90 Community broadband centers in addition to provision of broadband services to 86,500 consumers in the next 18 months.

Secretary IT Hifz ur Rehman, the chief guest of the occasion, appreciated the public private partnership for the improvement of telecom sector in the country. He urged the operators to work hard and make the FTR broadband project a successful example for other regions. Talking on the occasion Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Dr. Muhammad Yaseen advised the operators to generate demand for the broadband services across the country through awareness campaigns and development of value added services.

Senior Executive Vice President PTCL Sikandar Naqi appreciated the efforts of USFCo, Ministry of IT & Telecom and PTA in proliferation of modern telecom services and assured that PTCL will use all its resources to make this project successful. He was hopeful that PTCL being the largest integrated telecom operator and socially responsible corporate citizen will be playing a vital role in narrowing the digital divide and expanding broadband services to consumers in less developed semi urban areas in years to follow.

Sikandar Naqi informed that broadband services started in Pakistan in 2001 and third party operators were encouraged to provide DSL based broadband services on local loop sharing basis. Till 2007, there were only 40,000 broadband DSL customers. PTCL entered the market to provide DSL broadband services in 2007 and revolutionized the sector by creating demand through attractive value added services, tariff plans and high quality service. In two years time, PTCL has achieved a customer base of around 200, 000 with countrywide presence. The company is offering DSL services to the students at 30% discount as part of the corporate social responsibility program to ensure availability of data services at affordable rates.

Warid has proved to be at the top in successful implementation of PTA’s new pre activation regime. Effective from 1st of Feb 2009, all Warid new prepaid SIMs are being activated only when the subscribers dial 789 & have their personal data verified (in compliance with NADRA).  The huge network of Warid sales channels that includes franchise and retail are selling inactive SIMs from 1st February 2009.

Warid has taken all the measures to ensure full compliance as required by PTA and the Contact Center is undoubtedly doing a commendable job to provide uninterrupted service for activation of new SIMs through 789. Since customer satisfaction has always been the top priority of the company, thus Warid is striving to provide its valued customers with a hassle free and pleasant experience.

Warid has one of the largest distributions channel and Contact Center network in the country, allowing it to offer wide accessibility and exceptional customer services across Pakistan. The successful launch of 789 by Warid Contact Center is a milestone achieved by both PTA and Warid. It will certainly help reducing the sales of illegal SIMs and will be a positive step to decrease the crime rate in the country.

Mobilink, conducted a nationwide drive in association with The Citizen’s Foundation as part of its “Earth Day” celebrations.

Earth Day, first celebrated on April 22, 1970, aims to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the earth’s environment volunteer employees of Mobilink with the help of students of TCF schools carried out an elaborate environment-cleaning activity in leading metropolitans across Pakistan. Over 300 people, including Mobilink employees, TCF students and teachers, participated in this nationwide drive conducted under the umbrella of Mobilink Foundation, a dedicated entity formed by Mobilink for its CSR efforts.

Commenting on the initiative, Omar Manzur, Director Corporate Social Responsibility and PR, Mobilink stated, “The enthusiasm and dedication of the young students of TCF matches that of Mobilink employees who have volunteered today to observe Earth Day. Taking care of the Earth and keeping our surroundings clean is our civic responsibility. Mobilink’s CSR vision is sensitive to the environment and hence, this celebration is line with our objectives.”

The cleanliness drive was conduced at Quaid-e-Azam’s Mausoleum in Karachi, Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore, Rawal Lake in Islamabad, D-Ground in Faisalabad, and Rani Park in Hyderabad.

The participating children were also educated on the significance of Earth Day and the importance of keeping their surroundings clean. It may be worth noting here that according to UNICEF, children, especially young students, are “future agents for economic and social change” making them the most important target audience for socially beneficial messages.

Mobilink Foundation has undertaken numerous social initiatives since its establishment in December 2007. The Foundation continues to support The Citizen’s Foundation, Zindagi Trust and CARE Foundation thus catering to over 2,000 students through its CSR efforts in education. Additionally, MF also provides scholarships to 5 students of LUMS who qualify through their National Outreach Program as well as deserving students at Roshni Homes Trust.

Mobilink has announced nationwide plans to celebrate the up-coming “Earth day” in association with The Citizens Foundation (TCF).

Planned under the auspices of Mobilink Foundation, a dedicated entity set up by Mobilink for key CSR activities, a cleanliness drive will be conducted by Mobilink employees and students of TCF schools of select prominent spots in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, and Hyderabad.

Earth Day, celebrated April 22, is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment.

Commenting on the Earth Day activities, Omar Manzur, Director CSR and PR, Mobilink stated, “We believe that maintaining a quality environmental habitat is not only of grave importance to business and profitability but also our responsibility. We are grateful to the teachers and students of TCF who have expressed support to this drive scheduled for April 22.”

As Pakistan’s largest private sector organization, Mobilink has a history of environment friendly CSR efforts. Amongst key initiatives are the manufacture and free distribution of school bags from outdated billboard skins to more than 25,000 students of CARE Foundation, refurbishing obsolete cell phones for distribution among physically challenged citizens

Etisalat has reported a net profit of $593 million Dollars and net revenues of $1.938 billion for the first quarter of 2009.

Etisalat stated Q1 results in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards, in accordance with Securities and Commodities Authority regulations, said a statement.

The results reflect a 4 per cent increase over the Q1 2008 net profit of Dh2.096 billion and a 13 per cent increase over last year’s net revenues of Dh6.280 billion. Last year’s results were restated to comply with International Financial Reporting Standards.

“Etisalat continues to achieve growth in both revenues and profits, despite the many economic challenges which the world is facing,” said Mohammad Omran, chairman of Etisalat.

He added, “We are now looking for new investment opportunities. We are continuing to study many different markets for the best opportunities that will add to Etisalat’s reputation and support our ambition to become one of the largest ten operators in the world.”

“In the first quarter of 2009 we launched many new, high quality services. One of the most important was the introduction of the iPhone 3G in the UAE,’ said Mohammad Al Qamzi, chief executive of Etisalat.

Recently PTCL’s field staff of Rawalpindi Telecom Region was given wireless handsets by the PTCL’s Executive Vice President Business Zone North Islamabad (BZNI) to increase their efficiency in the field.

The sets were given to linemen, cable jointers and other field staff in order to improve efficiency and enhance mobility for keeping the network in order and efficient.
The field staff will remain in close contact with the operational heads for receiving messages about faulty phones and network of valued customers in the field.

Executive Vice President Jamil A Khawaja urged the BZNI staff to work with full devotion, zeal and zenith for customers care for image building of the organisation.
The staff will be rewarded on better performance. Therefore, PTCL staff should work harder for providing state-of-the-art telecom services to its customers, he added.

General Manager Rawalpindi Telecom Region Ch Arshad Baddar, Chief Engineer Abdul Latif Khan, Senior Manager (MM&BB) M Ilyas Qureshi, Manager Ch Liaqat Ali Siddiqui, Senior Engineer Mehmood Ahmad and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.

Telenor Pakistan supports new talent Amanat Ali by launching his first music album “Kohram” in collaboration with Fire Records. Amanat Ali is a renowned upcoming star in the subcontinent with the runner-up award in ZTV’s singing competition SaReGaMaPa.
The good news for Amanat’s fan and Telenor Pakistan customers was conveyed through a joint press conference at a local hotel here in Karachi today. Amanat announced the launch of his album along with Telenor Pakistan’s Manager Corporate Communications and Responsibility and Fire Records Chief Operating Officer Dr. Akbar Yezdani.

Amanat Ali, who rose to stardom in 2007 after being declared runner up in the sub-continent’s famous music competition SaReGaMaPa, has enjoyed much fame in the region ever since. He has also gained fame in the UK and the USA through live concerts over the past two years. Addressing the press conference he said, ‘’ What keeps me going is faith, my trust in the God gifted talent of singing and prayers from my millions of fans throughout Pakistan and the rest of the world.’’ In an answer to a question from the media he said, ‘’It is very encouraging to see corporate organizations supporting the young talent of Pakistan. This provides us a platform to further polish our skills for the outstanding performances expected from us.’’

Talking to the media about Amanat’s album launch, Telenor Pakistan’s Manager Corporate Communications and Responsibility Affan Haider said, “We believe in providing meaningful entertainment to our customers. Amanat Ali, also the brand ambassador for Telenor TalkShawk, brings a fresh voice to the world of music coupled with unique vitality. Pakistanis, young and old, appreciate his talent, and have been eagerly waiting for his first album’s launch. Telenor Pakistan is pleased to introduce ‘Kohram’ to its customers and all music lovers. We have partnered with Fire Records to provide maximum publicity to the album.”

The COO of Fire Records Dr. Akbar Yezdani said, “When we heard Amanat Ali during his appearance in a reality show; we knew he had genuine talent and will make his country proud. As it transpired over successive weeks, Amanat impressed audiences and professionals alike. As for the album, it has entirely been produced in Pakistan by young and very talented producers, musicians and engineers. The album is a blend of upbeat tracks like ‘Kohram’ and ‘Rab Janay’ as well as classical tracks like ‘Thumri’ which establishes Amanat as an accomplished trained singer.’’ Replying to a media question he said, ‘’We are very happy to partner yet again with Telenor to bring quality music to our audience and together we hope to promote new talent in the future as well.’’

The Press conference concluded with a live screening of the title song of the album ‘Kohram’. Famous celebrities from the world of showbiz in Pakistan were also present at the occasion and applauded the young talents’ efforts.