Cellular Companies and Constant SMS Spamming: ProPakistani

Cellular Companies and Constant SMS Spamming
Pasha Receives 200 Proposals for Social Innovation Fund
Broadband a key to Professional Development of Journalists: Huawei
Multinet Partners with TATA for Cross Border MPLS IPVPN Services

Cellular Companies and Constant SMS Spamming

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:52 AM PDT

Download Ring Tones for latest hit songs, answer this questions and win gold, valuing millions, do this and do that – these are kind of messages a Pakistani mobile subscriber get every other hour.

These SPAM SMS messages, which initially were meant to be a free VAS to keep customer updated about latest promotions have now become a major revenue generating source for cellular companies.

This deem true especially in case of lucky draws and quizzes – as cellular companies bombard each and every subscriber (except postpaid) with these quiz messages to lure maximum number of mobile subscribers to participate in any particular quiz.

It won't be out of place to mention that one reply from customer to such lucky draw messages makes at least Rs. 10 for respective mobile operator, while they get million of such replies for each campaign.

To get maximum engagement, these SMSes are often sent in roman Urdu or even in Unicode to make sure that each and every mobile subscriber is able to reach and understand the message.

This goes worst if you are an MNP user – in this case you will not only get promotional messages from your current operator but your ex-operator will also keep sending you such irritating messages.

Though cellular operators tell us that subscribers can call helplines to get their number off-list for any promotional message but our readers experience otherwise. Many of our readers keep sending us queries that they have called helpline this and this much time to stop these messages but of no use.

Their only hope is PTA, which is usually not much bothered about such small things. Mobile subscribers urge a simple way to opt-out of the list for receiving any SPAM messages. This would be equally beneficial for mobile operators too – as they can save resources by not sending messages to those who are not interested in such offers.

You can comment below to tell us your story about SPAM SMS that you receive daily.

Pasha Receives 200 Proposals for Social Innovation Fund

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:51 AM PDT

Pasha Fund has received around 200 proposals from individuals and groups of entrepreneurs of ICT sector to be evaluated and granted with Rs. 1 million initial capital to 25 individuals or groups for their respective projects.

A number of young and talented professionals and students are keen to avail funding from Pasha Fund for Social Innovation, which received better-than-expected applications from all over Pakistan in three months, a member of advisory council told ProPakistani.

The competition is tough among the applicants because the proposals are innovative, interesting and beneficial for the social aspects, a member further said while referring to the media's role in the awareness of the fund and efforts of Pasha representatives through their visit to different universities.

Currently, the evaluation committee is busy in selection of 25 most innovative and practically sound ideas or proposals to finalize the financing process as soon as possible.

Later, the fund will be launched with the announcement of selected individuals or companies in November or October.

Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) in collaboration with Google Inc on launched a $ 250,000 worth Social Innovative Fund in June in the search of innovators, who are capable to make difference in the society with their, idea, intelligence and technology.

The basic theme of the proposal was asked to design on social innovation that refers to an ICT based services or products that would benefit to a segment of society or to society as a whole – especially to downtrodden, deprived and victimized individuals such as those suffering from poverty, physical disability, lack of empowerment, lack of access to health, communication, employment and business opportunities, literacy, citizen services, etc.

After selection of the innovators, Pasha Funds' board members will give technical and financial expertise to entrepreneurs and students for pursuing their project in best economical way.

The entrepreneurs will be allocated maximum of one million rupees for the project in the first phase but the extra amount could be released if there will be any need to pursue a specific project.

Broadband a key to Professional Development of Journalists: Huawei

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 11:42 PM PDT

"Recently going-on successful Broadband Roadshow by Huawei in Islamabad reflects the tireless efforts of our experts and staff for the betterment of telecom sector in Pakistan to bring people closer and closer to each other".

These views were expressed by Ms. Lorraine Liang, Media Manager of Huawei Middle East during an informal visit of local journalists to Huawei demo truck.

A tour was given for demonstrating the demo truck fully equipped with all the modern fixed broadband telecom products. She also mentioned that today's rapid pace in any country the broadband internet users are increasing therefore it is truly considered as the symbol of guaranteed progress and prosperity of any country.

She emphasized that high-speed broadband Internet is a key to professional development of journalists and they can bring a very positive growth in their professional skills by using it professionally.

The journalists have shown great interest to analyzing all cases studies which were presented them very skillfully that how Huawei with a vision to enrich people’s lives through communication is supporting the telecom operators across the globe to provide high-speed facilities such as Internet TV and telephone conferencing to consumers.

On a question, Lorraine said her company’s innovations not only control the cost of the telecom operators successfully but would be proven most beneficial to the end users.

Multinet Partners with TATA for Cross Border MPLS IPVPN Services

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 11:32 PM PDT

Multinet and TATA Communication has partnered to provide MPLS IP/VPN services to their customers for easy and robust channels to connect with their potential and existing cross border nodes, reported ciol.com.

We tried contacting Multinet to get more details on the agreement, but they opted to hold the information for now.

After this agreement, it is likely that customers in India and Pakistan, through TATA and Multinet, will be able to have cross border dedicated links for fast and easy connectivity.

TATA in it's statement, quoting Radwan Moussalli, MD, Middle East & North Africa Region, Tata Communications said that Pakistan is a growing and diverse economy which is enjoying increasing international investment.

"This is the 100th country reached by our MPLS services and the 52nd by our Ethernet services, giving us the largest global Ethernet footprint. The MPLS and Ethernet node in Pakistan will allow businesses to connect to their offices in Pakistan and around the world using Tata Communications' extensive regional and global presence," he added.

The partnership will enable enterprise customers to avail Ethernet services and global multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) communications services in Pakistan, through a point-of-presence (PoP) in Karachi.

"The India-Pakistan cross-border connectivity will give us a unique value proposition," says Rashid, senior executive vice president, Multinet Pakistan Private Limited. "Enterprise customers will be able to choose from point-to-point and multi-point MPLS and Ethernet connectivity options across both locations."

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Thursday, September 29, 2011