SMW4 Cut Causing Internet Disruption in Pakistan: ProPakistani

SMW4 Cut Causing Internet Disruption in Pakistan
PTCL Records Hat Trick at KSE-100 Index
Mobile Subscribers in Pakistan Reach 118.3 Million
PTA Accused of Delaying 3G Auction

SMW4 Cut Causing Internet Disruption in Pakistan

Posted: 10 May 2012 04:53 AM PDT

Reports suggest that submarine cable SEMEWE4 cable – linking majority of internet and telephony traffic in Pakistan – has been cut near Alexandria, causing serious sluggishness for internet browsing in Pakistan.

Various Internet Service Providers confirmed ProPakistani that cable cut has been reported and that internet speeds are impacted, throughout the country.

Sources confirmed that SEAMEWE4 cable was cut at 12:04 PM (Pakistan time), causing degraded internet services. Many websites aren't even accessible, or are opening very slow.

ISPs say that no estimated time for the resolution has been communicated by the SEMEWE4.

Reportedly SMW4 was cut last month too, but it got restored the same day.

The SMW4 cable, also known as SEA-ME-WE 4 or South East Asia- Middle East-Western Europe 4 cable network, connects 12 countries: Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Italy and France.

PTCL Records Hat Trick at KSE-100 Index

Posted: 10 May 2012 02:15 AM PDT

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has recorded a hat trick on the 100 index of Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) by remaining market leader in terms of shares' trading volume on three consecutive days of the present week.

PTCL remained a leading scrip on the 100 index and experts say it is likely to retain its position of volume leader by the end of trading session today, for consecutive fourth day.

PTCL's shares value was also seen increasing as investors have been buying its shares like hot dogs in the equity market in the hope to get maximum dividends expected to be announced soon.

In the first three days, traded shares from PTCL stood from 31.29 million to 47.2 million yesterday. Last weekly day from past week had also marked PTCL as market leader – 51.65 million shares were traded then.

In overall last four sessions, the value of PTCL share increased from Rs 14.42 per share to Rs 16.20 per share, showing 12 percent increase per share value.

Analysts believe that investors are heavily buying PTCL's shares owing to the expected formation of International Clearing House by LDI operators, in which the international incoming calls traffic will be increased on legal channels while blocking the grey traffic at maximum level on the other hand.

Accordingly, the rates for overseas callers may witness a massive jump as any foreign operator terminating calls into Pakistan would have to pay Rs. 7.64 per minute (USc8.4/min).

PTCL having lion share in the international traffic revenues will become the ultimate beneficiary of the filter system, that will enhance its profitability if plan is implemented as scheduled in near future, analysts said.

It can generate extra revenues while playing a role of technical leader in the consortium besides providing value added services to call centers.

Mobile Subscribers in Pakistan Reach 118.3 Million

Posted: 09 May 2012 10:05 PM PDT

Read this post in Urdu

Cellular mobile phone subscribers in Pakistan have reached 118,316,916 by adding 2.1 million subscribers (2,107,176 subscribers to be exact) in March 2012.

According to latest stats issued by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, the teledensity for mobile phone subscribers in Pakistan reached 68.2 percent, up from 67.2 percent a month ago.

At the end of March 2012, Mobilink remained the market leader with 35.8 million subscribers, followed by Telenor with 29.35 million subscribers. Ufone had 23.1 million subscribers while Zong contented with 15.66 million subscribers to stand fourth. Warid cleaned up another 296,510 subscribers in March 2012 to end the month with 14.40 million subscribers.

In March Zong added most number of subscribers to lead the new subscription race. It added 711,609 subscribers. While Ufone could add 697,388 new subscriptions during the reported month.

Telenor added just over half a million subscribers while Mobilink was able to grab 491,321 subscribers in March 2012.

Warid is apparently keeping up with the process of cleaning the data and reported a negative addition of 296,510 subscribers in the month.

PTA Accused of Delaying 3G Auction

Posted: 09 May 2012 09:44 PM PDT

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is delaying the auction for 3G licenses – which is likely to generate up to one billion dollar for the federal government – by not issuing finalized date for auction, Secretary Information Technology Farooq Awan told Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly yesterday.

The newly elected chairman of the committee, Nadeem Afzal Gondal, chaired the PAC meeting. The meeting reviewed the audit accounts of telecommunication sector for 2004-05 and 2006-07.

The secretary for information technology alleged that despite giving assurance to Ministry of Information Technology, the PTA did not appoint consultant for the valuation of 3G licenses, which the government had earlier planned to auction in March 2012.

It was revealed that Prime Minister had been told on December 19, 2011 that 3G auction would be held on March 29th, 2011 and that a consultant would be appointed till that time.

"But no consultant has so far been hired by the PTA after expiry of 80 days at a time when the government is desperate for cash," secretary remarked.

It maybe recalled that mobile operators always wanted to avoid 3G auction. We have covered a timeline for major events in past few months regarding 3G. ProPakistani's complete coverage for 3G auction can be found here.

Via BR

To read more, click: PTA Accused of Delaying 3G Auction
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