Anusha Rehman Meets PTCL President for Recovery of Etisalat Held USD 800 Million

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxUUrbIaIGBNfJFR_KPnhfnXzIQYRWvh-lcbaF0VJs3gKlbZLlOpZFPk05Gs5To56DLYS6d-HXItIF9lhiDukSEgoCnSK0ixB8s9rhUjbO0EQdlhoKSz8eVOcJKc6lg2a9LaQ9PBO8mA/s1600/Anusha_Rehman_PTCL_Meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxUUrbIaIGBNfJFR_KPnhfnXzIQYRWvh-lcbaF0VJs3gKlbZLlOpZFPk05Gs5To56DLYS6d-HXItIF9lhiDukSEgoCnSK0ixB8s9rhUjbO0EQdlhoKSz8eVOcJKc6lg2a9LaQ9PBO8mA/s1600/Anusha_Rehman_PTCL_Meeting.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Anusha Rehman, Minister of State for IT and Telecom, yesterday met with Mr. Walid Irshaid, CEO and President of PTCL, to discuss the matter of pending Etisalat payment towards government of Pakistan.<br /> Etisalat is holding a USD 800 million or PKR 80 billion payment to Government of Pakistan from 26 percent stakes purchase in PTCL in 2005.<br /> PTCL, in the past, has always maintained that matter of pending payments is between Etisalat and Privatization Commission and that company has nothing much to do about this.<br /> <div class="adsxpls" id="adsxpls1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> </div> However, for the first time, Mr. Walid Irshaid is reported in media to have discussed the matter of outstanding Etisalat payments.<br /> It maybe recalled that Etisalat – <a href="http://rexhacker.blogspot.com/2013/10/ptcl-submits-non-binding-offer-to.html" target="_blank">through PTCL</a> — is aggressively perusing to get cent percent hold of Warid Telecom in Pakistan. However, <a href="http://rexhacker.blogspot.com/2013/11/pakistan-may-block-etisalat-warid-deal.html" target="_blank">Pakistan is looking to block the deal</a> if Etisalat decides to not to clear the pending payment.<br /> Sources tell RexHacker that Etisalat-Warid deal is almost through. Both the sides are now evaluating the regulatory approvals and <a href="http://rexhacker.blogspot.com/2013/12/etisalat-warid-deal-raises-socio.html" target="_blank">other post-announcement factors</a> that may impact the deal after it will be announced officially.<br /> RexHacker is expecting the announcement for Etisalat-Warid deal through a foreign media-outlet during next few days.</div>

Anusha Rehman Meets PTCL President for Recovery of Etisalat Held USD 800 Million

Anusha Rehman, Minister of State for IT and Telecom, yesterday met with Mr. Walid Irshaid, CEO and President of PTCL, to discuss the mat...

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Easypaisa Launches ATM Cards

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrzUuuCQ98STeGHn6zE49WZHvvUlbzdgdaaYq6kwWNEp7mjyFk3yIOzBU-xFKVZ55MBD_oMBdht9upj6FXrbDaN8ouY7fegYBRNnWZEXTD8-4jkbWXNPCyOuYhGvHIBT7jm7Gf7TJTss/s1600/Easypaisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrzUuuCQ98STeGHn6zE49WZHvvUlbzdgdaaYq6kwWNEp7mjyFk3yIOzBU-xFKVZ55MBD_oMBdht9upj6FXrbDaN8ouY7fegYBRNnWZEXTD8-4jkbWXNPCyOuYhGvHIBT7jm7Gf7TJTss/s1600/Easypaisa.jpg" /></a></div> Easypaisa has officially launched the ATM cards for its mobile account holders, reported <a href="http://www.nation.com.pk/business/10-Dec-2013/easypaisa-announces-commercial-launch-of-atm-cards" target="_blank">The Nation</a>.<br /> Paper said that after the soft launch of Easypaisa ATM cards earlier this year, Easypaisa has now commercially launched the cards for its mobile account holders.<br /> Easypaisa Mobile Account holders can get their ATM cards from Telenor Service Centres or from Tameer Bank branches.<br /> Card Issuance charges are set at Rs. 200 per ATM card, while transaction charges are Rs. 25 per transaction.<br /> <div class="adsxpls" id="adsxpls1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> </div> With ATM cards, Easypaisa mobile account holders will no longer be required to visit Easypaisa outlets, instead they will be able to withdraw the cash through any 1-link ATM machines across Pakistan.<br /> Omar Moeen Malik, Head of Strategy for Easypaisa, Telenor Pakistan was quoted as saying that Pakistan is now one of the very few countries in the world, where any person with a CNIC can open a free bank account on his Mobile Phone in under two minutes, pick up an ATM card and link it to his account easily.<br /> Mobile financial service providers are seeing strong growth in their person-to-person transactions, which do not require permanent mobile accounts.<br /> Number of mobile account holders in the country, on the other hands, is not very impressive. However, services such as ATM cards may give required incentive to masses to ultimately have mobile accounts. More services such as netbanking and mobile apps to manage mobile account can further boost the usage.<br /> It maybe recalled that UBL Omni already offers ATM cards to its customers. Other mobile financial services are also planning to launch ATM cards and mobile apps for their customers to manage their mobile accounts.</div>

Easypaisa Launches ATM Cards

Easypaisa has officially launched the ATM cards for its mobile account holders, reported The Nation . Paper said that after the soft la...

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3G Consultants Reach Pakistan, Start Preparing IM for 3G

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWDNDJiXLo31PHAqHESI5kskSlqfWA4lULKETxq5LV1rl6yH9Z7Ud3WxoHoffrWJ8jukeh3r5G8GtmBsx2dmLr0qLSSF6UFw-ChuZStDTdY1GFiFmUTHd5-yWwI8F8hKcXgP1UThW8mg/s1600/3G_Auction_in_Pakistan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWDNDJiXLo31PHAqHESI5kskSlqfWA4lULKETxq5LV1rl6yH9Z7Ud3WxoHoffrWJ8jukeh3r5G8GtmBsx2dmLr0qLSSF6UFw-ChuZStDTdY1GFiFmUTHd5-yWwI8F8hKcXgP1UThW8mg/s1600/3G_Auction_in_Pakistan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Recently hired consultants for procuring next generation telecom licenses have landed in Pakistan to start working on the Information Memorandum for next generation spectrum auction, sources tell RexHacker.<br /> Pakistan Telecommunication Authority recently selected “Value Partners Management Consulting Limited” for the procurement of next generation spectrum auction. The selection was finalized after rigorous evaluation of financial and technical bids from seven consultancy firms.<br /> Highly placed sources tell RexHacker that consultants are now in Islamabad who signed the agreement with PTA before commencing the task.<br /> Consultants will go ahead with the preparation of Information Memorandum for next generation licenses.<br /> <div class="adsxpls" id="adsxpls1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> </div> This document will detail all kinds of information relating to license auction, such as prerequisites, requirements, criteria for operators to participate, base price of license, terms, conditions etc..<br /> Pakistan Telecommunication Authority had prepared a similar document before, based on which auction was to be held on March 29th, 2012. However, things didn’t go as per plans because of non-appointment of consultants, which – according to PPRA Rules — is mandatory for any public sector auctions.<br /> PTA, this time, is making sure that schedule for auctioning 3G/4G licenses is met, while on the other hands it is taking good care of all necessary and mandatory things.<br /> We have heard that PTA has asked consultants to prepare IM from scratch. It is likely that the newly drafted Information Memorandum for next generation spectrum auction will surface around mid of January 2014.<br /> Pakistan is planning to auction 3G/4G licenses by the end of February 2014.</div>

3G Consultants Reach Pakistan, Start Preparing IM for 3G

Recently hired consultants for procuring next generation telecom licenses have landed in Pakistan to start working on the Information M...

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Sindh High Court Imposes a Hold on Issuance of New LDI Licenses

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNVN1WfrcSEr_I1yPfCP_kkLvOr845OYAPctuxCEkNqA7wjpbU9MRWkWxvtx5OZItQX63Yuh8_nlfIWBlvB3VHD7utm6W1G56iJcRNdINI9FsBSUzEHDKoEw8mlxTn6M16r34AXnBElk/s1600/Pakistan-Telecommunication-Authority.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNVN1WfrcSEr_I1yPfCP_kkLvOr845OYAPctuxCEkNqA7wjpbU9MRWkWxvtx5OZItQX63Yuh8_nlfIWBlvB3VHD7utm6W1G56iJcRNdINI9FsBSUzEHDKoEw8mlxTn6M16r34AXnBElk/s1600/Pakistan-Telecommunication-Authority.jpg" /></a></div> Sindh High Court has restrained the federal government from issuing Long Distance and International (LDI) licences under the obsolete telecom policy till further orders.<br /> Justice Nadeem Akhtar, who headed the bench, passed the stay order on a private telephone operator’s petition challenging the notification issued by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for issuing LDI licences under the expired policy.<br /> It maybe recalled that Telecom Policy was formulated in 2003 and was to be renewed after every five years, however, the policy is still not renewed since it got expired in 2008.<br /> Telecom policy is a document that sets various standards regarding telecom services, including the fee of various licenses and spectrums.<br /> The petitioners, Telecard Limited, Redtone Telecommunications and Multinet Pakistan, filed plea against Ministry of Information Technology secretary and the PTA, saying the PTA is set to auction new LDI licenses based on expired policy.<br /> As per this expired policy, anybody – that meets certain criteria – could obtain LDI licenses on payment of the prescribed fee of $500,000.<br /> <div class="adsxpls" id="adsxpls1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> </div> Petitioners said that this fee is dirt low as per current market standards and hence government should be restrained from issuing new LDI licenses based on expired and out-dated policy and rates.<br /> It merits mentioning here that ministry of information and technology was going to issue LDI licences to CMPak as it has issued a notification in this regard on November 12, 2013.<br /> Petitioners added that the valuable asset of the country was being sold at throwaway prices which could cause billions of losses to the telecom sector.<br /> The court was pleaded to declare the notification illegal and direct respondents to formulate new deregulating policy for telecom sector.<br /> The bench restrained the federal government from issuing LDI licences under the old telecom policy as well as issued notice to respondents to file their comments by December 17.<br /> This stay order will blow CMPak’s efforts to obtain new LDI license, for which it was struggling since its inception in 2007.<br /> CMPak, the only cellular operator without LDI license, was earlier denied LDI license in 2007 due to Government of Pakistan’s agreement with Etisalat, according to which Pakistan could not issue any new telecom licenses till March 2013.</div>

Sindh High Court Imposes a Hold on Issuance of New LDI Licenses

Sindh High Court has restrained the federal government from issuing Long Distance and International (LDI) licences under the obsolete t...

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Warid Increases Maintenance Fee on Balance Loads to 5%

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CGKiDCzpVa5Xed-Bb_UcrrQSVJm762GZdmQKFn1WxGkaXFIi0Lk5zEi6CEKO_w3LasMNsMKGAZOvH96Ip1glmbu22sMKw9m089604gbvdCMCfoMYsEh_zdOpPWFZct-36FqFY0NkU-A/s1600/Warid-Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CGKiDCzpVa5Xed-Bb_UcrrQSVJm762GZdmQKFn1WxGkaXFIi0Lk5zEi6CEKO_w3LasMNsMKGAZOvH96Ip1glmbu22sMKw9m089604gbvdCMCfoMYsEh_zdOpPWFZct-36FqFY0NkU-A/s1600/Warid-Logo.jpg" /></a></div> Warid has announced that it will start deducting 5 percent on all card recharges and reloads from December 11th, 2013.<br /> Previously all other operators had imposed and then increased similar charges they deduct on card recharges and reloads. It is now Warid has followed the pattern to increase charges on reloads.<br /> <div class="adsxpls" id="adsxpls1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> </div> Not to forget, government had increased Withholding Tax on telecom services from 10 percent to 15 percent from this July, that is deducted at the time of card recharges and loads.<br /> Warid Telecom, in a notice appearing on its website, said:<br /> <blockquote> Dear Customers, maintenance fee will be revised to 5% on all recharges through scratch cards and WaridLoad from 11th December 2013. Thank you<br /> </blockquote> Telecom consumers are paying over 35 percent of their loads as taxes or service charges. Consumers have repeatedly urged the regulator and government to revise these additional charges and taxes on cellular and other telecom services. However it appears that authorities aren’t doing much for their relief.</div>

Warid Increases Maintenance Fee on Balance Loads to 5%

Warid has announced that it will start deducting 5 percent on all card recharges and reloads from December 11th, 2013. Previously all o...

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Samsung Announces Mid-Range Smartphone the Galaxy Win Pro

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV87jmK2qb7hGYo5NGe6qWgGifHcZ3CBJ7wWSVbHCf_t3yKq1YRl6F5JCIY7wOOPt0XrLKK3Guo0NPqsvwHvW4EYAesObtkSnUh8PBZl_mzdFF70YWd1fBfa2vPFAx3HNTl0QZTk81w9E/s1600/Samsung-Galaxy-Win-Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV87jmK2qb7hGYo5NGe6qWgGifHcZ3CBJ7wWSVbHCf_t3yKq1YRl6F5JCIY7wOOPt0XrLKK3Guo0NPqsvwHvW4EYAesObtkSnUh8PBZl_mzdFF70YWd1fBfa2vPFAx3HNTl0QZTk81w9E/s1600/Samsung-Galaxy-Win-Pro.jpg" /></a></div> Samsung is currently on a smartphone-announcing spree. The Win Pro is another mid-ranger in the company’s Galaxy line-up and is successor to the much-neglected Galaxy Win.<br /> There are a few changes, however. The display is better, qHD vs WVGA, but is a tad bit smaller at 4.5″ against the 4.7″ unit of the handset it replaces. Battery capacity is also bumped by 100mAh to 2100 mAh while video recording capabilities to 1080p, quite neat for a phone of this range.<br /> <div class="adsxpls" id="adsxpls1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> </div> Under the hood, you get a 1.2Ghz quad-core processor and presumably 8 GB expandable storage with 1 GB RAM. The camera around the back is of 5 megapixel resolution, accompanied by a VGA front-facer.<br /> Given the recent trend, the phone will come with dual-sim compatibility, with a single-sim version going up on retail as well. The phone will come with Android 4.2.2 pre-installed, customized with Touchwiz UI.<br /> Here are the full specs of the phone:<br /> <ul> <li>Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Touchwiz UI</li> <li>4.5″ display of qHD resolution</li> <li>9.7mm thick</li> <li>Weighing 139g</li> <li>Optional dual-sim compatibility</li> <li>1.2Ghz quad-core processor</li> <li>8 GB expandable internal storage; 1 GB RAM</li> <li>5 megapixel rear-camera with 1080p video recording</li> <li>Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G</li> <li>2100 mAh battery</li> <li>Available in Black or White</li> </ul> The phone will be accessible in the coming few weeks. Pricing details are unknown as of now.</div>

Samsung Announces Mid-Range Smartphone the Galaxy Win Pro

Samsung is currently on a smartphone-announcing spree. The Win Pro is another mid-ranger in the company’s Galaxy line-up and is successo...

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