How Girls Should Secure Their Mobile Numbers?

here are countless websites these days, full of girl’s mobile numbers available publicly.

Real problem is that these mobile numbers replicate all over the web on dozens of websites, social media and what not.

Unfortunately, if your number has landed on one of these websites, you are in real trouble, here is the best solution: Change your Number immediately!

Unfortunately, we can’t rely on cellular companies, or even on PTA to resolve our problem because of growing size of such complaints. You can’t register complaint every day.

Even better, following are some ways to make sure that your mobile number doesn’t reach such losers,

* Never topup your mobile number; use scratch cards to make sure that your number is not shared with anyone. In case of Ufone customer, you can use Ufone Smart Code to keep your number secret even when recharging through Ushare. Zong also offers a similar service.
* Never allow anyone to make calls from your number, because in-case of a call back (even from a known cousin, friend) your number will get revealed to them.
* Never accept unknown calls, clearly announce in your family and friends that you will not accept their calls if called from unknown numbers
* Never store your mobile numbers on Facebook or any other social media profiles.
* You can maintain two mobile phones, one with primary number that you would never want to change, while another for not very close friends/relatives.
* Try not to give away your mobile number in CVs, a landline number can work in this case or a secondary mobile number if you have two phones. By the way, if applied for job at mid-sized or small sized company your personal information is highly at risk.

EasyPaisa Gets an Urdu Website

Easypaisa, the mobile banking solution from Telenor and Tameer bank has launched Urdu version of its website, with almost similar details as they are available in English version.

It looks that Urdu version is machine translation (or what they call meaning to meaning translation) of Easypaisa’s English version; check following paragraph (available here) and its translations in quite literary manner (available here):

Telenor Pakistan has always been a pioneer in innovative services. For easypaisa, Telenor Pakistan has partnered with Tameer Micro Finance Bank to introduce branchless banking for the first time in Pakistan. The innovative product umbrella of easypaisa will give you complete convenience and empowerment that you have always wanted in life.

Translation:

ٹیلی نار پاکستان ہمیشہ سے اختراعی سروسز کا بانی رہا ہے۔ ایزی پیسہ کے لئے ٹیلی نار پاکستان نے تعمیر مائیکروفنانس بینک کے ساتھ شراکت دار کی ہے تا کہ پاکستان میں پہلی بار برانچ لیس بینکنگ کو متعارف کرائے۔ایزی پسیہ کی چھتری کی اختراع پروڈکٹ آپ کو مکمل سکون و اختیار دے گی جو آپ اپنی زندگی میں چاہتے ہیں۔

Even Google translated this paragraph better with easy-to-understand language.

Nevertheless, a good step, with lots of chances for betterment; particularly if payment sending methods are explained in easy to understand language with more details than what they are available in English.

EasyPaisa Gets an Urdu Website

Easypaisa, the mobile banking solution from Telenor and Tameer bank has launched Urdu version of its website, with almost similar details as they are available in English version.

It looks that Urdu version is machine translation (or what they call meaning to meaning translation) of Easypaisa’s English version; check following paragraph (available here) and its translations in quite literary manner (available here):

Telenor Pakistan has always been a pioneer in innovative services. For easypaisa, Telenor Pakistan has partnered with Tameer Micro Finance Bank to introduce branchless banking for the first time in Pakistan. The innovative product umbrella of easypaisa will give you complete convenience and empowerment that you have always wanted in life.

Translation:

ٹیلی نار پاکستان ہمیشہ سے اختراعی سروسز کا بانی رہا ہے۔ ایزی پیسہ کے لئے ٹیلی نار پاکستان نے تعمیر مائیکروفنانس بینک کے ساتھ شراکت دار کی ہے تا کہ پاکستان میں پہلی بار برانچ لیس بینکنگ کو متعارف کرائے۔ایزی پسیہ کی چھتری کی اختراع پروڈکٹ آپ کو مکمل سکون و اختیار دے گی جو آپ اپنی زندگی میں چاہتے ہیں۔

Even Google translated this paragraph better with easy-to-understand language.

Nevertheless, a good step, with lots of chances for betterment; particularly if payment sending methods are explained in easy to understand language with more details than what they are available in English.

Ufone Saaf Awaz

Ufone’s TV commercial have long been praised for thier effectiveness with element of comedy in them. The recent one makes another effective shot at the importance of SAAF AWAZ. It coudn’t have been done better than this; take a look at it your self. Hats off the creatives behind it.

Warid Delivery Reports are Back, No, They are Not!

Just now, Warid has enabled SMS delivery reports on its network, which were blocked three weeks ago. Warid had taken back delivery reports without communicating the reasons or the date for turning them back on.

As per multiple reports from ProPakistani readers, Warid SMS Delivery Reports got back at 12:00 AM tonight – and that too without any charges and/or subscription. and then disappeared again at 12:20 AM.

Warid SMS Delivery Reports are offered to all subscribers by default as a free service (at least for now).

Warid customers had protested over the termination of SMS Delivery Reports, while many had threatened the company to port out.

Ufone charges Rs. 10 plus tax per month for SMS delivery reports.

Update: We are getting reports from readers that Warid Delivery Reports are again gone – so apparently it was a just a system glitch, which can further annoy the customers.

Warid customer support said that Delivery Reports are temporarily disabled till any further notice.

Uth Package Offers Free on-net Calls after Two Mins

AS we know, Super Call Offer ended yesterday, which offered free on-net calls after first 2 minutes – round the clock, now Ufone has modified its Uth Package.

According to details provided to us by sources, Ufone Uth Package has become something like following:

• Free Ufone to Ufone Calls after first two minutes – 24 hours
  
• Hourly Calls to PTCL numbers from 12 AM to 5 PM (FnF Numbers only)
• Daily Charges: Rs. 1 plus tax
• Other details remain the same as mentioned on this page

AS So apparently, round the clock Ufone to Ufone calls feature is added to already available features for Uth Package.

How to subscribe:

If you are on Uwon or any other package (Even with Super Call Offer activated), then dial *22# to activate Uth Package. Subscription charges are Rs. 10 plus tax.

Note: Uth Package subscribers will have to re-subscribe by dialing *22# to avail this modified Uth package, re-subscription charges are Rs. 30 plus tax

Important Note: This modification in Uth Package (Round the clock free On-net Calls after 2 mins) will remain valid till July 31^st, 2010. No words yet on what will happen after that.

Wateen Offers Student Discount Package in Selected Cities

Thanks to USF, Wateen telecom is offering WiMAX broadband services at discounted rates for students in selected cities.

This discount is offered exclusively for students in following cities:

• Okara
• Sargodha
• Abbottabad
• Gujrat
• Sialkot
• Sheikhupura
• Sahiwal

Student of these cities can get discount on Wateen services by simply presenting their School, college, University identity at Wateen Franchises.

Discounted Wateen Rates for Students are as following:

• 256 Kbps – Unlimited Volume for Rs. 839
• 512 Kbps – Unlimited Volume for Rs. 909
• 1 Mbps – 1 GB Limit for Rs. 299
• 1 Mbps – Unlimited Volume for Rs. 979

All these packages come with

• Upfront cost: Zero
• Security: Zero
• Monthly Device Rental: Zero

For more information call Wateen’s helpline here: 111-365-111 (Be informed that wait time is usually longer than 4-5 minutes)

It merits mentioning here that these cities were offered subsidy by USF (see map above) – where it is mandatory for broadband operators to achieve a target number of customers to start receiving the subsidy grants from USF. As it is apparent from the map that USF has plans to stretch its subsidy for broadband to other under-served cities of Pakistan as well.

For complete details on USF’s Broadband programme: http://www.usf.org.pk/Broadband-Programme.aspx

Broadcast your Advert as Ringback Tone: Warid

Ringback tones are long used by cellular company staff as a branding tool and at times for sales’ purposes.

Now, Warid is offering its corporate customers to activate one custom made single CRBT across all numbers of that organization, which can be a message, jingle, promotion or anything – that will be communicated to anyone calling these numbers.

However, Warid reserves the right to reject any custom message; based on its policy.

Charges:

The corporate customer signs up for Corporate RBT service for a nominal one time activation fee and monthly charges of Rs. 10 plus tax per month for every number on which Corporate RBT is to be activated.

Key Features

• Warid’s Corporate RBT system will play the customized ringtone to any caller who calls the number on which customized RBT has been set by the company.
• Corporate RBT will not interfere with personal/default RBT after its assigned time slot. However, Corporate RBT will always take precedence over personal RBT in case its assigned time slot overlaps with personal RBT.
• Only Warid subscribers can be activated with this service.
• In case Corporate RBT is activated on a number which already has Caller Tunes activated, then monthly charges for that number will be Rs 10+tax/month for Corporate RBT in addition to normal CallerTune monthly charges of Rs. 10+tax.
• The length of the customized ringtone should not be longer than 30 seconds.
• The ringtone will be applied to the company’s uploaded list of numbers provided that this list of numbers is in the ownership of the company.

How to acquire Warid’s Corporate RBT Solution

• If you are a Warid customer, please contact your designated Corporate Sales/CAM and he/she will assist you in acquiring this solution.
• If your organization does not have a Warid CAM assigned to it, please email corporaterbt@waridtel.com for information and assistance on how to acquire this solution

Ufone Solid Offer is Expiring Today [Apparently]

We have come to know through sources in company and official words from Ufone support, that company is not going to extent its famous “Ufone Solid Offer”.

Ufone’s Solid Offer allowed customers to make on-net calls of any duration for Rs. 2.99 plus tax.

First introduced in January this year, offer was extended multiple times against a subscription fee for each month.

Ufone wasn’t offering “Solid Offer” for new subscriptions, in fact it was just renewing the already subscribed customers. This move had made those Ufone numbers invaluable which had Solid Offer subscribed on them.

However, this time,it looks like Ufone is not going to extent this offer – to support its recently launched Uth Package. Just to mention, Uth Package offers hourly calls for Rs. 2.99 plus tax for FnF numbers between 12 AM to 5 PM. From 5 PM to 12 AM calls are charged at 45 Paisas per 30 seconds for FnF numbers.

As per Ufone Support, Solid Offer is expiring today 11:59 PM.

Specturm: The new Source of Income?

With revenues from telecom companies not looking as good as they were once projected, Ministry of Information and Technology Pakistan is considering 3G spectrum auctions to boost revenue. According to one estimate, this can generate Rs 60 billion during the financial year 2010-11. The big question is if the buyers are will willing to pay that price. At the same time, US is said to be planning to release 500 MHz for broadband. Rohan Samarajiva asks – When will Asian governments get to work on refarming spectrum distribution to help mobile broadband thrive?

Aslam Hayat, a regulatory consultant provides a concise history of spectrum allocation policy in his article – How Pakistan Handled Spectrum: Lessons for Others?

Pakistan introduced mobile cellular telephony early, in 1990. Although there was no clear spectrum management policy or roadmap available prior to 2004, the issuance of four mobile cellular licenses and the assignment of spectrum to those licensees were remarkably well thought out.

…In 2003, when action was taken to issue two more mobile cellular licenses, the need for a proper spectrum allocation mechanism and road map arose. At that time only 2×5 MHz of the 900 GSM band was unassigned and it was expected that the clear preference of the new entrants would be GSM

…The auction design for two mobile cellular licenses was not ideal but a number of steps were taken to find the winner as quickly as possible instead of focusing on maximizing the initial fee…as a result of the regulatory principles, predictability, transparency and clarity of the Mobile Cellular Policy 2004, Pakistan managed to attract foreign investors to participate in the auction.

PTCL to add Digit ’9′ For Karachi, Lahore Number

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) has announced that it will add “9″ digit with all public sector telephone numbers for Karachi and Lahore – those starting with 9 digit, with effect from July 01,2010.

For instance, 042-920-4466 will become 042-9920-4466

Earlier, Digit “3” was added to all existing 7 digits numbers of Karachi and Lahore except the numbers starting with “9”.

It is important to understand that extra digits have been added to the existing phone numbers and not the area codes. Army exchanges are exempted from this change and their numbers would remain the same.

For customer with awareness and facilitation for PTCL requested PTA that the new series plan should run parallel to old one for a period of one year w.e.f July 01, 09 till July 01^st, 2010. However at the completion of this period to ensure connectivity and customer convenience, customers would now hear an announcement advising them to add digit 3 or 9 to get through on PTCL Karachi and Lahore incase they forget to dial the new required digit.

SEVP Commercial Naveed Saeed said PTCL in this regard also plans to run an awareness campaign to save our customers from any inconvenience and connect them without any problems.

Aasif Inam EVP Consumer Services said this will apply to all callers calling on PTCL landline in Lahore and Karachi from PTCL landline, Mobile, NTC, SCO or other LLOs and we are specially focusing upon publicizing the change to save our customers from facing any inconvenience.

a Private Social Network for Cell Phones

Researchers at Microsoft have developed mobile social networking software that lets users share personal information with friends but not the network itself, Technology Review reports.

“When you share a photo or other information with a friend on [a site like] Flickr, their servers are also able to read that information,” explains Iqbal Mohomed, a researcher at Microsoft Research Silicon Valley, who developed the new network, called Contrail, with several colleagues. “With Contrail, the central location doesn’t ever know my information, or what particular users care about–it just sees encrypted stuff to pass on.”

Lahore Unlimited: Limited to Greater Lahore

By sana ali | June 27, 2010 |

Zong has an interesting offer for unlimited calls made within a geographical area – Lahore and its suburbs in this case. Here’s how Zong describes it.

Now make unlimited calls without worrying about the balance or the time of the day you are calling with Lahore Unlimited!

Make unlimited calls to all your friends and family and say it all with Zong ! You are one of the largest city of Pakistan, filled with rich cultural values and we know you enjoy to be in touch with others and be with them in all situations. Through this offer Zong is offering deals of the deals to Lahorites i.e. all you can talk and in 199+tax (terms & conditions apply)*, not just this, to double the heat customers would also get an amazing SMS offer, that too unlimited for whole month

telecome and IT informaton and news: Zong Launches Lowest Rate: 67 Paisa Per Min

telecome and IT informaton and news: Zong Launches Lowest Rate: 67 Paisa Per Min

Mobile Broadband Comes to Peshawar

PTCL has officially launched EVO service in Peshawar, with the usual time and volume based (starting at 799 Rs./month) packages. One wonders what took so long for PTCL to do that. In their announcement, PTCL does not adequately explain a few limitations of the service in Peshawar and how it impacts when users are outside the city limits. Here are 2 major things which PTCL users in Peshawar should keep in mind:

• EVO customers who have purchased their devices from Peshawar cannot use their devices in other cities such as Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad etc. This is because Evo works on 450 MHz frequency in Peshawar and 1900 MHz frequency in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad.

• In Peshawar EVO provides wireless roaming within the city at EVDO speeds with an auto conversion to lower 1X speeds in the 450Mhz CDMA coverage areas. Which means Outside Peshawar wherever there is 450 MHz CDMA coverage, you will be able to get internet connectivity but at lower speeds of up to 153 kbps.

As usual the official statement was full of statements which are toally out of line with reality. Read what PTCL “revealed”:

SEVP Commercial Naveed Saeed also revealed that the customers would receive more services, better care, and efficient trouble shooting and friendly environment from PTCL in the days to come.

Zong Launches Lowest Rate: 67 Paisa Per Min

Zong in an extraordinary move, has launched Pakistan’s lowest call rate of 67 paisa per minute with the same charge being applicable to calls to any other network at any time.

A subscription based package, for which charging for each subscription will be PKR 10 + tax. with auto subscription & multiple subscription in a day will be possible.

Offer details are :

• Rs 10+Tax will be deducted on subscription
• You will get 10 On-net minutes, 5 Off-net minutes & Unlimited SMS to any network
• The validity of these free minutes and SMS is one calendar day i.e. from 00:00:00 to 23:59:59 every day.
• Once subscribed, you will get this offer everyday automatically.
• The call pulse will be per minute regardless of the base pulse.
• Multiple subscriptions are possible
• The newly purchased free minutes and SMS will not be added to the existing free minutes and SMS, the previous quota will be expired

How to Subscribe:

To avail this offer dial *670# or SMS Sub to 670

If subscriber has also subscribed to SMS Bundles, Family Pack, Super Free, BTO, LNO, the 67 Paisa/min Anytime – Any Network free resources will be given on top of other existing free resources.

If the customer exceeds either 10 on net minutes, 5 off net minutes or 125 SMS within the valid time period, charging will be as per tariff plan. For example, if the subscriber subscribes to 67 Paisa/min Anytime, Any Network at 10: 00 am and by 11:00 am has used 6 offnet minutes. The subscriber will be charged PKR 10 + tax for 67 Paisa/min Anytime – Any Network as well as 1 minutes as per tariff plan for the extra off net minute.

Salman Wassay, Head of Marketing, ZONG, said, “ZONG is repeatedly taking steps to provide the greatest value to our subscribers. Reduced call rates across the board is one benefit we are proud to give our loyal customers.”

He added that price moves are only one way in which we serve our subscribers but it is a key strength of the organization. Acknowledging the need to have economical ways to call off-net numbers is a central part of the philosophy of this package.