IT & Telecom News Update: 15th Feb, 2010

PTA successfully achieved 95 percent of its 2009 targets
Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has successfully achieved 95 percent of its targets for the year 2009 and set new targets for the year 2010. Some of the important achievements of the PTA in the year 2009 were discussed during annual meeting of the authority, held here on Friday with Chairman PTA, Dr Mohammad Yaseen in the chair.

The achievements of the authority during the year included financial analysis of telecom sector, finalization of DSL agreement with PTCL, review of pricing policies of cellular mobile operators (CMOs) for improved ARPUs, fixed and mobile tariff analysis of Saarc region, analysis of PTCL performance in post privatization period, financial evaluation of new licenses, establishment of industry working group on GSM-VAS, preparation of broadband and GPRS-EDGE KPIs, implementation of new number plan in AJ&K and NAs and Auction of Universal Access Numbers (UAN).
On this occasion, Chairman PTA showed his satisfaction over the progress of different PTA departments and appreciated their efforts in carrying the vision and objectives of the authority. It was decided in the meeting that during the year 2010, PTA commercial affairs division will carry out Consultation Paper on Charging of Calls to Toll Free Numbers from Mobile, Broadband tariffs-Benchmark Study, Financial analysis of Mobile Operators and some other studies.

N86 8MP Click it! Competition: Nokia announces winners
A prize distribution ceremony of N86 8MP Click it! Competition was held jointly by Nokia and Brandsynario.com, here. Nokia N86 8MP Click it! Competition was launched by Brandsynario in collaboration with Nokia on 23rd November 2009 and closed off on 23rd January, 2010.

The competition kicked-off from Brandsynario platform simultaneously in the three metros of country: Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The one of its kind online photography competition invited university going youth of Pakistan to upload photos depicting the theme “Jawan Pakistan” on www.brandsynario.com and get a chance to win Nokia N86 8MP camera.

Adeel Hashmi, Communications Manager, Nokia Pakistan and Afghanistan presented Nokia N86 8MP cell phone to the three happy winners of the competition. The winners of the competition were selected through mass sms and online voting. The three winners who got the highest votes were declared the winners of the competition; Hanif Haroon, age 25 from CTTC Institute got the highest number of votes – 5467, followed by Ahsan Ali, age 21, from (Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology) SZABIST and Imran Shah, age 22 from Karachi University.

Speaking on the occasion, Adeel Hashmi said, “We are delighted with the overwhelming response we received from the participants as well as the audience. Sharing moments through mobile phone has seen an upward trend among Pakistani youngsters. Today’s Pakistani generation is intelligent as well as socially active.”

Substitution/Up-gradation of NTC fiber pair: private sector’s partner opposes addressing defense-related departments’ needs
Private sector has opposed addressing the requirements of various defense related departments as well as security agencies in execution of the project “Substitution/up gradation of NTC Fiber Pair 622 MBPS to 10 GBPS on DWDM through Private Investment”.

The Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet had earlier deferred the summary submitted by Ministry of Information Technology on substitution/up gradation of NTC Fiber Pair from 622 MBPS to 10 MBPS on DWDM through private investment and directed Secretary Ministry of Defense to hold a meeting with the Secretary Ministry of Information Technology, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) to resubmit the summary to ECC.

Subsequently, a number of meetings were held in Ministry of Defense and views/ technical input and requirements of Joint Staff Headquarters/(JSHQ), General Headquarters (GHQ), Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force, were also taken into consideration including monitoring and Legal Interception (LI) compliance equipment and tools.

FAST University, ST&IT department sign MoU
FAST National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences, Peshawar Campus and Directorate of Science & Technology NWFP has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the development and promotion of Science & Technology and Information & Technology (ST&IT).

The signing ceremony of the memorandum of under standing was held at FAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Peshawar Campus. The Director, Science and Technology NWFP, Khalid Khan and Director FAST University, Sahibzada Gyasul Haq signed the memorandum of understanding.

Those who attended the function was included NWFP Minister for Science & Technology and Information Technology, Mohammad Ayub Khan, provincial secretary science & technology, Aurangzeb, members of the faculty and large number of students.

Under the memorandum, the private sector university and the department of Science & Technology and Information & Technology would cooperate in the promotion and development of the modern education at the provincial level.
Addressing the ceremony, the Provincial Minister for Science & Technology and Information Technology, Mohammad Ayub Khan termed the agreement very useful for educational institutions in the province.