PTCL – The Strike Flares While The Customers Suffer
By Arsalan Mir | September 1, 2010 | 1 Comment
The recent PTCL employees strike still continues; the situation now has flared up with a sit-in protest (dharna) in the PTCL Headquaters. According to The News:
The PTCL administrators have decided to approach the district administration of Islamabad to arrest the leaders of the Workers Alliance to “protect its building and installations against any harm”.
The disturbance in routine operations of PTCL as a result of this strike have multiplied the customer grievances over the last 15 days and it still continues to do so. When I write this post, our poll results show more than 90% respondents affected. The majority are concerned over their DSL connections being either pending, slow or down.
The official statement on employees packages from PTCL is as follows:
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) after privatization is a privately run organization, which follows private sector practices for the betterment of its employees. The current announcement by the Government of Pakistan for the raise of salaries by 50% does not apply to PTCL.
However, keeping in mind the inflation and employees’ well being, PTCL has offered the most adequate compensation package for its employees with a raise of 30% on their running pay scale and 20% December and June performance based raise in terms of good conduct, punctuality and discharge of their normal duties.
Tags: Customer > dsl > landline > Pakistan > PTCL > service > Services > strike > telecom
Zong vs Ufone vs …
By Babar Bhatti | September 1, 2010 | 2 Comments
It looks like the trend to poke fun of competitors in the ads is providing quite a bit of entertainment. But are the mobile companies going too far with this?
And this:
Telecos – More Pledges and Contributions for Pakistan Flood Relief
By Arsalan Mir | August 31, 2010 | 1 Comment
As the flood sets down and the actual devastation surfaces, telecos continue to come forward to pledge and contribute more and more to the relief of flood victims.
The Motorola Foundation is supporting CARE in Pakistan.
In response to the recent floods in Pakistan, the Motorola Foundation has donated US$50,000 to CARE (www.care.org) and pledged an additional US$50,000 to match Motorola employee donations to CARE.
“Our sympathies are extended to the people affected by these natural disasters” said Karen Tandy, senior vice president, public affairs, Motorola. “This donation is an example of Motorola’s continued commitment to humanitarian relief throughout the world.”
Tags: DTAC > Floods > motorola > Pakistan > Telenor > thailand
Easypaisa ‘International Home Transfer’ – Launched
By Arsalan Mir | August 30, 2010 | No Comments
Yet another addition to the bouquet of easypaisa services, it goes international now with the launch of ‘International Home Transfer’ in collaboration with Xpress Money, UK. This service adds on to the existing domestic remittance service Money Transfer by providing international home remittances receiving facility in Pakistan.
The latest easypaisa service can be availed by anyone with a valid CNIC irrespective of any mobile operator or bank affiliation through all Sales and Service Centres and Franchises of Telenor Pakistan and all branches of Tameer Microfinance Bank.
Tags: easypaisa > home transfer > international > KSA > Pakistan > Telenor > uae > uk > xpress money
Can Flood Victims Find Hope In Mobile Money?
By Arsalan Mir | August 30, 2010 | 1 Comment
Guest Post by Maha Khan
Pakistan is facing an enormous humanitarian crisis in the aftermath of the country’s worst flooding in its history—indeed, a crisis in terms of victims that is now larger than the last three devastating natural disasters combined (the Asian Tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir and 2010 Haiti earthquakes). According to news sources, one fifth of the country has been affected by the disaster; that is, 20 million people, almost equalling Australia’s entire population. Given the speed that is necessary to cope with the huge number of people without safe drinking water, food, and shelter, I can’t help but think of the role mobile money could play in helping to accomplish the task that aid agencies face.
Tags: easypaisa > Flood > gsma > kyc > mmu > mobile > Money > Pakistan > Telenor
Point of View: The Ad War between Mobilink and Ufone
By Babar Bhatti | August 30, 2010 | 3 Comments
Editor’s note: In this new series, we present two opposing point of views about a topic. The first post in this series brings the views of two guest bloggers who sent us their contribution – please make sure you go through both. Note that these views are those of the contributors and not necessarily of TelecomPk.net.
1. Mobilink Brings Cola War in the Telecom Sector! by Zareen Shafaq
I saw the recent Jazz bemisaal ramazan offer ad and it made me laugh like crazy. Most of us weren’t expecting this sudden hilarious ad by Jazz on the table but almost everyone is completely amused by the new flavor brought in by Mobilink. This reminds me of the old Cola Wars, the all time Pepsi taking a hit on Coca Cola and Coke hitting back at Pepsi in their commercials. Everyone loved the cola war and now I foresee a new one of its kind brewing in the telecom pot. The one good thing with this humor-hit back advertising strategy is that the competition becomes stronger, the ideas get better, the monotony goes down the drain and most of all, customers love the ads.
Tags: ad > brand > brands > Cola > Indian > jazz > Mobilink > Pakistani > pepsi > Ufone > war
The Bemisaal Jazz Offer
By Arsalan Mir | August 28, 2010 | 3 Comments
Just around a year back during last Ramadan we had the Ghanta offer race between Ufone and Mobilink. Don’t remember that, check it out here.
This year in their respective Ramadan deals Mobilink came up with Jazz 35 paisa offer and Ufone with Minute per Minute offer.
This Ufone deal offers free minute on every minute of call 24 hours a day. The offer is valid till September 7,2010 and is for Ufone to Ufone calls only. Other subscription details can be checked here.
Now the Ufone’s minute-per-minute free didn’t go that well with Mobilink and they struck back with their Jazz Bemisaal offer.
Tags: Adervisement > Bemisaal > Ghanta > jazz > Mobilink > Octane > Ramadan > Ufone
Telenor Pakistan – Flood Relief Efforts
By Arsalan Mir | August 27, 2010 | 7 Comments
Following the country’s most devastating floods ever, Telenor Pakistan had pledged Rs. 100 million for the relief of flood affectees. In continuation to this Telenor has handed over 60% of this pledge to their field partner PRCS (Pakistan Red Crescent Society) to enable it to provide immediate relief goods to those most affected.
PRCS has identified areas where they are providing assistance to the flood affected. In Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Telenor Pakistan is actively assisting in seven union councils of Charsadda where goods continue to be distributed.
Until now approx. Rs. 28 million of the funds have been used to purchase relief goods and medicines. These will support around 6,000 families across Pakistan and include 15 days ration and medicine supplies.
Telenor Pakistan have taken various initiatives to assist flood-hit families. Read more
Tags: disabled persons > Disaster Relief > Donations > Flood > Infrastructure > international > Media > Pakistan > red cresent > Telenor > telethon > volunteer
Troubled ICT R&D Fund Awaits PM’s Bailout
By Babar Bhatti | August 26, 2010 | 3 Comments
Unfortunately the ICT R&D fund situation has not improved. What are the decision makers doing? Read this article from Abrar Mustafa, The News.
Sinking Research & Development (R&D) Fund is waiting for approval of the prime minister of Pakistan to streamline the administrative chaos created over the last few months that has rendered the organization literally paralyzed and non-functional.
As minister in charge of Information Technology Mr Latif Khosa had been trying to have full control of the ministry which had caused many problems for the employees, particularly for the ICT R&D Fund, an organization funded by the contribution of telecom operators to promote research and development (R&D) in the field of information communication technologies (ICT). The portfolio of this ministry had been and is with the prime minister.
The ICT R&D Fund is awaiting the nod of PM to resolve key administrative issues created by Mr Latif Khosa.
Tags: funds > Government > ICT > information technology > ministry > Pakistan > Research > telecom
[Poll] PTCL Strike – Are Your Services Affected?
By Arsalan Mir | August 25, 2010 | 44 Comments
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) employees have been on strike since last 9 days. The strike is in protest against the lack of increments and allowances by the PTCL management in accordance with a federal government decision of Budget 2010.
The lack of activity on exchanges and complaints not being entertained have left the commercial and domestic users of the PTCL or PTCL dependent telecom services face serious difficulties. Are your services affected?
Also Read: PTCL Union Strike Over Pay Scale (our post from 2008)
Tags: Customer > landline > Pakistan > PTCL > service > Services > strike > telecom





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