Nokia X2-01: An Affordable QWERTY Phone: ProPakistani

Nokia X2-01: An Affordable QWERTY Phone
Pakistan to Get Third Party Mobile Banking Regulations this Year
Abu Dhabi Group Appoints Atif Bajwa as President
Mobilink is up for 3G: Rashid Khan
PTCL Introduces Public Cash Payment Machines
Last Chance to Register for Imagine Cup 2011

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 06:12 AM PDT

Nokia X2-01: An Affordable QWERTY Phone is a post from: ProPakistani

Nokia has made X2-01, a messaging handset, available in Pakistan. The Nokia X2-01 is a device for social networking and fast communications.

It comes with a full QWERTY keypad and is aimed at those who can't get enough of text messaging and status updates with is bolstered by the new Communities app which integrates Facebook into the device.

You can see friends' updates directly from the homescreen and easily post your own updates and photos. With one click, you can dive into the application for a deeper view.

Nokia's continuous efforts of 'connecting people in new and better ways' are paying off as its strategy to offer something for everyone from every walk of life can be seen materializing with its promising new line of devices. X2-01 is the latest addition to this.

As the lifestyle of people changes with time, they are becoming more demanding not only in terms of their expectation from life but are also looking for accessories that support such a lifestyle.

Haseeb Ihtisham, Head of Marketing, Nokia Pakistan & Afghanistan said,

Today Nokia is proud to present its X2-01 device in Pakistan and is a milestone in our commitment to connect the next billion to the web. We understand that an increasing number of Pakistani youth loves music and being social, they want to have more variety of capabilities in their mobile phone that support this need.

Nokia X2-01 is the most affordable QWERTY phone to date which has in store not just the ultimate messaging experience but also the ease of staying connected with your social circle.

As befits an X series device, there's also a healthy emphasis on music. There's one click access to music, the media player and FM. There's also Ovi Store, of course, for fresh apps. Ovi Life Tools will also be available in some territories. It comes with a 2.4-inch QVGA screen and a VGA camera on the back. The Nokia X2-01 measures 119.4 x 59.8 x 14.3mm and weighs 107.5g. It supports memory cards up to 8GB. There's no WiFi and only GPRS/EDGE data, but that's compensated for by the low price.

"Our messaging devices were initially targeted towards business users but realizing consumer demand we have changed that," said Imran Khalid Mehmood, Country General Manager, Nokia Pakistan & Afghanistan. "People want the best messaging and social networking experiences on an affordable device. Translating our vision in to actions Nokia is constantly striving to bring the best for its consumers both in terms of devices and solutions. The Nokia X2-01 will enhance the youth lifestyle and let them stay connected all the time with chat, Facebook and IM at the most affordable price."

Nokia X2-01 aims to offer maximum functionality for the lowest price possible, but with a different emphasis to provide a fit for the needs of as many people as possible.

Nokia X2-01 Price in Pakistan: Rs. 9.400

Pakistan to Get Third Party Mobile Banking Regulations this Year

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 06:00 AM PDT

Pakistan to Get Third Party Mobile Banking Regulations this Year is a post from: ProPakistani

PTA has been working with State Bank on third party regulations and we would be able to come up with these regulation this year, said Dr. Mohammad Yaseen while addressing at 4^th International Mobile Commerce Conference-2011.

Addressing the conference as chief guest, which was attended by CEOs of banking and telecom companies, he said that mobile money is still in its emerging phases, there is consensus that regulations must be implemented gradually and designed to evolve as the industry expands and matures – an approach that seeks to respond to risks in the mobile money space as they emerge. Our Regulatory responses should then be proportional to the risks.

He said that World Bank study reveals that only 12% of the adult population of Pakistan has access to formal banking services. Only 24 Million people in Pakistan have bank accounts. Today only technology in Pakistan can bridge the digital divide.

Considering the scope, he added that PTA would like to introduce third party payment system with help of State Bank.

The introduction of third party payment networks also known as MPSP (Mobile Payment Service Providers) would be of immense advantage since these third-party payment handing agents can work with many providers, rather than the closed networks. We could foresee opportunities for service providers (both from Banks and Mobile Sector) who move quickly to create new products, especially if they can establish shared networks of third party agents.

Chairman PTA said that another critical concern will be consumer trust. Consumer protection is critically important in the mobile money space. The need will become even more pressing as the industry expands into unbanked segments (We would for sure address this critical factor as well while enabling true mobile commerce system for the people of Pakistan.

Earlier, Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Yaseen Anwar told the conference that over 0.4 million branchless mobile banking accounts have been opened collectively and more than ten million worth financial transactions took place during one and a half year in the country.

"Banks today offer branchless services across the country in rural and urban areas with a network of over 14,000 agents," he said.

He said the Central Bank issued branchless banking regulations in 2008 and today ‘we have Tameer Bank’s easy paisa, UBL’s OMNI, MCB Mobile, KASB Mobile and HBL-Ufone providing branchless banking services.

He also stressed upon the bankers to develop aggressive marketing plans and campaigns to attract customers to visit the agent location for their banking transactions.

On the occasion, the representatives of various leading banks presented papers and experience in mobile and branchless banking services being provided across the country.

At the end of session Dr. Mohammed Yaseen distributed mementos and awards. He also received "Visionary Telecom Leader 2010" on the occasion.

Abu Dhabi Group Appoints Atif Bajwa as President

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 03:06 AM PDT

Abu Dhabi Group Appoints Atif Bajwa as President is a post from: ProPakistani

Atif Bajwa Abu Dhabi Group Appoints Atif Bajwa as President Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Group, has announced the appointment of Mr. Atif Bajwa as President of the Abu Dhabi Group, Pakistan, said a statement issued by the group.

Mr. Bajwa will be responsible for overseeing the Group's diverse investments in Pakistan and for driving them for profitable growth and maximum return to the shareholders. He will also play a role in overseeing some of the Group's international assets.

Mr. Bajwa's appointment is part of the Abu Dhabi Group's restructuring of its investments globally and in Pakistan.

The Group's commitment to Pakistan was recently emphasized by Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan in his press statement in January.

Chairman had said:

Our Group is committed to providing the resources necessary for the highest quality of operations. By this appointment today we renew our commitment to the people of Pakistan that we will honor their trust with continued hard work and dedication.

Mr. Bajwa's Career:

Mr. Atif Bajwa has over 28 years of international management experience and has worked in Europe, the US, the Far East, the Middle East and Pakistan. Having started his career in Citibank Karachi as a corporate banker in 1982, he handled different assignments with Citi in Pakistan, New York and Bahrain. He joined ABN AMRO Bank and was appointed Country Manager of Pakistan in 1995.

In 1998, Bajwa moved to Singapore as the Consumer Banking Head for Asia Pacific and subsequently was assigned as an EVP at ABN AMRO's Head Office in Amsterdam. In mid 2001, he returned to Citibank as the Regional Head for Central and Eastern Europe. In 2005, he moved to Dubai with Mashreqbank to run the Retail Banking Group. He returned to Pakistan in 2007 as President and Chief Executive Officer of MCB Bank Limited and stayed in that position until June 2010. He had most recently taken up a position to head Soneri Bank as CEO.

Mobilink is up for 3G: Rashid Khan

Posted: 15 Mar 2011 09:35 PM PDT

Mobilink is up for 3G: Rashid Khan is a post from: ProPakistani

Rashid Khan CEO Mobilink Mobilink is up for 3G: Rashid Khan Mobilink is ready for a go to offer 3G services in the country, provided the government assures a fair and cost-effective allocation of spectrum in the industry, said Mr. Rashid Khan, CEO Mobilink in an interview with Daily Times.

He was quoted saying:

"We give our assurance and commitment in cooperation for early launch of 3G, we also would like to recommend an appropriate approach for allocation of the 3G spectrum.

The allocation of this spectrum should be planned in a manner that presents a plausible business case for the cellular mobile operators keeping in view the challenging financial situation surrounding the cellular mobile industry in Pakistan".

Mr. Khan showed his concerns over high tax rates for telecom services, despite the fact that telecom sector has contributed the most for the country's economy. He said:

Telecom companies have continued to invest and expand their networks in Pakistan. Out of a total investment that exceeds $11 billion, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of more than $6.4 billion has been made by the telecom sector; the telecom sector is the largest recipient of FDI in Pakistan.

Despite geo-political instability and pressures affecting Pakistan, the telecom sector has shown rapid growth and evolution and also been a key economic driver, he said and added the telecommunication sector contributes 3 percent to the country's GDP.

He pointed out that the cellular industry alone has paid over Rs 300 billion through various taxes in the past five years alone.

Pakistan cellular sector is paying high taxes in comparison to the entire region as its overall rate reached 31 percent whereas the regional countries tax heads contained between 10 to 15 percent," Rashid Ali said. "In contrast the cellular tariffs in Pakistan are amongst the lowest in the region."

Rashid Ali Khan urged that the relevant authorities should support the cellular sector and ease this tax burden to provide relief to the common man keeping in view the challenging financial situation surrounding the sector and its users.

PTCL Introduces Public Cash Payment Machines

Posted: 15 Mar 2011 09:34 PM PDT

PTCL Introduces Public Cash Payment Machines is a post from: ProPakistani

PTCL Bill Payment PTCL Introduces Public Cash Payment Machines In a bid to enhance customers' bill payment experience, PTCL has introduced Public Cash/Card Payment machines (PCPM).

These machines are self payment collecting kiosks which accept cash from the customers against the services provided by PTCL and provide receipt/SMS confirmation to their selected mobile numbers against the cash input.

By using the machines, the customers will be able to pay their PTCL invoices by visiting PTCL business offices.

By using the machines, Customers can themselves pay their PTCL bills without involving any PTCL staff.

Key Highlights:

Customer can pay while shopping at Metro and Malls.
Payment of PSTN ,BB,EVO, IPTV
Recharge of WLL and other prepaid services
It updates the customer account immediately .
Advance and partial are accepted.
The machines will generate receipts for customer in confirmation for the payment.
SMS will be sent to the customer in confirmation for the payment .
Automatic restoration of suspended lines on payment.
Machines are customer oriented easy handling touch screen mode feature having the dialect both in Urdu and English.

Last Chance to Register for Imagine Cup 2011

Posted: 15 Mar 2011 09:30 PM PDT

Last Chance to Register for Imagine Cup 2011 is a post from: ProPakistani

imagine cupp Last Chance to Register for Imagine Cup 2011 Just in case if you don't know, Imagine Cup, by Microsoft, is the world's largest premier student technology competition happening round the globe since 2003.

Main theme of imagine cup is to encourage students around the globe to imagine a better world in which people are empowered by technology.

If you remember, last year team Magno Touch from University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore won the Pakistan finals (out of 2,500 + students from Pakistan) and represented the country in the global finals held in Warsaw, Poland.

This year, the Imagine Cup 2011 – Global Finals will be held in United States of America (USA) and the winning team in the Software Design Category from Pakistan will be fully sponsored by Microsoft to go to the United States of America and compete in the global finals.

Who can Participate (in Software Design Category):

If you are a student, and you have an idea of solving the toughest possible thing in this world using Microsoft tools and technology, then you are good to go with registration.

So primarily, you will have to identify the toughest problem, then develop a solution and that's it. Though, its not as simple as it seems, because your idea and the solution needs to be the best to be a winner.

So here is the time, register yourself, and try your abilities for bringing home the Imagine Cup this year.

How to Participate:

For more details and registration: http://pakistan.imaginecup.com/ or you can send an email here: b-hashau [at] microsoft.com.

Note: Last date for Registrations: March 20th, 2011

Below is the schedule:

ROUND	START DATE (all times 00:01 [12:01 A.M.] GMT)	END DATE (all times 23:59 [11:59 P.M.] GMT)
Round 1 –one page document describing the idea	July 9, 2010	March 20, 2011
Round 2 – Detailed project document along with screen shots	March 20, 2011	April 10, 2011
Round 3 – Project presentation for top 5 teams	April 27, 2011	April 27, 2011
Round 4 – Worldwide Finals	July 2011	July 2011