World Telecom and Information Society Day 2011 Celebrated in Pakistan: ProPakistani

World Telecom and Information Society Day 2011 Celebrated in Pakistan
World Telecom Day: Better Life in Rural Communities with ICTs
Despite PTA’s Warning Top PPP Ministers Use Unverified SIMs
Pakistani Students Shortlisted for Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011 Finals
Facebook Ban Case Lawyer Daily Spends 14 Hours on Facebook

World Telecom and Information Society Day 2011 Celebrated in Pakistan

Posted: 17 May 2011 10:45 AM PDT

World Telecom and Information Society Day 2011 Celebrated in Pakistan is a post from: ProPakistani

To commemorate World Telecom and Information Society (WTIS) Day 2011, Ministry of Information Technology, in collaboration with Telecom Industry and Universal Service Fund, held a grand event in Islamabad which was attended by prominent personalities from all sections of life, including parliamentarians, government officials, representatives of public sector, industry and academia.

WTIS theme for this year is “Better life in rural communities with ICTs", therefore Universal Service Fund played a major role in the celebrations, creating public awareness about the theme.

In the same context special supplements were published by main newspapers, whereas others also carried articles and advertisements related to the theme. Similarly banners, streamers and gantries were displayed at prominent places in the Federal Capital, Islamabad, as well as all the provincial capitals, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta.

The Chief Guest at the event, Federal Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and Federal Secretary Information Technology, Saeed Ahmad Khan, in their respective speeches emphasized on the need of ICTs to achieve desired level of prosperity in the country by focusing more on the rural areas of Pakistan.

Earlier a video message from Secretary General International Telecom Union (ITU) was played in which the Secretary General conveyed that ICTs provide enhanced opportunities to generate income and combat poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy. He also added that ICTs and related e-applications are key instruments in improving governance and rural services,

On this World Telecom day 2011, Universal Service Fund also launched a documentary which sheds light on the enormous benefits being brought through it's Programmes for rural communities. This documentary mainly comprised of interviews of people in rural and sub-urban areas that were so far unserved but who are now utilizing ICT services being provided through USF. The documentary received a very positive response from the audience and was greatly appreciated.

At this occasion Merit Certificates were also awarded to students of remote rural areas who won scholarships being offered by National ICT R&D Fund.

Nadeem Ashraf, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology, Dr. Muhammad Yaseen, Chairman-PTA and other high officials of Telecom and IT industry were also present at the occasion.

It is noteworthy to mention here that so far USF, through its Rural Telecom Programmes, has provided basic telephony and data services in 3,500 previously un-served villages. Apart from this, 2,900 kms of Optic Fiber Cables have been laid through subsidy contracts connecting 53 unserved Tehsils with 5,300 kms of cables.

And finally to take Broadband Internet to the villages, USF is in the process of launching Multi-purpose Community Telecentres. In Broadband Program, 238 previously-unserved towns now have more than 200,000 USF-funded broadband connections.

Subsidy winning service-providers are obliged to provide free Broadband Internet to all higher-secondary schools, libraries and colleges in their areas. So far 790 such institutions have been covered.

World Telecom Day: Better Life in Rural Communities with ICTs

Posted: 17 May 2011 02:34 AM PDT

World Telecom Day: Better Life in Rural Communities with ICTs is a post from: ProPakistani

World is celebrating Telecom day today, and aligned with the global traditions, Pakistani ICT companies and professionals are rejoicing May 17th with a commitment to make telecom and technology services available to the rural, under-served and un-served communities of the country.

Telecommunication isn't an alien term for a country with over 105 million mobile customers, however, just like global markets, there are regions in Pakistan where basic telephony, broadband and other telecom services doesn't make business case.

This infeasibility for telecom companies is usually due to low population, irregular terrain, long distance from central communication hub and other relating factors that make it difficult and at times impossible for business entities to provide telecom services.

This is where Universal Service Comes in and plays a role that has been largely appreciated by local and global audience.

Universal Service Fund:

When we talk about Telecommunication services in rural or un-served areas, Universal Service Fund comes to our mind as imminent and a related term. This institute, which aims to subsidize telecom services in rural areas, has made a notable difference to the lives of rural communities.

As mentioned above, those far flung areas, where telecom businesses won't go due to very little profits, USF offers them subsidy or monetary assistance in providing telecom services. This way, a win-win situation is achieved for both the telecom companies and the rural community, who earn the benefits of telecom services despite being in very less populated and far flung towns, deserts and high hills of the country.

USF's Performance So Far:

Since its inception, Universal Service Fund has disbursed billions of rupees in previous three years. However, we won't go into monetary details today, instead we will look at the numbers of towns and people that got benefited and are enjoying basic telephony and broadband services, with the help of USF.

It merits mentioning here that USF subsidizes telecom services under various heads, including:

Basic Telephony
Broadband Internet
Back-haul fiber optic
Multipurpose Community Centers
Educational Broadband Centers

Basic Telephony:

USF aims to offer basic telephony services to un-served areas with no prior ICT existence.

As of today, Telecom operators (GSM and WLL), with the help of USF, have deployed basic telephony services in more than 3,500 villages
more than 50 percent of this coverage is offered by GSM operators, rest is covered by WLL operators
Telecom companies have installed a total of 334 cell phone towers in the mist difficult areas, with USF subsidy .

Broadband Internet:

As compared to basic telephony, USF intends to take broadband service to relatively larger and under-served towns.

Under broadband project, USF has so far signed 12 contracts that will enable 434,750 customers with broadband access.
As of today, according to partially audited data, USF has successfully enabled more than 238 towns and small cities with broadband internet access.
With more than 200,000 broadband connections in these 238 towns, USF share over 20 percent of total broadband base.

Optic Fiber Cable:

Connecting un-served and under-served areas with basic telephony and broadband access requires establishment of stable, reliable and redundant Optic Fiber Cable in all corners of the country.

For the purpose, USF has this project under which all 125 unconnected tehsils of the country will be cross connected with each other with back-haul optic fiber cable.

Today, with the help of USF, telecom operators have laid over 3,000 kilometers of optic fiber cable while connecting 33 tehsils and 32 towns in Sindh and Baluchistan.

USF aims to ultimately connect 100 percent tehsils of Pakistan to cover 8,000 kms of optic fiber cable.

These back-haul rings are not only making local connectivity redundant but will help international peers to get connected through Iran and at other gates.

Educational Broadband Centers: USF, other than providing back-haul connectivity and subsidizing the infrastructure, it has provided end-to-end broadband internet connections to educational institutes in 2nd and 3rd tier cities of Pakistan.

USF says that it has so far provided broadband internet to more than 792 schools, colleges and libraries, where previously there was no internet availability.

Multipurpose Community Training Centers:

In rural areas, USF is converting already operational Rabta Centers and those computer labs without internet with high speed broadband internet.

USF says it has provided internet access to 10 such MCTs
While there are another 20 MCTs, countrywide, are in pipeline and will be provided internet access soon.

What Next to be Done?

Above mentioned stats speak themselves about the development being made in rolling out the infrastructure in rural communities of the country, however, only enabling the rural areas isn't enough – in fact educating them with latest technologies is going to be the real task.

While USF has done it's part in deploying ICT access throughout the country, other government and non-government institutes, which are responsible for trainings and education, are supposed to come forward and literate the masses to use information and communication technologies effectively.

This is of course not a one day job, but private and public sector need to set the directions properly so that the broadband access in hundreds of rural cities/towns is consumed productively.

Despite PTA’s Warning Top PPP Ministers Use Unverified SIMs

Posted: 17 May 2011 12:08 AM PDT

Despite PTA’s Warning Top PPP Ministers Use Unverified SIMs is a post from: ProPakistani

As we first unveiled the fact that the top government officials are using mobile connections with SIMs that are not in their names. Today, 'The News' carried this story which reveals similar details and says:

Top PPP ministers Rehman Malik, Firdous Ashiq, Ahmed Mukhtar and Manzoor Wattoo are using unverified SIMs while the PTA launched third phase of SIM verification on Rehman Malik's request.

Rehman Malik's number 03005559*** was issued to the ministry of interior while Firdous Ashiq Awan 03008511*** was issued to the ministry of population welfare, Ahmed Mukthar's 03008467*** was issued to Amjad Hussain with CNIC 3540141062*** and Manzoor Wattoo's number 03008419*** to AJ Communications.

Sources in telecom industry revealed that there was a list of such numbers under use of cabinet members and leading politicians but are unverified and not issued to their names. However, commerce minister Amin Fahim number 03009221*** was issued to his name with CNIC 4230183689*** but the status was suspended.

Now these SIMs are registered with incomplete information, and does not comply with PTA rules.

According to (a letter No 15-9/2010/ENF/PTA issued by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority dated July 30, 2010, with subject "Issuance of bulk data SIMs to specified corporate customers"), PTA asked the cellular companies to provide user data including CNIC details of every individuals using corporate connections.

The letter stated that "procedure for issuance and activations of SIMs/connections to corporate customers has been made comprehensive by having control and checks on documentation for the corporate customers in regard to prepaid/postpaid and data SIMs.

The company is bound to provide details/documents including CNIC of each individual."
The SIM would be issued on company name i.e. on title name would become company name while user data including CNIC and other details would also be provided and if the same SIM would be issued to someone else, the company would be bound to update the user data of new users.

It merits mentioning here that PTA is blocking all unverified SIMs on May 17th, that is, today. It is interesting to note that our top level government officials are lacking behind in getting their SIMs registered in their names. One may wonder what PTA will do to their SIMs after today.

Pakistani Students Shortlisted for Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011 Finals

Posted: 16 May 2011 11:00 PM PDT

Pakistani Students Shortlisted for Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011 Finals is a post from: ProPakistani

Pakistani students are famous worldwide for their information technology skills. This year a group of students from FAST – National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Islamabad have been shortlisted from Pakistan to participate in the final round of Imagine Cup, USA.

It's the world's largest premier students' technology competition. which brings together young technologists worldwide to help resolve some of the world’s toughest challenges.This time the Pakistan finalswere organized at Microsoft Head office in Pakistan.

This year around 2000 students registered in Imagine Cup from Pakistan and around 50 teams competed in the Software Design Category. Out of these 50 teams, top 4 teams were shortlisted by a panel of judges from both technical and business domains. Team V3C from FAST – National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Islamabad secured the 1st position.

Kamal Ahmed, Country General Manager, Microsoft Pakistan, said:

Imagine Cup is a unique platform to tap the imaginative talent of young minds by giving them an opportunity to think outofthebox and solve the toughest problems faced by the society today. I am particularly excited about the projects these students have developed to enhance the computing experience of people. I am sure these talented students will make us proud.

Talking about the competition Mr. Tahir Masood of KalSoft expressed

It is inspiring to meet so many students who are on the forefront of new discoveries, whether they go on to develop a breakthrough and solve real world issue, start a new company or become better prepared to enter the workforce, students who participate in the Imagine Cup are leading us into a brighter future.

Hussain Sajjad, Team Lead, Imagine Cup 2011 Pakistan Winner, said:

I am grateful to Microsoft for providing us the opportunity to showcase our potential. We all are very excited about the worldwide finals and consider this as a great responsibility that we will be representing Pakistan and will surely do our best to raise our Country's flag in the global finals.

The winning team – V3C will be fully sponsored by Microsoft to represent Pakistan in the Imagine Cup worldwide finals which will be held in the month of July 2011 at United States of America (USA).Before competing in the worldwide finals the teams will also receive some expert guidance and mentorship from the local industry experts to improve their presentation skills and product design.

Facebook Ban Case Lawyer Daily Spends 14 Hours on Facebook

Posted: 16 May 2011 10:10 PM PDT

Facebook Ban Case Lawyer Daily Spends 14 Hours on Facebook is a post from: ProPakistani

The lawyer who has twice moved the Lahore High Court to ban Facebook in Pakistan has 1,575 friends and spends an average of 14 hours a day on the social networking website, Facebook.

According to Express Tribune, Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique, on whose petition access to the website was banned in the country for two weeks last year, stays logged into Facebook from 8am to 10pm every day.

Asked whether he considered it hypocritical to spend so much time on Facebook when he was trying to get it banned, Siddique said that he checked the site "to make it mend its ways".

He said much of his time was spent looking at messages from people informing him of any blasphemous material on the site.

He also uses the website to share how his cases are going with his Facebook friends, including his petitions to ban the website. Siddique has posted 323 pictures on his profile, including of family, friends and news clippings of his cases published in the local press.

Siddique first moved the LHC against the website last year because of a Facebook page called 'Draw Muhammad (pbuh) Day' in which blasphemous caricatures were put on display. Acting on his plea, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority banned Facebook from March 19 to March 31.

After that, Siddique launched the social networking website Millatfacebook, which billed itself as a social networking website for the world's more than 1.5 billion Muslims and as a rival to Facebook.

He also lodged a complaint against Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes, the owners of the website, and a woman named Andy, the alleged founder of the offending Facebook page, at Lahore's Civil Lines Police Station under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code. The police sealed the FIR after registering it.

Siddique filed another petition against Facebook earlier this month again seeking a ban on the website for again hosting a page of drawings of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). The LHC chief justice, hearing the petition, last Thursday told the federal government to think about blocking Facebook for "holding a competition of sacrilegious caricatures". Another petition by Siddique seeking implementation of these orders is pending before the LHC.