State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 10]: ProPakistani

State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 10]
Future Success of Banking Lies in Effective Use of IT: SBP Notes
Microsoft Bonds IT Professionals in Open-Door
Google Launches its Wallet Service
Interview: Virtualization Helps Businesses Cut Costs & Outperform
After Adsense Accounts, Now Ubuntu CD’s will be Sold in Pakistan

State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 10]

Posted: 29 May 2011 11:35 PM PDT

State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 10] is a post from: ProPakistani

Broadband services in Pakistan have penetrated well in urban areas, still the growth rate is yet to see the enormousness – and the main reason is the inaccessibility of broadband services in rural areas.

Due to limited investments, broadband service providers are mainly limited to the major cities of the country.

Even in larger cities, the quality of service for internet service providers remains a question mark. This is mainly due to old copper media for landline connections which prevents reliable service available for home-users who are 1,500 meters or farer from the telephone exchange he/she is getting services.

This constraint compelled investors to bring wireless broadband services such as WiMAX
and EvDO which started a fierce competition between fixed vs. wireless broadband
operators.

Resultantly, coverage, quality of service, marketing and tariffs were positively effected and industry statistics got a new boost as more subscribers started to join the broadband clan.

The growing trend of wireless uptake by the general public will shun the dependency on fixed line parameters.

Subscriber Stats:

There are currently 1,140,781 broadband subscribers in Pakistan as compared to 643,892 at the end of December, 2009 showing a 77% growth over the last calendar year.

Despite the fact that growth rate lowered in year 2010 as compared to previous year, still, it must be noted that the number of net additions this year (496,889) are more than that of last year (376,712).

Currently, broadband penetration of the country stands at 0.66% at the end of December, 2010 which was 0.39% in December 2009, depicting almost 69% growth in just one year.

It is also a fact that Broadband is still an emerging phenomenon with inherent constraints associated with it like lack of connectivity to rural areas, low literacy rate, lack of local content and applications etc., therefore, it will take some time for the penetration level to reach the high mark.

Major Broadband Players

PTCL, Wateen, WorldCall and wi-tribe are the biggest broadband operators of Pakistan having a combined share of over 90 percent.

PTCL holds 55% market share having 626,748 subscribers with both its DSL and EvDO services topping in their respective broadband technology charts.

PTCL has added the highest number of new broadband subscribers as well i.e. 294,481 showing 89% growth rate in the previous year.

Wateen, out of the 232,541 subscribers, added 81,526 subscribers in the previous year with a 54% growth rate which is much lesser than its direct competitor PTCL.

With 125% growth rate during calendar year 2010 and 122,813 subscribers, WorldCall has been the standout operator in terms of growth rate whereas it added 68,128 new subscribers as well.

Wi-Tribe follows World Call closely in terms of growth rate as it added 40,064 new subscribers depicting 118% growth during the last calendar year. Link Dot Net stays at the fifth spot with 36,391 subscribers up 28% from December 2009.

Technology Wise Broadband Market Share

Broadband market of Pakistan is a true amalgamation of latest fixed and wireless technologies from around the world. Ranging from primitive fixed line technologies like Cable TV, FTTH and DSL to latest wireless technologies like WiMAX and EvDO, the nation has a variety of options when selecting a suitable broadband package.

Figures show a historical view of Pakistan’s broadband technology evolution over the years. DSL ruled the broadband market of Pakistan since 2007 due to an established fixed line infrastructure by the incumbent, PTCL.

HFC and WiMAX broke the monopoly of DSL by getting a combined chunk of almost 37% in the market in 2007-08. The scenario changed again when WiMAX truly established itself as a viable wireless broadband solution and EvDO made a promising start in the market however, HFC declined sharply due to introduction of new technologies.

Currently, there exists a fierce competition between fixed and wireless technologies as EvDO and WiMAX are collectively increasing their market share over DSL and other fixed line services.

Note: All stats, figures are taken from PTA's quarterly report – and are till December 2010

Future Success of Banking Lies in Effective Use of IT: SBP Notes

Posted: 29 May 2011 11:25 PM PDT

Future Success of Banking Lies in Effective Use of IT: SBP Notes is a post from: ProPakistani

sbp governor yaseen anwar Future Success of Banking Lies in Effective Use of IT: SBP Notes Mr. Yaseen Anwar, Deputy Governor, State Bank of Pakistan says that the future success of banking industry lies in the effective use of information technology and passing on its benefits to banks' customers in terms of cost, speed and convenience.

Delivering his keynote address at the 'IT & Banking Conference, 2011' which was jointly organized by SBP and Pakistan Software Export Board at a local hotel in Karachi, he said that no bank today can survive without sound information technology infrastructure.

The reason is that banks do not sell tangible products rather they sell 'customer experience' and 'customer possibilities', he said, adding that these experiences are driven by possibilities generated by the use of technology.

Mr. Anwar said that in recent decades, technological innovation has continued its inroads into the banking sector. 'Not only has IT become a key factor for managing all types of banking operations, but also has become the key driver for financial inclusion both in terms of products and services,' he said and added that customers who were initially exposed to ATMs now find blurring of boundaries between the telephone and PC, and even television and the convergence of these media is making access to financial services far easier and better.

He said that use of information technology is now defining customer service standards of banks due to increased usage of phone banking, IVR systems, Internet Banking, ATMs, POS, Credit Cards and other host of transactions of different modes under the band of e-banking.

'Information technology has transformed our local banking sector and has redefined the concept of banking and financial services,' he added.

Numerous banking services through the technology platform have not only enhanced business volumes of banks and increased access to unbanked geographical regions, it has also brought about operational and cost efficiencies, he observed and added that more recently, information technology has brought about another revolutionary change in how banking will be conducted in the future; by bringing about the possibility of branchless banking, the whole concept of brick and mortar branch is changing.

'The need for a customer to visit a branch where his / her account is parked is no more an obligation,' he said. Branchless banking has the potential of changing lives of those people who are still unbanked and without any financial services, he added.

SBP Deputy Governor said that in Pakistan, banks have vast space to work in this area as85% of the population still remains unbanked and untapped today. 'Many Banks are moving towards more sophisticated IT based solutions to run their businesses efficiently and facilitate financial services for customers, he said and added that some banks have implemented Core Banking Solutions which marked a paradigm shift as bank customers can now access their accounts from any of their branches.

Mr. Anwar said that such systems have enabled the banks to perform efficient data analysis that help banks in developing their business strategies. 'Sophisticated IT systems arealso helping banks in managing local human resource requirements of banks operating in multiple countries,' he added.

However, he emphasized that the minimum security standards must be adopted to ensure the safety, security and maintenance of e-banking transaction. Banks must design fool proof data security processes.

He said that the State Bank has issued various guidelines on critical subjects pertaining to operational continuity and data security and safety. 'These guidelines provide a minimum set of standards to be met by banks on relevant issues and banks should strive to exceed these minimum standards in order to maximize the stability of its operations', he added.

He said that the information technology advancement has helped banks in managing the complex Capital Adequacy Framework and the banks in Pakistan are now better placed to measure, monitor, and control credit, market, and operational risks. 'More and more banks are moving towards an integrated platform for managing various transactions including Foreign Exchange, money market, fixed income, and derivatives,' he added.

Mr. Anwar observed that though banks in Pakistan have come a long way in implementing the information technology, our banking system is still quite far from the desired level both in terms of quality and quantity of IT based solutions provided to their customers. He said that although some foreign and large local banks have made significant progress in establishing superior e-banking platforms, yet on overall basis the effect is largely limited due to the limited outreach of these institutions.

Microsoft Bonds IT Professionals in Open-Door

Posted: 29 May 2011 10:57 PM PDT

Microsoft Bonds IT Professionals in Open-Door is a post from: ProPakistani

microsoft Microsoft Bonds IT Professionals in Open Door

Microsoft Corp. today announced it has concluded its series of high profile Open Door events across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), among the largest technology industry events in the region.

Taking place in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan and Tunisia, Open Door is a key initiative in Microsoft's continued investment in the region to foster local IT development and drive innovation.

The events brought together over 9,000 local customers, partners, IT professionals and developers from both the public and private sectors, showcasing the latest developments in information and communications technology (ICT).

The Open Door events featured senior Microsoft technology experts from around the world as well as recognized local industry experts discussing the latest technologies. The events provided a unique opportunity for attendees to experience the latest Microsoft software first-hand including dedicated Arabic applications on Windows Phone 7, Windows 7, Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010.

The events also saw the debut of a number of Microsoft technologies in the region including the much talked about Kinect for Xbox 360 and Microsoft's Lync 2010 for unified communications.

Partnering with Microsoft brings completeness to our vision, in assessing and realizing key business opportunities for our valued clients, through credible and broad range of technology solutions." said Hashim Ali-CEO of Mantaq Systems (Pvt.) Ltd.

The Open Door events also provided an opportunity for hundreds of Microsoft’s local partners across MENA to showcase their own innovations and business solutions. With the Open Door events, Microsoft is further building on its local partnerships across the Middle East and North Africa to expand the possibilities for computing and extend the number of people in the region both using and developing technology, driving growth, energy and ideas for Microsoft's many partners here through innovative new technologies.

Microsoft's network of partners across MENA include local developers who build software products for local businesses to deploy solutions based on Microsoft technology, further helping to drive local innovation, growth and competitiveness through continued investment in the local IT economy.

By equipping local businesses with the tools to develop local technology solutions, often in Arabic, Microsoft is helping to give this vital growth engine vitality and long-term sustainability through valuable skills and new jobs.

"Investing in helping others innovate and compete has always been an important motivation for Microsoft in the region. We are strongly committed to fostering local growth and development and believe our Open Door events present an excellent opportunity to highlight the latest developments in ICT and the potential growth opportunities they offer," said Ali Faramawy, President, Microsoft Middle East & Africa. "The Open Door events are also a great platform for us to showcase our complete vision and broad range of technology solutions including our unique position on Cloud computing and the potential this offers to fundamentally change how individuals and organizations across MENA will use technology in the future."

"A number of the Open Door sessions were dedicated to Cloud Computing, helping to demonstrate the potential and opportunities available for IT professionals and developers to transform the way businesses and individuals use technology and solve business-critical issues. Steve Ballmer's keynote speech at the Microsoft Saudi Arabia Open Door event focused specifically on this important innovation," added Faramawy.

Google Launches its Wallet Service

Posted: 29 May 2011 10:19 PM PDT

Google Launches its Wallet Service is a post from: ProPakistani

Google recently unveiled its latest offering, Google Wallet. It's a mobile payment system in which the only thing you need is your Android smartphone and the Google Wallet app.

Once having installed the app, the need for you to carry credit cards or cash is null. All you have to do is tap your smartphone and your credit card information will be transmitted to the payment receiver.

The system boasts of various security features like Secure Element, which stores all your encrypted data and is much like a mini-computer. Others include real time anti-fraud detection and password entry at each encrypted transaction stage which will ensure that users don't lose their wallets if they lose their phones.

Knowing the hesitant mindset of people when using such a technology, Google has also included a Google prepaid card with Google Wallet which can be used just like a normal debit card and can be loaded with a set amount of cash through any credit card or bank account.

On May 26, Google announced its partners in the Google Wallet project which are Citibank, MasterCard, mobile networks like Sprint and Samsung and retail locations like Subway, and Macy's.

MasterCard are already testing the service out in New York City and San Francisco with Citibank and Sprint planning to launch the service by the summer.

For the system to work, one would have to own a NFC chip enabled phone, like the Nexus S. It's not limited to that though. You can obtain a special NFC sticker, which will allow you to take advantage of the service, though Google did imply that functionality will be limited for those using the NFC sticker.

One might think that this service will really cater to those with NFC chips in their phones but adding NFC capabilities to your phone is as simple as plugging in a new memory card. Tyfone, a mobile financial solution provider, along with others is providing NFC capabilities in memory cards.

All the NFC capabilities are built-in in the card, just plug it in your regular card slot and voila! You have a NFC enabled phone. Most memory card types are already supported and others are on the fast track to do so.

Google will also be looking to integrate Google Offers with this service. Google Offers is a coupon service much like Groupon, but integration with Wallet will see it use digital coupons. Daily offers will be received on your phone each day and one has to only save the digital coupons to their Wallet and they can be used at the respective outlets.

However, Google isn’t the first one to dabble into NFC technology. Visa has already got a system in place that is in use at over 300,000 locations worldwide. Visa plans to launch its version of the Wallet in the fall in the US and Canada. Only time will tell which competitor comes out on top.

Here’s a demo of the Google Wallet in action:

Interview: Virtualization Helps Businesses Cut Costs & Outperform

Posted: 29 May 2011 10:13 PM PDT

Interview: Virtualization Helps Businesses Cut Costs & Outperform is a post from: ProPakistani

To just help you understand what virtualization is, let’s take an example of a server virtualization, which would mean partitioning one physical server into several virtual servers, or machines. Each virtual machine can interact independently with other devices, applications, data and users as though it were a separate physical resource.

Similarly, such virtualizations can occur at software level, network level, service level and so on.

Microsoft provides an end-to-end virtualization strategy that promises a positive impact on nearly every aspect of IT infrastructure management life cycle. It delivers greater efficiencies, flexibility, and cost effectiveness throughout your organization.

Virtualization can enable businesses to double up the speed of applications; to ensure systems, applications, and data to available with higher up-time; to take the hassle out of rebuilding and shutting down servers and desktops for testing and development; to reduce risk, slash costs, and improve the agility of your entire environment – virtualization has the power to transform your infrastructure, from the data center to the desktop.

To understand all this better, and the benefits that virtualization can bring to small, medium and large businesses – we had Salma Nisar, Services Engagement Manager, Microsoft Pakistan, with us to explain the technology and its potential uses;

After Adsense Accounts, Now Ubuntu CD’s will be Sold in Pakistan

Posted: 29 May 2011 09:34 PM PDT

After Adsense Accounts, Now Ubuntu CD's will be Sold in Pakistan is a post from: ProPakistani

Earlier we discussed the illegal ways of earning money – by selling adsense accounts, by publicizing the them on various online portals and people were urged to buy something which isn't even meant to be sold, i.e. adsense accounts.

Selling adsense accounts was an act of fraud at one extreme but what makes me write this post is an online ad which I was simply astounded to see. Have a look:

hc ad After Adsense Accounts, Now Ubuntu CD's will be Sold in Pakistan

Ubuntu an open-source operating system and needs no introduction as many of us must have tasted it once or at least we have heard of it.

Still for those who are new to this word, Ubuntu is an open source operating system which is based on Linux Distribution – Debian GNU. It can be installed on any computer (just like windows) and can also work side by side with Microsoft Windows.

Ubuntu is an ancient African word, meaning “humanity to others”.

Also have a look at what Ubuntu official website says:

Ubuntu is, and always will be, absolutely free.

And if you wonder why it's free? Get the answer.

But, this guy from Lahore is selling this free version of operating system for a cost of Rs. 500 while claiming that the original price is above Rs. 1500.

Just in case if you don't know – Ubuntu can be downloaded free of cost in both CD and DVD version and you are ready to go, just download the ISO image and burn it to CD/DVD.

And if you are wondering about where to get the genuine CD, still you do not need to pay these frauds. One can get that by visiting http://shipit.ubuntu.com and order a CD via post (shipping now closed).

Ubuntu has been delivering free CD’s all over the world for years and now have closed this shipment process.

Also, Ubuntu genuine CD received via post which clearly states:

Ubuntu is a software libre. You are encouraged and legally entitled to copy, reinstall, modify and redistribute this CD for yourself and your friends. Share this spirit of Ubuntu!

Acts like this should be stopped in the first priority as this is just one example and I am sure there will be many others like this and few innocents might have become victims of these black sheeps and this is just an awareness for those who are likely to get caught in future.