Jazz Jazba to Bring Live Digital Concerts: ProPakistani

Jazz Jazba to Bring Live Digital Concerts
Qubee Introduces Prepay Broadband in Pakistan
The Ethics Code for Cellcos
Digital Categorization of Tech Users in Pakistan

Jazz Jazba to Bring Live Digital Concerts

Posted: 08 Apr 2011 10:39 AM PDT

Jazz Jazba to Bring Live Digital Concerts is a post from: ProPakistani

Jazz Jazba is bringing for the first time in Pakistan, a unique and first of its kind digital concert that has a lot to offer to Pakistani 'internet savvy' youth.

For the very first time in the history of Pakistani digital media, Mobilink will be presenting pop icon Ali Zafar in the live Digital Concert on the 10^th and 11^th of April, 2011. Selected few will also be getting a chance to share the stage live with Ali Zafar.

The live digital concert by Jazz Jazba is a unique chance for all the fans across Pakistan to be a part of the concert while Ali Zafar plays live, the fans can cheer live and enjoy the concert at their homes.

The broadcast of the live digital concert can be viewed by simply logging in at www.jazzjazba.com/live, which will begin at 8:30 pm on April 10^th & 11^th 2011

As Jazz Jazba continues to explore avenues and opportunities to promote and identify the SUCH Talent in Pakistan's youth, it is also serving to provide a platform for nurturing the singing and music talent in Pakistan.

Qubee Introduces Prepay Broadband in Pakistan

Posted: 08 Apr 2011 05:53 AM PDT

Qubee Introduces Prepay Broadband in Pakistan is a post from: ProPakistani

Qubee has introduced prepay wireless broadband, on pay-as-you-go model that will let customers to control their Internet spend.

There are four different packages with validity of 3, 7, 15 or 30 days. All packages come with limited data volume. Check details below:

Qubee Prepaid Internet packages

qubee Qubee Introduces Prepay Broadband in Pakistan

How to use:

You need to have Qubee Shuttle, to start using these packages. Once you have the shuttle, or Qubee USB Dongle, you can recharge your account with scratch cards and start surfing the internet.

Note:

You need to have Qubee Shuttle to start using up-mentioned packages
For first timers, there’s a one time activation cost of Rs. 1000 and a refundable security deposit of Rs. 1000, which you can refund by returning the device.
The first load of Rs. 500 is mandatory after which you’re free to load as little or as much needed.
These packages are capped by Volume or the Validity. Your package will expire if either of these caps are reached.
The remaining balance from your previous card will be carried forward on your
next recharge.
Qubee Scratch Cards are available at all Qubee Stores.
You can't pay for postpaid packages, or old packages through these scratch cards.
Old package holders can convert to prepaid packages, call helpline for details.

Official Press Release on this:

"Youngsters & Students will benefit the most from the facility of hi-speed internet at very reasonable costs which will suitably fit in their budgets as Qubee introduces True Prepay Broadband first-time ever in Pakistan", this was stated by the chief marketing officer of Qubee Mr. Hashim Sheikh while launching Qubee's Prepay Broadband service.

He said that Qubee maintains its domination in introducing innovations one after another as it is leading all its contemporaries from the front after inducting the 1^st real Prepay Broadband service in its portfolio.

While highlighting the exclusive features of Qubee Prepay Broadband, Hashim Sheikh said the prepay package is primarily focused towards people with limited cash flows, who want to be in total control of their spending.

Qubee Prepay Broadband is providing the consumers with an exclusive advantage of balance carry over, which allows users to carry forward existing balance of their accounts that might be present upon card expiry. For example if a user is unable to use the entire stored value of their card and the scratch card expires, then the remaining value will be carried forward once the user recharges his/her account with the next card. In this way, not a single penny of the consumer will be wasted and he/she will get the full reward of his/her money-spent.

Qubee Prepay Broadband ends the trend of making long-term contracts between consumers & the service provider as the customers will only pay for what they use.

The Ethics Code for Cellcos

Posted: 08 Apr 2011 03:27 AM PDT

The Ethics Code for Cellcos is a post from: ProPakistani

ethics The Ethics Code for Cellcos With each marketing push by the cellular companies of Pakistan, comes the public feedback. Over the years, the consumer has become a more critical person, taking the time to judge a product or advertisement with a fine comb.

It is hard to conclude whether the consumer is fully understanding of value, as there could be a varied opinion of value among the various segments of consumer that grace the Pakistani cellular market.

In recent months, debate has arisen over the moral values and code of conduct followed by the local cellular companies. This is directly linked with the largely conservative society that inhibits in our corner of the world, with culture and religion blending with many other spices to create a volatile concoction.

There are two parts to the discussion; the products being flocked to the market and the promotional concepts being utilized. In the first part, the hue and cry has greatly dominated over the late-night call packages that are seen as specifically targeted towards the younger cellular user.

The belief is that cellular companies are encouraging the innocent and precious youth of this country to purchase packages that have free night calls, so that they can spend their late hours fraternizing with their friends, especially those of the opposite sex.

Before shifting the blame to the companies, we need to focus on the topic at large. The packages are no new creation; in fact, cheaper calls at night have been a dominant factor of cellular and landline communication companies for decades, in Pakistan and abroad. In the days of analogue services, there were packages that allowed free incoming calls on mobiles from midnight to early morning.

In the defense of companies, they are business entities created to generate a steady stream of revenue for their shareholders, by providing services and value to the stakeholders.

And just as is true for every business, there is always a need to seek out ways to increase that revenue. As communication traffic dips after 11pm, the easy proposal is to earn a rupee instead of nothing, and hence cellcos and internet operators entice the consumer with late night offers.

Let's move on to the promotion of these offers. As we have entered the 21^st century, the media of Pakistan has pushed for more freedom, and this is visible. Creativity is trickling, if not oozing. Cellcos have to be credited with some of this push, being one of the larger industries utilizing the media to spread their message.

The appeal of taboo matters like friendships and relationships between youth of the opposite sex is significant to show that there is an underlying inkling to free our society of cultural confines. If it is used to enact a utopian setting for some, doesn't that just fall under the freedom of thought act, if one does exist?

Is it the onus of the creator to seclude certain information for the purity of mental thought processes, or are the audience able to filter out the redundant data in a feasible manner and capture the real pitch of the entire showpiece?

The essence of any advert or product is to showcase value for the consumer; humor, sex and other subjects are just matter used by entities to forge a connection with the public, as well as hope for greater brand identity. In tough economies, businesses go to extreme lengths to remain a competitive force.

In recent months, Telenor has copped flak for its call to boycott the silent attitude that the larger expanse of the so-called citizens of this nation have adopted. Whatever the subject matter, we forget that while no one is calling for the local society to be a copy of the West, a developed mindset does not need for the shedding of clothes or any other inappropriate act within public view. All it needs is the open space to think; independence.

Moral ethics in business often create logger-heads in the face of the core function of making money. After all, the internet was created to be a defense communication system and ended up being much more, with pornography the ruling arena. Mobile communication was envisaged as a need for those constantly on the move, but has become as important as the keys to our house. With all technological innovation comes a form of abuse. But can the blame solely be placed on the entity bringing the innovation?

The previous generation snuck around to get their deeds done. The current one is bolder to be more honest with their actions. The next one will evolve the process further. While local customs should be respected, the need of the hour for this nation is to evolve ahead as well so that our social fabric incorporates the present and prepares for the future.

Digital Categorization of Tech Users in Pakistan

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Digital Categorization of Tech Users in Pakistan is a post from: ProPakistani

main Digital Categorization of Tech Users in Pakistan We live in a country with innumerable classes of sustenance. Here awareness has different meanings and the term enlightenment is beyond grasp, but let's not touch this sensitive area, instead let's focus on types of tech classes we have got in our country.

I would count them as:

The Tech Class
The non-tech class,
The obscured class
And then the deprived class

The Tech Class:

The tech class is everywhere on the virtual canvas. They tweet with iPhones, blackberries, roam around on almost every social networking websites, post, read and comment on blogs and spend around 10-14 hours at-least on their GPRS enabled phones, tablets or laptops.

They are closely connected to each other, which makes their voice even louder (when its required). This tech class is said to be the symbol of this country.

This is the elite class of the internet, they are heard, followed and respected by the netzians of the country.

The Non-Tech Class:

The non-tech class forms the majority of the population on internet but they don't know what to do with it. They crowd Facebook with all the useless stuff and consider Twitter to be a useless 'commodity'.

The Obscured Class:

The obscured class has its hands on all the gadgets (almost) but is OK with only making calls and receiving and sending of emails.

The Deprived Class:

The deprived class is about which you hear daily. They are killed in bomb blasts, they're accused of doing what they never did, they suffer form inflation, they sigh on seeing four-wheelers…they from the majority of this country's citizenry.

If I merely term the above text in two words, it will be: Digital Divide!

In simpler words, digital divide points to the gap between people who have access to the virtual world and those who don't (as given by Dr. Bharat Mehra, who is an Associate Professor at the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxvillea)

The Dilemma:

The gap between the classes we have mentioned above is increasing, with each passing day for reasons known to everyone. The tragedy of digital divide is that it is driven from basic civic factors (such as education and finances).

The United Nations has come forward to do necessary measures besides private or government funded organizations which are striving to create a ray of light amid grey clouds. UN, in this regard, formed ICT Task Force in 2001. It spreads the call for celebrating World Information Society Day on May 17 every year.

In the end, in our country neither education nor anything related to it has quite well penetrated through the clusters of deadliness to those who know not the term education.

We, who have somehow completed the so-called education and are now lost in oblivion and are driven by animal instincts – eating, sleeping, reproducing and dying, have to set out parameters for our contribution to the society. Else, as I fear, our condition might end up evolving a term called 'The Fourth World'.

Some Solutions:

Weekly sessions in universities, colleges, even coaching centers on how to use internet.
Instead of running crazy ad campaigns, we better run 2mins lectures on educating common users about internet and mobile technology.
Anyone of us- truly anyone of us – who has spent barely half a year on Facebook or Youtube or any social medium for that matter, can upload a five minute video on their experience of the web, share tips & tricks and so on.
A blogger can come up with any sort of matter that he/she can display at forums, other blogs for others to learn.
In the last, we can have sponsored electronic message boards hanging in public places running news, messages, quotations, traffic updates, etc.

These are not the castles in air, but real time deployable and executable ideas for the lands like ours and other developing nations around the world…