Award Winning PTCL EVO is Rated Poor by 58% Customers: Poll

PTCL’s EVO service, which has recently won ‘Best Consumer Choice Award’ is rated poor by 58 percent respondents (who are supposedly EVO customers as well) in a poll conducted by PTCL itself.


In a poll, available on PTCL’s website, a total of 1768 EVO customers have voted so far, out of which 58 percent think that EVO service is poor. Another 22 percent believe that the service is good while only 7 percent rated EVO service as Excellent.

12 percent respondents opted not to rate the service.

EVO is a wireless broadband service from PTCL, which promises the mobility at 3.1 Mbps internet in over 100 cities. Consumers are generally not satisfied with the EVO’s signals in various part of major cities, resulting disconnections or low than advertised speed.

Source: www.propakistani.pk

GLOBAL TABLET SHIPMENTS TO HIT 58 MLN IN 2014 – STUDY

Consumer awareness of tablet computers is at an all time high due to the Apple iPad launch, according to a study by In-Stat. After close to a decade of negligible demand, the tablet market is finally gaining mass market appeal. Worldwide tablet shipments are expected to reach over 58 million units in 2014. Nearly 55 percent of survey respondents that own tablets spend 9 hours or more using their tablet each week. Over 40 percent of future tablet purchasers plan to buy an Apple iPad. The strongest shipment growth begins in the latter portion of the forecast period.

Source: www.telecompaper.com

A COUNTRY WITHOUT CYBER LAWS: PAKISTAN

Online activities are as vulnerable to crime as real life situations are. Law makers, law enforcers and individuals need to know how to protect themselves.

The following are some examples of cyber crimes:

1. Assault by Threat: Threatening a person with fear for their lives or the lives of their families through Internet e.g. Email, videos or other networks like Mobile Phones etc.

2. Cyber theft: Using a computer to steal. This includes activities related to DNS cache poisoning, identity theft, fraud, embezzlement and unlawful appropriation, espionage etc.

3. Cyber terrorism: Premeditated, usually politically-motivated violence committed against civilians through the use of, or with the help of, computer technology.

4. Cyber laundering: Electronic transfer of illegally-obtained money with the goal of hiding its source and possibly its destination.

Though Pakistan is a comparatively new member of the cyber world (i.e. mobile networks and broadband connections) and cyber crime isn’t as widespread a phenomenon as in some other parts of the world, but in Pakistan currently there exist no laws to prevent cyber crime.

One law, called Cyber Crime prevention bill, was passed by Pakistan Federal Cabinet on Jan 17, 2007. The proposed law titled “Prevention of electronic crimes bill” offered penalties ranging from six month of imprisonment to capital punishment for 17 types of cyber crimes including cyber terrorism, hacking of websites and criminal access to secure data. However, this proposed law was not passed in the Parliament and was implemented as an ordinance by former President Musharraf on Jan, 07, 2008.

According to this Ordinance, the accused could be fined one lack to five lack Rupees or three to ten years imprisonment or both.

The Ordinance was later endorsed twice by the PPP government for renewal, until it lapsed in November 2009 and was not reinstated hence. As the age of any Presidential ordinance is only six weeks from the date of its promulgation in Pakistan, there is no law at this particular time against cyber crimes in Pakistan.

By: Yaseen Chaudhary
Modified From: www.propakistani.pk

ISPAK Alleges PTCL of Illegally Using Extra Frequency

Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan has raised its concern over illegal use of frequency by PTCL. In a letter written to the Frequency Allocation Board, ISPAK has said that PTCL is illegally using extra frequency for its 9.3 Mbps wireless internet service called Nitro.

ISPAK noted that PTCL was allocated frequency band of 1975-1980 MHz and 1895-1900 MHz for use of its CDMA/WLL services. However, the company is now using 1975-1981.875 and 1895-1901.875 MHz thus occupying extra 3.75 MHz of band not originally allocated to them.

ISPAK has urged FAB to charge PTCL pro-rated charges for this extra usage and serious action for the violation. It merits mentioning here that frequency of 3.75 MHz for major cities of Pakistan is worth millions of dollars, meaning that PTCL is possibly causing millions of loss to PTA, FAB and the government if company is proven guilty. A query sent to PTCL for their viewpoint on this is still awaiting response.

Following is the copy of ISPAK’s said letter:

Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan(ISPAK)
No. 3(5)/2010
10 December 2010
Executive Director
Frequency Allocation Board
Government of Pakistan
Islamabad

Subject: Illegal use of frequency by PTCL

Dear Sir,

PTCL was allocated frequency band of 1975-1980 MHz and 1895-1900 MHz for use of its CDMA/WLL services. Currently PTCL is using this frequency for its broadband services advertised as EVO Nitro. But in reality, PTCL is using 1975-1981.875 and 1895-1901.875 MHz thus occupying extra 3.75 MHz of band not originally allocated to them. PTCL is using this extra band in major cities of the country including Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi, as verified by us through field monitoring.

2. Extra use of wireless spectrum is not only illegal but also deprives Government from millions of dollars revenue earned on auction of wireless spectrum to telecom operators.

3. We therefore request that punitive action be kindly undertaken against PTCL for illegal use of wireless spectrum under relevant clauses of Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act, 1996 and PTCL should be billed for the spectrum charges based on the pro-rata charges of spectrum fee at previous auctioned prices for each telecom region.

With kind regards.

Yours truly,
Wahaj us Siraj
Convener
c.c.Chairman PTA, Islamabad
Member Telecom, Ministry of IT, Islamabad

Source: www.propakistani.pk