Mobilink Indigo Introduces BalckBerry PlayBook in Pakistan.The Playbook a big black slab with a 7″ 1024 x 600 pixel display, measuring 193 x 130 x 10mm and weighing 400 grams. On the back is a 5 megapixel camera, on the front is a 3 megapixel camera – both cameras are capable of HD video recording, and the Playbook is also designed for videoconferencing use.

Initially, the Playbook will offer WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity only with 3G and 4G models following later. So if you want to use it with a cellular provider then you need to pair it with a compatible mobile phone, which does depend on you being able to use your phone for tethering.

Inside is a dual-core 1GHz processor with a huge 1GB of RAM, a highly impressive specification that makes the Playbook stand apart from many other competing devices.

BlackBerry PlayBook is available at Mobilink Customer Care Centres and offer valid till stock last.

The 6th Edition of CONNECT is scheduled from 03-05 of May, 2011 at Karachi Expo Centre. CONNECT 2011 will serve as an exclusive B2B exhibition that provides valuable opportunities for business networking in Pakistan. The event will showcase cutting edge technologies and solutions such as 3G, IPTV and Mobile Broadband and will offer enhanced prospects for new commercial ventures. CONNECT 2011 will cater to a broad range of sectors in the ICT industry and brings business professionals together under a lucrative environment.

Mobilink and Ufone signed an accord to enter into an agreement for tower sharing.

The agreement was signed between Rashid Khan, President and CEO of Mobilink, and Abdul Aziz, President and CEO of Ufone at the Mobilink House.

This collaborative effort is in line with the initiatives taken by the Pakistan Telecom Authority and the Federal Government to encourage cellular providers to drive greater efficiencies while reducing the carbon foot print.

Sharing his views, Rashid Khan said,

“This alliance is mutually beneficial and will also facilitate us to better align ourselves with our strategic initiatives and become greener. This will further enhance Mobilink’s coverage footprint, already the widest, hence, bringing more value to the customer which is our top priority.”

Commenting on the accord, Abdul Aziz, CEO Ufone, said,

“Ufone has had a keen interest in exploring newer avenues for our “Go Green” initiative and this tower sharing alliance is another step forward to further enhance our initiative. With this alliance Ufone has moved ahead to ensure customers have seamless connectivity no matter where they are in the country. This follows similar alliances with other operators hence allows us to create a positive network layout most beneficial to the customer”

Through sharing of their network infrastructures the two cellular providers will be able to enhance the customer experience by offering a wider coverage footprint, driving synergies and reducing their respective carbon foot prints.

PTCL is working on a project, after which, it will be able offer broadband internet of 50 Mpbs, said a statement issued by the company.

An industry first, Pakistan’s PTCL will be using VDSL2 Bonding technology to provide existing digital subscriber line (DSL) customers with speeds up to 50 Mbps.

The project leverages Alcatel-Lucent’s VDSL2 Bonding expertise and should be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2011.

VDSL2 Bonding takes two copper-based VDSL2 lines per subscriber and aggregates them – almost doubling the bandwidths available to existing customers, or expanding high-speed broadband access to areas that are underserved today. Using VDSL2 Bonding, service providers can extend the life of their existing copper infrastructure – supporting the delivery of bandwidth-intensive services such as triple-play voice, data and IPTV.

According to a recent study from market research firm IHS iSuppli, simultaneous access to applications such as peer-to-peer file sharing, online gaming, streaming audio, VoIP and IPTV will soon require bandwidths between 50 and 100Mbps. This fits exactly with VDSL2’s capabilities, especially when combined with innovations such as Bonding and Vectoring.

Commenting on this achievement President and CEO PTCL Walid Irshaid has stated

“PTCL is the first service provider worldwide to deploy a commercial VDSL2 Bonding solution that aims at doubling the bandwidths provided to its existing customers. We are thus setting the trend in international telecoms, and are taking the broadband experience in Pakistan to the next level.

Alcatel-Lucent’s VDSL2 Bonding technology and comprehensive services and network integration expertise is helping us to keep pace with the increasing bandwidth requirements of our customers, while capitalizing on the existing copper infrastructure. This will enable us to quickly deliver high-quality, high-speed and high-availability business and residential services – even in areas where it was not possible before.”

Alcatel-Lucent is providing PTCL with its Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) IP access platform – which is the first platform to commercially support VDSL2 Bonding. Alcatel-Lucent will also supply Bonding-ready customer premises equipment (CPE). Alcatel-Lucent serves as the project’s master network integrator, and is providing a range of professional services – including project management, installation and commissioning, integration and technical support.

“We understand that service providers need the right tools to bridge the gap until fiber deployments have become ubiquitous. VDSL2 Bonding is an ideal approach: service providers like PTCL can almost double the speeds supported by their DSL infrastructure or expand their network’s reach. This makes it a fast and cost-effective approach to bridging the digital divide,” said Aadil Rauf CEO Alcatel-Lucent Pakistan Ltd.

“This commercial VDSL2 Bonding project with PTCL marks the beginning of VDSL2 Bonding deployments outside of the US – where the technology is typically used to expand the reach of the copper network.”

Alcatel-Lucent is the driving force behind the world’s most advanced VDSL2 roll-outs, with customers such as Belgacom, STC, Swisscom and Telekom Austria. Our VDSL2 solution has also been deployed by competitive operators, including M-net (Germany) and South Yorkshire Digital Region (UK).

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has given PTCL a time duration of 6 months to improve quality of service to avoid strict legal action of the authority as per the law.

This penalty would be resultant of PTA’s show cause notice to PTCL on February 4th, 2010.

Background:

PTA’s February 4th, 2010th show cause notice was issued to PTCL based on the results of a nationwide quality of service survey. Results were as following:

PTA termed these results below the benchmark defined by the authority and issued a show cause notice to PTCL.

In response to which, PTCL responded multiple times to entertain PTA’s queries, but apparently authority wasn’t convinced and it passed an order against PTCL to enhance its services or to face the action.

Confusion in Determination:

In a PTA order, published on PTA’s website, two members of the authority ordered 6 months as notice period for PTCL to enhance its services, while the PTA chief contracted both the members and said that 29 days are enough for the PTCL to improve service quality.

Members PTA Ordered:

The Authority has considered the submissions of the licensee and took a lenient view for this time and decided to dispose of the show cause notice dated 4th February, 2010 in the following terms:

- Since the licensee has failed to satisfy the Authority on the aforementioned contraventions made by it regarding mandatory level and standards of Quality of Service, however, keeping in view the difficulties being faced by it and the progress made so far on this account after the issuance of show cause notice, the licensee is, therefore, directed to remedy the aforementioned contraventions by bringing and maintaining the required standards of quality of service within six (06) months of the issuance of this order.

In case of failure strict legal action will be initiated against the licensee under the provisions of the Act, the rules/regulations and the license conditions.

While on other hands Chairman PTA said:

Since, the Authority is unanimously not satisfied with the reply of the licensee and has reached to the conclusion that the licensee has failed to provide the QoS to its customers as per the standards laid down in license and the regulations on the subject, therefore, I disagree with the enforcement order passed by both the members for granting six month time for remedying the contraventions.

I am of the view that the enforcement order should be passed according to the rules and regulations.

According to rule 9(4) of Pakistan Telecommunication Rules, 2000 if the Authority is not satisfied, it can grant time to the licensee for remedying the contravention which shall be less than thirty days from the date of service of the enforcement order.

In the instant case the time period should be less than thirty days. Secondly, grant of six months period to the licensee will create discrimination in the circumstances that the Authority has already passed orders against five mobile operators on the issue of poor QoS and required them to remedy the contravention within twenty nine days.

You can download PTA’s Determination by clicking this link (PDF File – 208 KB)

via ProPakistani.PK