Tag: Telenor

  • Jazz, Telenor seek reduction in taxation

    Jazz, Telenor seek reduction in taxation

    ISLAMABAD: Phone carriers in Pakistan including Jazz and Telenor have sought reduction in taxation.

    Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail held a meeting with delegation of telecom sector comprising of CEO Jazz Aamir Ibrahim and CEO Telenor Pakistan Irfan Wahab Khan, at Finance Division on Wednesday.

    Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin-ul-Haq, Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and other senior officers attended the meeting.

    The delegation briefed the finance minister on the contribution of IT sector in the economic development of Pakistan.

    READ MORE: PITB, Faysal Bank sign MoU to facilitate freelancers

    It was shared that currently IT and Telecommunication sector is facing various issues including serious challenge of profitability.

    In same view, the delegation requested for reduction in taxation over the items that hardly fall under purview of luxury goods.

    It was also shared that growth of IT and telecommunication not only contributes in increasing the exports but also in overall growth of GDP.

    READ MORE: FBR establishes IT center against cyber security attacks

    The finance minister acknowledged the role of IT and Telecommunication in overall economic development of the country.

    Moreover, the Finance Minister assured the delegation of all possible support regarding taxation issues and emphasized to make greater contribution in enhancement of IT and Telecom related exports.

    The delegation thanked the finance minister for support and cooperation.

  • PTA issues procedure to block telemarketing messages

    PTA issues procedure to block telemarketing messages

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Monday issued the procedure to bloc telemarketing communication and unwanted/spam messages.

    The PTA said that unwanted calls/messages can be disruptive, but there are measures to minimize them.

    For blocking telemarketing communication, a person needs to register his number on the “Do Not Contact Register (DNCR)”. In order to register the person need to send a message by typing ‘reg’ and SMS to 3627.

    To allow telemarketing communication again, type ‘unreg’ and SMS to 3627.

    The PTA said that concerned service provider may be contacted in case of issue or for details about tariff/subscription charges.

    To block spamming/unsolicited communication, the PTA issued procedure under which a person should type spammer’s cell number, give a space, paste the received message and SMS to 9000.

    SMS charges of PKR 0.10 (inclusive of taxes) apply for each SMS to prevent abuse of facility.

    For blocking obnoxious/unknown calls and SMSs, the PTA suggested to dial *420# (for Jazz, Telenor & Ufone subscribers) or 420 (for ZONG subscribers). Concerned service provider may be contacted to get detail about tariff/subscription.

    The regulator further said that in case an issue is not resolved, the complaint may be lodged to PTA through an online complaint management system:

    http://complaint.pta.gov.pk/registercomplaint.aspx

  • Cellular spectrum auction generates $30 million: PTA

    Cellular spectrum auction generates $30 million: PTA

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Tuesday said that an amount of $30 million has been generated as revenue from first-ever cellular spectrum auction for Next Generation Mobile Service (NGMS) in Azad Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit Baltistan.

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  • Telenor gets Rs1.36bn contract for broadband services

    Telenor gets Rs1.36bn contract for broadband services

    ISLAMABAD: Telenor has been granted a contract worth Rs1.36 billion for providing high speed broadband services in Chaghi and Nushki districts of Balochistan.

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  • Telenor gets contract for providing broadband services

    Telenor gets contract for providing broadband services

    ISLAMABAD: Telenor Pakistan has been awarded contract worth Rs555 million for providing mobile broadband services in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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  • Telenor awarded contract worth Rs1.37bn for high speed broadband services

    Telenor awarded contract worth Rs1.37bn for high speed broadband services

    ISLAMABAD: Telenor, a leading mobile phone operator in Pakistan, has been awarded a contract worth Rs1.37 billion for providing high speed mobile broadband services in various districts of Kyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    A statement issued on Wednesday said that the Universal Service Fund (USF) has awarded contract worth approximately PKR 1.37 billion to Telenor for providing High Speed Mobile Broadband services in Chitral, Upper Dir and Lower Dir districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

    Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Syed Amin Ul Haque and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) for Overseas Pakistanis & HRD, Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari witnessed the contract signing ceremony held at the USF Office, Islamabad.

    The contracts were signed by Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary, CEO, USF with Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor. The Federal Secretary for IT & Telecommunication and Chairman USF Board, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Chairman PTA, Major General (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa and other Officials were also present at the ceremony.

    Chief Guest of the ceremony, Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Syed Amin Ul Haque said: “With the help of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), districts of Chitral, Upper Dir and Lower Dir can achieve better visibility, communication and integration into economic and tourism flows. High Speed Mobile Broadband services will enhance tourism and attract tourists, thus creating jobs. The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication will continue close cooperation to support the tourism industry of Pakistan and provide the basis for achieving sustainable rural development.”

    Furthermore, he extended his warm felicitation to the teams of USF and Telenor on the contract signing and emphasized on making Digital Pakistan vision a reality. Guest of Honor of the ceremony, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis & HRD, Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari while congratulating USF and Telenor on the signing of the contract said, “The use of ICT in tourism is a welcoming step for the residents of Chitral, Upper Dir and Lower Dir districts. High speed internet connectivity will expedite activity in the region and make the travel process efficient and pleasant.”

    In addition, he expressed gratitude to the Federal Minister and the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication for the guidance and support. Sharing his views on the development, CEO Telenor Pakistan, Irfan Wahab Khan said: “We are committed to ensure the basic right of connectivity to the people of Pakistan. At Telenor Pakistan, we are driven to continue empowering the country by bridging the digital divide, creating access to opportunities and uplifting the lives of millions. We stand firm in our commitment of connecting people to what matters most to them and aim to continue providing opportunities in the future.”

    Also, sharing his thoughts at the ceremony, CEO USF, Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary said: “This project will benefit an unserved population of 0.7 Million in 648 unserved mauzas, thereby covering an unserved area of 18,212 sq. km. of Chitral, Upper Dir and Lower Dir districts. We are committed to empowering the unserved and unserved communities of Pakistan and we look forward to strengthening our partnership with Telenor.”

    Moreover, he thanked the Federal Minister and the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication for adopting policies and mechanisms that are supportive of the digital revolution of tourist places.

  • Contracts worth Rs5.11 billion awarded for next generation broadband

    Contracts worth Rs5.11 billion awarded for next generation broadband

    ISLAMABAD: The Universal Service Fund (USF) on Monday approved award of contracts to Telenor, Zong, Ufone and PTCL worth Rs5.11 billion through the Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development program and the Next Generation Optical Fiber Network and Services program.

    Federal Secretary Ministry of IT and Telecommunication Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui chaired 74th Board of Directors meeting of Universal Service Fund (USF) on Monday.

    PTCL is being awarded the contract of Kashmore, Ghotki, Sukkur and Khairpur districts in the province of Sindh.

    The Next Generation Optical Fiber Network and Services projects worth approximately Rs3 billion is aimed at laying of 1078 km of Optical Fiber Cable to connect 140 villages and union councils thereby providing high speed mobile broadband services to an unserved population of approximately 4.7 million.

    Moreover, the Board also approved award of contracts under the Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development Program worth Rs2 billion to Telenor, Zong and Ufone.

    Telenor is being awarded the contract of Chitral, Upper Dir and Lower Dir districts in the province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa whereby an unserved population of around 0.7 million will benefit from high speed mobile broadband services in 648 unserved villages and an approximate unserved area of 18,212 sq. km.

    Likewise, Zong is being awarded the contract of Karachi West and Malir districts in the province of Sindh that will benefit an unserved population of approximately 0.1 million in 36 unserved villages and approximately 690 sq. km of unserved area.

    Similarly, Ufone is being awarded the contract of Mastung and Ziarat districts in the province of Balochistan to serve an unserved population of approximately 0.1 million in 226 unserved villages and an approximate unserved area of 6,324 sq. km.

    During the meeting, Federal Secretary Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui said that as advised by the Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Syed Amin Ul Haque, the basic purpose of these projects is not only to promote tourism infrastructure of the country but also to connect rural population with the digital world.

    He also said that the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication is leaving no stone unturned to provide broadband services to every Pakistani and accomplish Digital Pakistan vision; therefore, people should remain hopeful that such development interventions will reach them soon as well.

    Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of USF, Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary briefed the Board members about the projects. He thanked the Federal Minister, Syed Amin Ul Haque, the Federal Secretary and Chairman of USF Board, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui and the Board members for entrusting him. He stated that USF ensures merit, transparency and timely completion of projects.

    Furthermore, he added that USF’s contribution to Digital Pakistan vision remains distinguished. Other board members comprising Maj. Gen (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa, Chairman PTA; Shabahat Ali Shah, CEO-NITB; Irfan Wahab, CEO-Telenor Pakistan; Imran Akhtar Shah, VP for Government Sales, Super Net Pvt Ltd and Nominee of Data Licensees; Rashid Khan, CEO-PTCL and Nominee of Fixed Line Operators; Kaukab Iqbal, Chairman-Consumer Association of Pakistan and Nominee of Consumer Group; Muhamad Omar Malik, Member- Telecom and management of USF Co. also attended the meeting.

  • TPL Trakker to use Telenor’s location based services

    TPL Trakker to use Telenor’s location based services

    KARACHI: TPL Trakker and Telenor Pakistan have signed an agreement under which Telenor Pakistan will provide location base services (LBS).

    TPL Trakker powers the technology via TPL Maps, the company’s mapping arm and Pakistan’s first digital mapping service licensed by the Survey of Pakistan, a statement said on Thursday.

    Using LBS, Telenor Pakistan will make use of the most detailed and localized location dataset ever offered in Pakistan. Following the partnership, Telenor Pakistan will have access to data covering 600,000 km of road network, 3 million points of interest (POIs), which will enable the telecom operator to offer tailored products and solutions for B2B customers as per their needs.

    The move is in line with TPL Trakker’s vision to create value for different industry verticals through digital transformation, enhancing connectivity between people, mobile assets and businesses.

    This will pave the way for Mobile Network Operators to venture into diverse location-centric solutions adding to the rising popularity of TPL’s cutting edge mapping and automation API solutions for apps.

    Speaking on the collaboration, Sarwar Ali Khan, CEO, TPL Trakker said, “TPL has developed indigenous Location Based Services to fuel the rapid growth of technology companies in Pakistan. Mobile Network Operators are ingrained in the national economy and they rely heavily on cutting-edge location data and services. We expect closer collaboration with each player for our Location Based Services as we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with one of Pakistan’s leading Mobile Network Operators.”

    With a plan to accelerate the growth of the telecommunication services industry, the two companies will create a modern, value-driven and globally competitive Pakistan.

  • Telenor awarded Rs588 million contract for providing hi-speed broadband

    Telenor awarded Rs588 million contract for providing hi-speed broadband

    ISLAMABAD: The Universal Service Fund (USF) has awarded contract worth Rs588 million to Telenor Pakistan for providing hi-speed broadband in Sanghar Lot (Sindh).

    Federal Minister IT & Telecom, Syed Amin ul Haque inaugurated the Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development project in Sanghar (Districts of Sanghar and Umerkot) at a ceremony held at Ministry of IT & Telecom on Thursday.

    The contract was signed by Haaris Mahmood Chaudhry, CEO USF and Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan. Secretary IT, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui was also present at the ceremony.

    Chief Guest of the ceremony, Syed Amin ul Haque stated that under the vision of Digital Pakistan, the Ministry of IT & Telecom is taking concrete steps to spread the benefits of digitalization to the masses.

    He said that during the spread of Coronavirus, Ministry of IT & Telecom will keep on making efforts to ensure that broadband connectivity helps us overcome this crisis.

    He added that the key stakeholders in IT & Telecom sector should work together vigorously to come up with innovative ways for fighting against Covid 19 through technology.

    He congratulated the teams of USF and Telenor Pakistan and also hoped that they will continue to achieve these milestones in future as well.

    While sharing his views at the ceremony, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui said that the main objective of USF is to facilitate the masses through broadband technology in the country.

    He added that during the coronavirus pandemic, Ministry of IT & Telecom is making sure that broadband connectivity plays an integral part in creating ease for people.

    He further said that USF projects are already making a huge difference in lives of people and with the new challenging scenario during the spread of coronavirus, these projects have become more crucial for socio-economic benefit.

    Also speaking at the ceremony, Haaris Mahmood Chaudhry, CEO USF informed that Federal Minister, Syed Amin ul Haque, Secretary IT, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui and USF Board of Directors have been giving constant guidance and support to USF for making rapid progress.

    He also added that all these projects are playing an integral role in enabling people of Pakistan to carry on their activities through broadband technology during the Covid 19 pandemic.

    Through the project in Sanghar lot, broadband coverage will be provided in 500 mauzas in Sanghar, covering an approximate unserved area of 12,000 sq. km and benefitting a population of 1.47 million people.

    Sharing his views on the development, Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan said, “We are more committed than ever before to strengthen the pillar of connectivity as part of our purpose of connecting people to what matters most to them.

    “At Telenor Pakistan we are driven to empower the country through enhanced connectivity, creating opportunities and uplifting the lives of millions and stand firm in our commitment to break socio-economic barriers through the use of mobile technology.”

    Senior officials of the Ministry of IT, USF and Telenor Pakistan were also present at the ceremony.

  • Telenor, Ufone awarded next generation broadband SDP contracts

    Telenor, Ufone awarded next generation broadband SDP contracts

    ISLAMABAD: Mobile phone operators Telenor and PMTL (Ufone) have been awarded contracts for Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development Projects (SDP) worth Rs729 million in total.

    The 70th Board of Directors meeting of Universal Service Fund (USF) granted the approval on Friday. The meeting was chaired by Federal Secretary Ministry of IT and Telecommunication Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui. Chairman Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) Maj. Gen (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa was also present in the meeting.

    Telenor is being awarded the contract of Muzaffargarh Lot and Small Lot I-1 (district: Islamabad) while PTML (Ufone) is being awarded the contract of Small Lot P-4 (Bhakkar, Khushab, Jhang and Mianwali).

    During the meeting, Secretary IT was apprised about the advances in USF projects. The Hi-speed Broadband services in Mazaffargarh lot will benefit an unserved population of around 2 million thereby covering 666 unserved muazas and an approximate unserved area of 14,195 sq. km.

    Muzaffargarh Lot encompasses Muzaffargarh and Ranjanpur districts.

    Similarly, an unserved population of 9,083 will gain advantage from Hi-speed Broadband services in Small Lot I-1 that covers Islamabad district with 12 unserved mauzas.

    Likewise, the Hi-speed Broadband services in Small Lot P-4 will benefit an unserved population of 86,968 thereby covering 11 unserved muazas and an approximate unserved area of 277 sq. km. Small Lot P-4 encompasses Bhakkar, Khushab, Jhang and Mianwali districts.

    The Secretary IT, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui emphasized on the growing need for connectivity amid the spread of coronavirus to support the people of Pakistan. He said that the use of ICT in rural areas during the pandemic will help the remote public to access government facilities that are available.

    He also laid stress on the significant role of ICT in far-flung areas in each step of fighting the COVID-19 as some people are unable to get the information or services required. In addition, he also asserted that these projects will help the communities to start or run a modern business, access telemedicine or take an online class in these difficult times.

    Furthermore, The Federal Secretary stated that the Ministry of IT and Telecom is making every effort to bridge the digital divide under the vision of Digital Pakistan as the economy heavily relies on the internet to minimize the disruption caused by the lockdown.

    Moreover, the members of the Board reiterated their full support to tackle the COVID-19 battle by ensuring to make progress in implementation of current and future projects of USF.

    The Board sincerely thanked the Secretary IT for providing direction and knowledge to achieve USF goals. Other board members including Shabahat Ali Shah, Executive Director, NITB; Irfan Wahab, CEO-Telenor Cluster Head for Emerging Asia and Nominee of Mobile Cellular Operators; Imran Akhtar Shah, VP for Government Sales, Super Net Pvt Ltd and Nominee of Data Licensees; Rashid Khan, CEO PTCL and Nominee of Fixed Line Operators; Kaukab Iqbal, Chairman, Consumer Association of Pakistan and Nominee of Consumer Group and management of USF Co. also attended the meeting.