As the upcoming license auctions draw close, news flows in that global telecom giants are cosnidering to participate in the bidding process. Prospective bidders to enter the Pakistan telecom market were informed to 3G/4G/LTE advisory committee.

As reported by Dawn News, they include:

• AT&T of USA
• British Vodafone
• Japan’s DoComo
• Qtel of Qatar
• Roshan Telecom from Afghanistan

The report further streghtens Warid’s un-fit financial position for the bid. Also, Warid can possibly make a joint bid with some telecom firm from Malaysia. Qubee is also reported to be in talks with current market players for a joint bid.

Complete report from Dawn News follows:

At least nine telecommunication companies including four world majors are likely to participate in bidding due by end-March for third and fourth generation telecom licences in Pakistan, raising hopes for a better foreign exchange yield.

An advisory committee on 3G/4G/LTE led by prime minister’s adviser on finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was informed on Thursday that British Vodafone, Japan’s DoComo, AT&T of United States, QTel of Qatar and even Roshan Telecom of Afghanistan were preparing for bidding to be new foreign entrants in the country’s fast growing telecom industry.

The information, based on market intelligence, was put forward by Ministry of Telecommunication and Pakistan
Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

The advisory committee was also informed that among the existing players Ufone, Mobilink and Zong were keen to get the new licences to be available for 15 years. Another player Warid was not in a position to independently vie for the future licence due to financial constraints but was in contact with a leading Malaysian telecom firm for a joint bid, according to market intelligence.

Qbee another firm that currently operates wireless and internet services in Pakistan and Bangladesh was also reported to be making contacts with some market players for a joint bid.

The advisory committee, said these sources, discussed a proposal to appoint consultant or a consortium of consultants to assist the government in transaction structure and bidding process but was informed that this could delay the transaction in view of procurement rules while the government was interested in over $800 million sale proceeds during the current financial year.

The finance ministry was of the view that the government could exercise its right to bypass procurement rules to reduce time for the appointment of consultants because that would help the government to maximise sale proceeds. The committee members remained divided over the issue, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said the decision would be made in a couple of days after consultations with the ministry of law.

In the meanwhile, the PTA was directed to enhance its coordination with the major telecom players for wider participation in the bidding process. The committee decided to appoint a media consultant for the transaction. The committee also considered replies to objections raised by cross-party members of the senate over the base price fixed by the PTA for the bidding. It also decided to issue an international advertisement for competitive bidding.

The government plans to auction three 3G and one cellular licence for 1900/2100 MHz (3G/4G/LTE) band and 800 MHz Band. The base price for 3G licence to be effective for 15 years has been set at $210 million while the base price for cellular licence for 8 years has been set at $155 million.

Likewise, the earnest money to qualify for the bidding has been set at $31.5 million for each bidder of 3G and $23.25 million for cellular license. The spectrum capacity allocation has already been fixed for three 3G licences.

The bidders would be required to start their offers from the base price fixed by government with each increment of at least $2 million multiples. The successful bidder would be required to deposit 50 per cent of the auction price within 30 days of the auction and remaining 50 per cent in five equal instalments. The bidder would be allowed to launch its operations on 100 per cent payment of bid money.

The senators had objected to the bid price saying it was too low given the fact that cellular companies had paid $291 million per license in 2004 for 2G services (GSM), now considered an obsolete technology. The advisory committee was, however, told that base price did not mean a sale price that would go up on competitive bidding and reminded the senators that the base price for 2G licenses was set at $61 million that had increased to $291 through bidding.

The meeting was informed that base price for cellular licence was set at $155 million because it was being issued against the remaining 8 years period of the defunct Instaphone instead of other cellular licenses that were for 15 years. Even the bidding result for one GSM license would also go up.

The committee was informed that base price was arrived at after taking into consideration the 2004 auction result of 2G (GSM), expected service revenues, subscriber growth, economic growth, per capita income, political situation and population of the country.

via Dawn News

A look back at the people who made Pakistan less than proud in 2011.

Newsline looks back at the biggest events of 2011 and gives them a satirical spin.

In a recent media breif by Mobilink, Rashid Khan, President and CEO said that his company “is evaluating the information memorandum of 3G spectrum and has decided to participate in the bidding”. With this announcement Pakistan’s largest cellular networks comes forward as the first potential bidder for the 3G auction scheduled for March 29, 2012.

Going further, Khan said that despite the global economic recession there was an enabling environment for cellular business in Pakistan. This comes as a very expected statement from a mobile operator in market where the ARPU is near USD 3.

It must also be noted over here that, as advertised by PTA in local newspapers earlier this week, the base price of 3G license is USD 210 million with USD 31.5 million. The auction will be conducted through multiple rounds and open outcry method while each operator can secure 2 block of spectrum.

Commenting on the base price, Rashid Khan said it was a reasonable base price determined on the basis of telecom policy. He also ruled out that the five telecom sector companies were colluding for the bid.

On the other hand, Senator Pervez Rasheed of PML(N) has questioned on the transparency of 3G auction in the senate session that the base price of 3G license of $210 million is much lower than the base price at the time of 2G license which was $290 million. He demanded to immediately stop this process and review its conditions to avoid any chances of embezzlement.

Senator Pervez was supported by Haji Adeel, Ilyas Bilour of ANP, Col. Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi (retd) of MQM, Prof. Khurshid of JI and others warning the government not to proceed with its auction plan without taking them into confidence. They also had reservation on the license being auctioned on “technology neutral” saying that this would be like a charity.

via Express Tribune and Business Recroder

The earlier version of the post had  a typo error in the base price of 3G license, the same has now been corrected.

PTA has published the information memorandum for 2012 auctions for both the Defunct Specturm and 3G/4G/LTE spectrum licenses. They can be downloaded from links below:

• Information Memorandum 2012 Mobile Cellular License/Spectrum Auction (3G/4G/LTE etc.)
• Information Memorandum 2012 Mobile Cellular License (Defunct)

Soruce: PTA

Finally after having a long wait we get particular date for 3G Auction in Pakistan. In recent press release Dr. Muhammad Yasin, Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority described that Pakistan is going to auction third generation telecommunications licenses on March 29th, 2012 and every licenses will be generally be starting at valued from USD 210 million as well as will be sold by way of highest bid taker.

Exposing original information about the 3G license auction, Mr. Yasin declared that the total amount bidders will need to deposit with preliminary expressions of interest – to point out the importance of a bid – might possibly be $31.5 million and license terms and conditions could be from 8 to 15 years. Chairman PTA is expecting to catch the attention of a minimum of 10 to 15 potential buyers pertaining to very first bidding procedure. With the objective, PTA is actually in the process of investors’ conferences within Islamabad and also Karachi. We all know How 3G Technology Changed the World Dr. Yasin, additionally describing the auction methods, mentioned that current telecom providers could quite possibly get started providing 3G services soon after being granted a license, before the new operators start it, they’re going to have to wait right up until March 2013 to begin 3G services in the Pakistan.

He was quoted saying that there might be possibly that no minimum and maximum specifications for international equity and international operated organizations and it could be permitted domestic financing.

Giving an answer to a question he declared that prices are minimal more than that they had initially anticipated. Previously estimations recommended that the starting price for 3G licenses might possibly be $195 million, .

According to Experts the successful bid should not rise above $270 tag, although our current telecom participants who may have intends to not to choose 3G will have their finest to improve the bid worth; in serious situation $300 million level may perhaps be entered.

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The license for the 3G spectrum is announced to be held on March 29, 2012 reports Reuters. On the same subject PTA today conducted an Investors Conference in Islamabad attended by the Chairman PTA, Secretary Cabinet Division and Finance Minister.The tentative auction schedule and brochure have been uploaded on PTA website. You can also check them here:

• Auction Schedule
• Auction Brochure

Pakistan will hold an auction for its first licenses for third-generation (3G) mobile telecom services on March 29, an official at the country’s telecoms authority said on Tuesday.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Mohammed Yaseen said the base price for the auction would be $210 million.

“We’re expecting 10 to 15 potential investors in the initial bidding process,” Yaseen told Reuters.

He said the amount bidders would deposit with initial expressions of interest — to indicate the seriousness of a bid — would be $31.5 million and licence terms would be from eight to 15 years.

Pakistan had more than 111 million mobile phone users in October 2011, according to the PTA, equivalent to around 65 percent of all Pakistanis.

Pakistan’s existing operators include Mobilink, a unit of Egypt-based Orascom Telecom, Norway’s Telenor , Warid Telecom, a joint venture between Abu Dhabi Group and SingTel Group, China Mobile Communication Cooperation’s Zong, and Ufone, owned by the Emirates Telecommunication Corporation Group, Etisalat, according to the PTA website.

Yaseen said existing licence operators could start offering 3G services immediately after being awarded a licence, while new operators would be able to provide 3G services from March 2013.

Update:

According to the tentative auction schedule, some important dates for the 3G auction are:

March 2, 2012 – Pre-Bid Conference in Islamabad

March 9, 2012 – End Date for Submission of EOI along with Application

March 12, 2012 – Qualification of Bidder Before Auction

March 22, 2012 – Receipt of Earnest Money in PTA’s Bank Account

March 29, 2012 – 3G Spectrum Auction

Picture Courtesy: Parvez Iftikhar

The Strategy and Development Division at PTA has recently published report on Pakistan SMS traffic in 2010. As per the report, a total of 175.4 billion SMS were generated in Pakistan during the year 2010 which is 15.66% more than in Y2009. The revenues estimated from SMS in the year 2010 is Rs. 22.5 billion.

Summary table with indivisual operator’s status is as follows:

The report also provide details on SMS cost analysis, SMS per month stats, Intercellular network utilization stats, Stats on on-net and international SMS.

Futhermore, the report proposes the following recommendations:

1. Info160 service must be focused for our market.
2. A2P &P2A must flourish in order to increase the revenues from SMS.
3. A2P & P2A SMS must be counted and maintained separately from P2P SMSs.
4. Location Based services must be introduced ASAP.
5. SMS delivery reliability must be enhanced in order to provide more VAS over SMS.
6. International SMS traffic must be enhanced through some attractive packages.
7. Cellular Operators should plan to provide detailed SMS-Data for Y2011 to ‘SMS analysis and Report’ team by February 2012 , so that the Y2012 Report may be out by June 2012.

Detailed report can be downloaded and read on the PTA website.

Like me, if you live on Internet and Pakistan, strong are the chances you’re already familiar with the Authority of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). We know PTA from their active involvement in our SMS, Watching us online, and yes banning Facebook and other websites in general.

Most recently over 1,000 porn sites were blocked by internet service providers (ISP), directed by PTA. It was also stated by a source, “They are adding to the list on a daily basis.”

Here is where I and PTA get face-to-face, my problem is not like they have blocked my favorite porn site. History is history, we all share it. Instead they added my innocent site in the list too, and it is blocked today.

My website (http://hometownshoes.com/) is about selling shoe, not even close to porn. But who knows, when the ‘athletes foot’ is banned. May be they found a link between shoes> athletes foot>something unethical, but I don’t know about.

This is what I see, when I open my website

When you visit the link in Pakistan, it reads: “THE SITE IS RESTRICTED” and site name appears as PTCL. So I instantly called to PTCL helpline inquiring them the problem my website is facing. But after a 13 min long wait, their busy CSR told that it is blocked from PTA and PTCL has nothing to do with it.

While writing this post, too much to my surprise, I find I am not alone. In fact, PTA has blocked all sites in Pakistan which contain the word ‘shoes’ in its URL and first of it took place one Nov 01, 2011. Now somebody please explain me what is wrong with sites containing shoes.com in its address. That is totally ridiculous.

From its website, PTA claims ‘‘To promote and protect the interests of users of telecommunication services in Pakistan.” But instead from my experience PTA is causing loss to my business and now I’m insecure about running my website in Pakistan. How sad..!

Any ways, I visited PTA website assuming for some help, but in vain. No one answered my call from any of their contact numbers. More, I wrote an email, hoping that they would solve my problem at an earliest when they see my complain message.

This is not at all childish or minor mistake. PTA has the responsibility to make our life easier on web and telecommunication in general. But such continuous stupid mistakes are making it worse for people like me. I am angry and sad at the same time.

PTA is keeping to over use its authority. Shall we stop them?

Filed under: Hello, Pakistan

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority today launched various application services on its online National Rabta Portal. The primary focus behind the launch is to assist local Internet users in retrieving various information specific to Internet resource information and content of the country.

National Whois application will help the user to access ownership and management information of an IP address of Pakistan. The Whois service is linked up with APNIC (Asia Pacific Network Information Center) database. ICT rabta pages service will assist a user to retrieve contact and general information about ICT industry of the country whereas educational portal service will help the students and general community to access information regarding public & private educational institutes, scholarships and skill development programs available in the country.

Another significant service launched is a local search engine for the country titled as ‘Raftaar Pakistan’. The search engine will entertain a particular search string by fetching the relevant information from websites registered under .pk ccTLD. This is first of its kind online search platform offering filtered and Pakistan-based content. It is anticipated that the search platform Raftaar will catch the attraction of broadband internet service providers in order to encourage and promote local search facility.

PTA would welcome to work with Broadband services providers to host Raftaar.

via Press Release

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority seems to have obtained the instruction from Ministry of Information Technology (MOIT) for making planning for auction of third generation (3G) cellular licenses, mentioned bye an announcement from PTA . This news is confirmed after a lots of setbacks and after that positive affirmations.

Announcement declared that PTA has become intending to Auction Frequency Spectrum for Cellular Mobile Broadband Solutions and license is going to be technology basic and the licensees have the ability to set up any technologies including 3G / 4G / LTE / almost every other upcoming technologies.

The information Memorandum (IM) with regard to auctioning procedure has been made by PTA. The auction will probably be organised tentatively in March 2012 in which specific timetable will be released later on.

The auction method is going to be supervised by way of a joint professional group (Auction Supervisory Committee) containing public sector stakeholders, which include reps of Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Information Technology, PTA and FAB etc.

PTA has got constituted an exclusive panel in making formulations to carry out the auction within the most possible transparent method.

For the consciousness and knowledge of prospective traders, PTA is additionally preparing to maintain Investors Conferences in Karachi and Islamabad. Worldwide Road Shows may also be arranged. The actual agenda for this auction could be presented in the near future, explained by PTA.

It can be important to say that the release of Cellular Mobile Broadband solutions in Pakistan will start a whole new financial cycle in the country and accumulate wonderful benefits for the nationwide economy. It will likewise usher in new trend for growth of a wide variety of new apps for data intense value added services. This can significantly match the condition and needs of Cellular Mobile Phone users and experts who are excitedly looking forward to this particular service.

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The last we heard on the subject was about the policy approval for 3G. Despite the unstable political situation in the country PTA has decided to have the auctions for the 3G License tentatively in March 2012. It is worth mentioning here that the license will be technology neutral allowing licensee to put up any of the latest technology. Detailed press release from PTA follows:

In pursuance of the policy directive issued by Ministry of Information Technology (MOIT), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is planning to Auction Frequency Spectrum for Cellular Mobile Broadband Services. The license for this service will be technology neutral and the licensees be able to deploy any technology including 3G / 4G / LTE / any other upcoming technologies.

The information Memorandum (IM) for auctioning process is being prepared by PTA. The auction will be held tentatively in March 2012 for which exact schedule will be issued later.  The auction process will be overseen by a joint professional group (Auction Supervisory Committee) comprising of public sector stakeholders, including representatives of Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Information Technology, PTA and FAB etc.  PTA has constituted a special committee for making preparations to conduct the auction in the most possible transparent manner.

For the awareness and information of potential investors, PTA is also planning to hold Investors Conferences in Karachi and Islamabad. International Road Shows will also be organized.  The exact schedule for this auction would be made available soon.

It is pertinent to mention that the introduction of Cellular Mobile Broadband services in the country will initiate a new economic cycle in the country and accrue great benefits for the national economy.  It will also usher in new era for proliferation of a number of new applications for data intensive value added services.  This will greatly fulfill the requirement and demands of Cellular Mobile Phone subscribers and professionals who are eagerly waiting for this service.

Yet again the Interior Minister gets in action. This times constituted a committee to examine draft bill regarding misuse of electronic equipment i.e. emails, SMS, MMS in anti-state activities detrimental to the national security. This comes in wake of the recent change in political winds and anti-state messages been floated on emails, mobile phones etc.. As reported by the APP:

The committee headed by Secretary Interior would brief the Minister within one week regarding the proposed legislation. He was chairing a meeting on the subject of “misuse of electronic equipments, i.e. internet, email, SMS/MMS and to take remedial measures to curb the menace of such illegal activities with iron hands.

Secretary Interior, Secretary, Information Technology,Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Inspector General Sindh, Members FBR and Representatives of Intelligence Agencies attended the meeting.

Once again the Multiple and illegal SIMs got under the gun:

It was observed that the criminals are still using unauthorized mobile SIMS for their criminal activities and terrorists’ acts, bank robbery, target killings and other heinous crimes.

The Minister directed Chairman PTA to revisit the whole system and ensure that all those illegal SIMS which are being used on stolen identity shall be blocked.

Mobile number portability (MNP) was also discussed to be banned in wake of misuse associated with them. Any kind of misuse to be booked under Anti-Terrorism Act.

The meeting decided that in view of the grave complaints, Mobile Number Portability (MNP) by the service providers is banned in future and anybody found violating should be booked under Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 as it is against the national security.

Anybody misusing, sending threatening emails or tampering with email address, mobile phone via SMS, MMS etc shall be dealt with under ATA and other relevant sections of law.

Chairman PTA and Secretary IT have been directed to immediately hold a meeting with service providers and convey the concerns of the government and ensure that their services are not misused by anti-slate and anti-social elements, putting the security of the country in danger.

The SMS filtering policy was also discussed.

The meeting also decided that the service providers shall have to have their own monitoring system to block such detrimental communication as mentioned above in coordination with the PTA.

The meeting decided to identify “obscene words” or anti state wordings, being used by anti-social elements and they shall be entered in the system to be blocked.

The service providers would ensure that they will not advertise anything against social norms and customs and they will not support any media programme with content that brings government into disrepute, scandalizes it or is against the national honour and security.

The Minister also directed PTA and other authorities that while taking such remedial measures, it would be ensured that general public may not face any problem and no site would be blocked.

All those who receive threatening messages or anti state messages,the same should be brought to the notice of Ministry of Interior through the following email and telephone numbers for taking legal action against the senders under ATA, 1997 & other sections of law.

via Associated Press of Pakistan

Update

Other point of views on the minister’s nonsense:

1. Rehman Malik back with Tech-Blunders
2. Government to ban MNP (Mobile Number Portability) – Another one by Rehman Malik