As a routine practice, misleading consumers through massive print and electronic media campaigns by the telecom companies is still on. Recently, a Norwegian Telecom company operating in Pakistan launched a package says, “talk seven hours against seven rupees. It means Rs. 1/- for 60 minutes.While getting into the details,I came to know that they are actually charging Rs. 0.20 per 30 seconds which means rupees 24/- per hour and Rs. 168/- against seven hours. Seven rupees are the activation charges on daily basis of this package which is not mentioned anywhere in their advertisement.I request the regulatory authority to probe this dilemma and derive a system to stop the culure of misleading and cheating in disguise.A Guest Post By: Qudsia Jamaal——————————————-The recent flashy package launched by Telenor with a huge media campaign offers its customers to talk seven hours for just rupees seven. This is completely misleading and a big lie. I got into details only to be shocked that seven rupees that are being highlighted in the media are the per-day activation charges to bring down the normal call tariff to Rs. 0.20 per 30-seconds during those seven hours, and Telenor is actually charging Rs.0.20 per 30 seconds which means rupees 168 for seven hours conversation.I wonder do we have any marketing ethics or is there some regulatory body watching these big fish robbing us all. This company should be given a taste of its own medicine by asking them to allow customers to actually talking Rs 1 per hour and not Rs 24 which it is extracting from its customers.A Guest Post by a regular Contributor, who wish not to mention his name.Share and Enjoy:
January 27, 2010
[Guest Post] Telecom Companies! Stop Misleading Us!!!
January 22, 2010
Warid Telecom to reach 250 more cities
Pakistan’s cellular operator Warid Telecom has said it will soon add 250 more cities to its network. These include very remote areas with poor infrastructure and facilities in the country. According to a company statement, it is expanding its network very fast in order to provide its cellular phone services to every corner of Pakistan. The ongoing aggressive expansion phase will soon add new cities to its network especially in Northern Areas, AJK and Balochistan.
Warid Telecom is providing voice and data communications service through its GSM and EDGE network with in over 414 cities (7,600 destinations) all over in Pakistan including coverage on major motorways and highways. Warid’s EDGE services are available in major cities like Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. This network capability has been attained by erecting a network of over 4,100 Base Trans-receiver Stations and 42 switching centres.
Warid Telecom’s Acting CEO Faisal Khan said, “Our subscribers are enjoying best voice and communications services through our state of the art GSM and EDGE network. We are expanding fast to reach distant corners of Pakistan and all set to become the number one mobile operator.”
Chief Technical Officer Warid Telecom, Muhammad Irfan said, “Warid Telecom has deployed the best GSM and EDGE network in Pakistan. Warid Telecom team is continuously working hard to expand its best quality network while maintaining the superiority of its innovative services.”
Warid Telecom is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi Group & SingTel Group. Abu Dhabi Group entered into a strategic alliance with Singapore Telecom. Subsequent to this transaction in July 2007, telecom giant SingTel acquired 30% percent equity stake in Warid Telecom, Pakistan, for US$758 million.
SingTel’s investment in mobile operations include, Advanced Info Service (AIS)–Thailand, (21.4%), Bharti Telecom Group – India (30.5%), Optus Telecom – Australia (100%), Globe Telecom – Philippines (44.5%), Pacific Bangladesh Telecom (PBTL)- Bangladesh (45%), Telkomsel – Indonesia (35%) and Warid Telecom – Pakistan (30%).
Technology News -
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Making movie games more faithful than ever
, McDonald’s was able to produce an ‘Avatar’-themed game based on the actual theatrical assets from the smash-hit film. The technology may change the way such games are made in the future.Using a technology called Remix, McDonald’s was able to produce an ‘Avatar’-themed game based on the actual theatrical assets from the smash-hit film. The technology may change the way such games are made in the future.(Credit: Twentieth-Century Fox)Thanks to a new technology that allowed people to drive a rover across the world of Pandora from the smash hit film “Avatar,” we might soon see a wide range of games or other projects that use the exact same 3D models as the films they’re based on.In December, McDonald’s launched a game called PandoraRovr, in which anyone could explore James Cameron’s fantastical moon. While an otherwise normal Flash-based promotion put together on behalf of one of the film’s corporate partners, what made the game unusual is that the imagery in it was created using the movie’s actual theatrical assets rather than models built from the ground up.This was the fruit of a technology called Remix built by Multiverse, a Mountain View, Calif., virtual world platform developer, and which in theory, may change the economics of these types of projects forever. Though in its earliest stages, Remix may soon make it possible for film partners to put together Flash games like this in a matter of a month or two and for a fraction of what it would have cost in the past, even as their look and feel comes closer than ever before to the films on which they’re based.According to Multiverse Marketing Director Corey Bridges, Remix has the potential to flip the world of re-creating film assets on its head forever. In the past, he explained, anyone wanting to re-create the imagery from a movie would have only been able to use the actual theatrical assets–the 3D models of its characters, landscapes or vehicles, for example–as something from which to base entirely rebuilt digital copies.”That’s the general state of the art,” said Bridges. If “someone makes a video game based on a giant robot movie, they can’t use the robot models because they’re too complex. So the video game company says, ‘We’re going to rebuild and remodel from scratch to fit into this lower-quality medium. Or a toy company says, ‘We’re going to make some computer-generated art for the box. Okay, our guys will have to build that art.’ You end up with all these promotional partners…having to reinvent the wheel.”The problem, Bridges continued, is that there has previously been no way to effectively render the kinds of lower-resolution objects directly from the super high-res original assets. Those models, such as, say, an incredibly detailed avatar of a nine-foot-tall Na’vi warrior, could require tens of thousands of polygons while a Flash version of that same Na’vi for a game might be just hundreds of polygons.But Remix solved that problem, he said. Essentially, the technology, which emerged directly from Multiverse’s existing virtual world development platform, is a rendering engine which allows for directly processing a high-resolution model and producing a low-polygon Flash version of that object.In other words, Bridges said, Remix is a translation machine, and one that Multiverse is hoping will appeal to movie studios across Hollywood, as well as to their promotional partners.So far, the company has impressed the partners it has worked with on projects involving Remix.
In PandoraRovr, the game built by McDonald;s using the assets from ‘Avatar,’ players can drive a rover around the fictional moon of Pandora and take snapshots of imagery geared to look more like that from the film than has been possible in the past.(Credit: Twentieth-Century Fox)”A big part of what (Multiverse’s technology) did was make (PandoraRovr) look and feel just like the film,” said Andy McKinney, the group account director at AKQA, the strategy firm that oversaw the production of PandoraRovr for McDonald’s. “That was a big piece of excitement around the program, because we were letting people enter the world of Pandora in a way they couldn’t elsewhere.”Using PandorRovr, “Avatar” fans can drive around the fictional world, getting a first-person and up-close view of what the moon looks like, and being able to control where they go and at what speed. When they find a vista they enjoy, they can take a snapshot, which comes out as a big, beautiful image suitable for using as a computer wallpaper, or for sending to friends.And McKinney added that Remix’s unique ability to translate the original “Avatar” assets, something he hadn’t seen done before, was crucial to the eventual outcome of PandoraRovr.”I think the nature of the program was so unusual because the film itself is so unusual,” McKinney said. “So even the idea of replicating a magical unique world that has been created specifically for a film, that’s such a unique challenge. So it required a unique solution like Multiverse was able to offer.”Widely available later this year For several years, Multiverse has made its virtual world platform available for free to anyone who wanted it. The company has only made money from other developers’ use of the platform through a revenue-sharing agreement in which it gets 10 percent of any fees generated by games built using the technology. If someone uses the platform to build a free game, Multiverse makes nothing.Recently, however, the company has also been building commissioned games using its own technology, and in such cases, the developers who build the games have access to the very latest versions of the platform. The public version is usually many months behind.Remix, then, emerged from an existing, but not yet released version of the technology, and it was only in the last few months that the company even realized what it had on its hands. In part, it seems, that was because, handed the opportunity to work on “Avatar” games for McDonald’s and the Coca-Cola Company–almost certainly because both James Cameron and his Oscar-winning producing partner, Jon Landau, are on Multiverse’s advisory board–Multiverse discovered that the asset rendering engine that was already part of the platform was capable of converting very high-resolution assets into Flash-capable low-res objects.
An image created using PandoraRovr based on the actual theatrical assets from ‘Avatar.’(Credit: Twentieth-Century Fox)Now that the company has utilized Remix for both PandoraRovr and a Facebook “Avatar” game for Coke Zero, Multiverse is faced with the question of how best to deploy Remix. Bridges said that based on the excitement in Hollywood around what was being done for the “Avatar” games, he’s been taking meetings with many film studios eager to see what can be done for their movies.Still, while some–such as the company’s own investors–might expect that Multiverse would spin Remix off into a separate product that would be sold to film studios or the developers who work on promotional projects for them, presumably for a pretty penny, Bridges said for now the plan is to stick to the company’s long-standing business model and roll Remix out with a later version of the virtual world development platform.That might not happen for six months or more from now, he predicted. For now, a small number of beta testers are working with it, and the company is holding on to Remix and may focus some of its energy in the interim on developing side projects for paying customers.And those customers may well include the studios. While nothing concrete is in the works, Bridges sounded hopeful that films coming out this summer or winter will be accompanied by promotional games built using Remix. That would obviously please him as a Multiverse executive. But Bridges is also a self-professed fan boy, and because of that, he said he’s excited about what might be coming down the pike.”For those people who are like me, just huge consumers of (alternate-reality game) type content around movies (who are) seeking out more interesting promotional games,” he said, “I think we’re entering a golden age (and) a whole lot of creativity. 
White House puts companies on notice in China
WASHINGTON–U.S. Internet companies might soon need to find a new strategy for dealing with China.
In announcing that it is now U.S. policy to advocate a free and open Internet around the world, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday essentially dared U.S. companies to follow Google’s lead and put an end to their complicit censorship of Internet content. Google has said it will shut down its Chinese search engine if it can’t find a way to offer an uncensored version under Chinese law, and while no one else has jumped on that bandwagon, they may soon have little choice.”…We are urging U.S. media companies to take a proactive role in challenging foreign governments’ demands for censorship and surveillance. The private sector has a shared responsibility to help safeguard free expression. And when their business dealings threaten to undermine this freedom, they need to consider what’s right, not simply what’s a quick profit,” Clinton said in remarks Thursday at the Newseum, before an audience including members of Congress, representatives from nonprofit groups, and perhaps more than one Internet company executive forced to ponder the meaning of that paragraph.Clinton stopped short of actually proposing regulations or sanctions on Internet companies that comply with censorship laws. But her tone was clear: it’s now the policy of the U.S. government to renounce corporate “engagement,” or the belief that by merely being in countries like China, U.S. Internet companies are helping expand access to information.Will it work? Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo have already formed the Global Network Initiative, a consortium of companies and organizations designed to provide guidelines for operating in countries with authoritarian governments without turning into tools of those governments. Clinton acknowledged the work of the GNI during her speech, but is calling on companies to do more.”American companies need to make a principled stand…This needs to be part of our national brand. I’m confident that consumers worldwide will reward companies that follow those principles.”–Secretary of State Hillary Rodham ClintonMicrosoft declined to directly address its plans for China in a statement, but thanked Clinton for recognizing the GNI. “We welcome Secretary Clinton’s remarks and applaud the heightened attention she has brought to these issues of privacy and freedom of expression. We agree with Secretary Clinton that both governments and the private sector have important roles to play,” the company said. Last week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that the company remained committed to China despite Google’s announcement.Google, which was recognized during Clinton’s speech for “making the issue of Internet and information freedom a greater consideration in (its) business decisions,” said it welcomed the challenge. “Free expression and security are important issues for governments everywhere, and at Google we are obviously great believers in the value to society of unfettered access to information. We’re excited about continuing our work with governments, human rights organizations, and bloggers, to promote free expression and increased access to information in the years ahead,” it said in a statement.Yahoo did not respond to a request for comment.Rebecca MacKinnon, a fellow at the Open Society Institute and member of the Global Network Initiative, compared Clinton’s push to similar standards companies have been forced to adopt over the ages when operating outside of U.S. laws, such as avoiding the use of child labor in other countries.Voluntarily adhering to those standards, however, will require corporations to do something corporations tend to dislike: decrease revenue, increase costs, and reduce profits.”Companies are beginning to look at the long-term interest in an open Internet and understanding there are some short-term costs to functioning that way,” said Sally Wentworth, regional director for North American at the Internet Society, a nonprofit that focuses on global Internet standards and education.China, already with the most Internet users in the world despite having only 25 percent of its population online, is a huge source of future growth for Internet companies. U.S. companies have invested billions in China, not only in well-known areas like manufacturing and software development, but in hopes of courting that enormous future audience that will eventually be searching, watching videos, and consuming news–of some type–on the Internet.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton(Credit: Tom Krazit/CNET)But with Clinton’s remarks, U.S. companies are in an even more difficult place than they were when Google made its announcement last week. Will they have a harder time getting government contracts if they do business with the Chinese government? Will there be additional taxes, or even eventually fines for following censorship laws in other countries?After all, U.S. companies can’t go breaking laws they don’t like around the world, but they can refuse to subject themselves to those laws if they can be convinced that it will eventually be worth their while.”Their business depends upon trust,” MacKinnon said, referencing Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and other Internet companies. Yahoo is still smarting in China from its decision to hand over information regarding a Chinese dissident to the government in 2005, and U.S. Internet companies could make a brand for themselves in China if they stand up to the government: the Great Firewall can’t get everything.Still, there’s a sense that some tech companies would rather the U.S. force some sort of move from China on Internet censorship, instead of having to decided for themselves which countries are open for business and which aren’t.”We look to the U.S. government to address laws and practices in other countries that either facilitate censorship, oppression or a fractured Internet, or are unhelpful to International cooperation in cybersecurity and law enforcement,” said TechAmerica, a tech industry trade group, in a statement. “Except in cases involving outright sanctions asserted by the U.S. government, American values also require the freedom of enterprise: Each company must decide where to do business on behalf of its customers, employees, and investors.”This policy will take some time to evolve, as Clinton and other speakers Thursday noted that this effort is merely the beginning of a long road toward promoting an open Internet around the world.Still, she knows that while the moral pitch is easy, the business end will be harder.”American companies need to make a principled stand,” Clinton said. “This needs to be part of our national brand. I’m confident that consumers worldwide will reward companies that follow those principles.”Editor’s note: The first video below is of Clinton’s speech. The second is a panel discussion that followed and was moderated by the Anne-Marie Slaughter, the State Department’s director of policy planning. Both were posted by the State Department.
January 18, 2010
CONSULTANCY FOR REVITALIZATION PLAN OF TELEPHONE INDUSTRIES OF PAKISTAN (TIP)
Telephone Industries of Pakistan (TIP) was established in 1953 to manufacture telecommunication equipment. Telecom technologies are fastest changing technologies and local industry should be aligned with changing market requirements.
2. The Government of Pakistan (GOP) feels that there is a dire need of local industry growth for achieving the national objective of self-reliance through R&D, indigenous product development and manufacturing on modern production lines. In this regard, GoP intends to have specialized study/consultancy conducted for revitalization of local ICT/Telecommunication equipment manufacturing industry in Pakistan.
3. The GoP, through National ICT R&D Fund, invites eligible consultants to submit proposals to render the consultancy assignment. The Consultant should be of international repute having requisite expertise for the accomplishment of the tasks laid down in Terms of Reference (TOR). Interested parties are required to provide full information establishing their eligibility to perform the service along with description of similar assignment executions, appropriate skills, CVs of professional staff and detailed Company/individual profiles.
4. The details about consultancy tasks, scope of work, submission deadline, Request for Proposals (RFP) and the deliverables are given hereunder. The Ministry of IT reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids without assigning any reason thereof.
Click here for TORs and further details.
Manager Admin
National ICT R&D Fund, Ministry of Information Technology
6th Floor, HBL Tower, Jinnah Avenue, Blue Area, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: (92-51) 9215360-65
Fax: (92-51) 9215366
Email: nelofar.arshad@ictrdf.org.pk
January 16, 2010
Convert AVI To DVD
Nowadays, many digitalcameras and camcorders record video footage in AVI format. This type of storage format is a major problem to most people as they try to take a movie that is stored in AVI format. There are several ways of converting AVI to DVD. Among them is by using a piece of conversion software. This is not the only way to go about this, there are several other methods that work fine but you have to choose the one that works for you
Computer Telephony Integration
Computer Telephony Integration is used in the Hermes Net to manage each action via a unique queue in line with an agent’s skills. The computer telephony integrationevaluate the available agent profile, their techniques and the possible waiting time, to work out the appropriate compromise and to channel the call in an appropriate techniques conditions.
As soon as the call is received, the Computer Telephony Integration Hermes Net verifies in the database the basic levels and location in respect to queued data. It can also remove the nuisance calls immediately the agent qualifiesThe agent can make use of the communication tool such as voice mails, emails,sms, fax and calls which are effective. This system allows agents to control human resources in a precise way
