Category: Technology

ISLAMABAD – National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) and Telenor Pakistan have signed an agreement for provision of telecom services to NTC customers across Pakistan, through their mobile network.

Under the agreement between NTC and Telenor, Telenor will provide services like internet dongles, mobile handsets and SIM cards to provide 3G/4G GSM and data services in areas where NTC infrastructure is not available.

The signing ceremony was attended by Brig (r) Viqar Rashid Khan, MD NTC, and Irfan Wahab, CEO Telenor Pakistan. NTC is the official IT and telecom service provider for the Government of Pakistan and has been granted Integrated LDI License to provide ICT services to armed forces, defense projects, federal government, and provincial governments or as the federal government may determine.

Telenor Pakistan has reported a subscriber base of over 36 million, making it Pakistan’s second largest mobile operator.

MD NTC Mr. Viqar Rashid Khan enlightened the audience of the achievements of NTC during the past four years. He said NTC is the first operator in Pakistan to establish a Cloud Based National Data Center for the public sector. Corporation has witnessed unprecedented financial growth of 359 percent during 2015-16 and an increase in broadband subscriber base by 36 percent. It has extended its services from 54 districts and cities to 87 including underdeveloped districts in Sindh and Baluchistan.  The number of exchanges were increased from 139 (in 2012- 13) to 260 in 2016, thereby overall 87% increase. Khan said NTC utilized 99 percent of its ADP budget in FY 2016-17. Also, NTC is the first to use M2M and P2P networks for extending fixed lines and data connectivity.

NTC has already resumed the international gateway operations. Large scale Wide Area Networks of CDNS, Election Commission, State Bank, AGP and other strategic organizations have been established. Pertinent to mention that, NTC has also signed a Service Provider License Agreement (SPLA) with Microsoft to provide SaaS in the country through its cloud based National Data Centre. NTC is pursuing strategic partnership with private operators in the telecom industry to bring new services for its subscribers.

Chairman said NTC is the first in the country to introduce new apps like Go-Smart for its customers and have extended 3G/4G Mobile data connectivity to its subscribers under public private partnership. MD NTC further briefed about the future plans and projects of NTC. These include establishment of strategically vital submarine cable landing station at Gawader as an alternate route to existing network. NTC further envisions expanding its network to all districts of Pakistan within the next 3 to 4 years.

Web Desk –  Samsung Electronics expects profits to soar 72 per cent in the second quarter to a record high, it said Friday, as it moves on from a recall debacle thanks to rising memory chip prices and increased demand for smartphones.The South Korean tech giant estimated its operating profit for April-June at 14 trillion won ($12.1 billion), up from 8.14 trillion won a year earlier.

That would reportedly make it more profitable in the period than US behemoth Apple, where consensus analyst forecasts point to a profit of $10.6 billion.

“Samsung is believed to have topped the list of global IT companies, surpassing Intel and Apple, in terms of operating profits for the first time in history,” said Kim Dong-Won of KB Securities.

It would also be Samsung Electronics’ highest-ever quarterly operating profit, surpassing the 10.1 trillion won of the third quarter of 2013.Samsung has benefitted from increased shipments and strong prices for DRAM and NAND semiconductor chips, as it put behind it last year’s Galaxy Note 7 recall fiasco.

It appears not to have been distracted by the corruption trial of its detained vice-chairman Lee Jae-Yong.

Brisk sales of its new flagship Galaxy S8 smartphones, rising demand for flexible OLED products as well as soaring LCD panel prices also drove its earnings, analysts said.Samsung withholds sector-by-sector business performance until it releases its final earnings report later this month. But Greg Roh of HMC Investment Securities told AFP: “All the three sectors — semiconductor business, display and smartphone business — are all believed to have performed well.

“This is a better-than-expected performance,” he added.

The earnings forecast surpassed a market consensus of around 13.2 trillion won compiled by FnGuide, a financial information service provider. Sales for the April-June period are expected to surge 17.8 per cent on-year to 60 trillion won. Analysts expected the firm to continue to post strong earnings this year.

“Samsung will continue to generate quarterly operating profits hovering above 13 trillion won throughout the second half of this year,” Kwon Seong-ryul, a researcher at Dongbu Securities Co. said in a report.

He projects annual operating profits of 50 trillion won for 2017, up 70 per cent from last year.

“The chip business is leading the overall performance, the display and smartphone sectors are also performing well,” Kwon said. But Samsung shares closed 0.42 per cent lower Friday in Seoul on profit-taking led by foreign investors. The world’s top maker of smartphones and memory chips said this week it will invest 20.4 trillion won by 2021 to expand and upgrade its chip plants in the South Korean cities of Pyeongtaek and Hwaseong.

The factory in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometres (44 miles) south of Seoul, is the world’s biggest and has recently started production after Samsung Electronics spent 15.6 trillion won over the past two years to build it.

The company also plans to expand its NAND chip plant in the Chinese city of Xian to meet booming demand for the chips used in high-end storage products, it said. In smartphones, Samsung has been increasingly sandwiched by smaller Chinese rivals in the low and mid-end markets, and by Apple’s iPhone in the high-end segment. But the firm managed to post stellar profits partly thanks to the robust chip business, which supplies not only to its own handset unit but also other electronics giants including Apple. It suffered a blow to its reputation last year after a humiliating mass recall of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone over faulty, exploding batteries.

Refurbished devices — featuring batteries with a slightly smaller capacity — went on sale Friday in South Korea.

Lahore – HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, and ZEISS today jointly announced the signing of an exclusive partnership that aims to set new imaging standards within the smartphone industry. This long-term agreement builds on the shared history and expertise between ZEISS and Nokia smartphones.

With a joint ambition to advance the quality of the total imaging experience on smart phones spanning the entire ecosystem from software, services, through to screen quality, and optic design, the partnership will see ZEISS and HMD Global co-develop standard-defining imaging capabilities and will bring the ZEISS brand back to Nokia smartphones. This pledge to constantly improve consumers’imaging experiences a reflection of the shared values between both businesses – asingle minded commitment to quality, true craftsmanship and a desire to improve real life experience.

The relationship between ZEISS and Nokia phones began more than a decade ago, and is founded on a shared passion for innovation and always delivering the best for the consumer. The past collaboration saw ZEISS and Nokia phones driving technology innovations such as the world’s first multi-megapixel mobile phone and many more standard-setting devices, from the Nokia N series to those featuring Nokia PureView technologies. This renewed relationship is a long-term commitment to build on that technology innovation over the years to come.

ArtoNummela, CEO, HMD Global:

“Collaborating with ZEISS is an important part of our commitment to always deliver the very best experience for our customers. Our fans want more than a great smartphone camera, they want a complete imaging experience that doesn’t just set the standard but redefines it. Our fans expect it and, together with ZEISS, we’re delivering it – co-developed imaging excellence for all.”

Dr. Matthias Metz, Member of the Executive Board of ZEISS Group:

“The collaboration of HMD Global with ZEISS for Nokia smartphones will again enhance consumers’ holistic imaging experience based on excellence and innovation. Our partnership is built on a solid foundation.Together, we look forward to an exciting journey into the future of sophisticated smartphone imaging.”
This exclusive partnership with ZEISS is further proof of how HMD Global is collaborating with the best and most respected in the industry to drive perfection throughout every aspect of the phone design and build, and is a commitment to consumers to deliver the ultimate imaging experience possible on a smartphone.

Web Desk – Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) said on otherday it will start selling a refurbished version of the recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in South Korea on July 7, using batteries different from those that caused some handsets to catch fire last year.
Samsung said in a statement it will offer 400,000 phones, dubbed the Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition, in its home country priced 699,600 won ($611) – about 30 percent lower than the Note 7’s original launch price. The devices will be made from recalled, unsealed Note 7 handsets and unused Note 7 components.
Batteries for the refurbished devices will have a lower capacity than those of the original Note 7s, but have passed new safety measures implemented following the recall, Samsung said.
The world’s biggest smartphone maker by volume was forced to halt sales of the Note 7 in October, roughly 2 months after its launch, due to fire-prone batteries from two different suppliers. The incident cost Samsung over $5 billion in operating profit and damaged its reputation, though the firm has since recovered with the successful launch of the Galaxy S8.—Reuters

Lahore – Huawei, the leading telecommunications company has launched another entry level device in its winning mid-range series – HUAWEI Y3 2017. This revolutionary device is now available in the Pakistan and is indeed the best choice in terms of the innovative features it boasts. Available in 3 beautiful colors; white, gray, gold, the HUAWEI Y3 2017 not only gives off a premium feel but also promises a faster glitch free experience which no other smartphone in this price range offers. Equipped with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB ROM, the HUAWEI Y3 2017 promises the customers abundant speed and storage, allowing users to run multiple apps at once. The 2200mAh battery allows the phone to last 2 whole days on a full charge, letting the customers carry out their functions. Equipped with an 8 MP rear and 2MP front camera, the HUAWEI Y3 2017 captures crisp and clear pictures, making photography a part of the customers everyday lives. The HUAWEI Y3 2017’s marvelously crafted 2 point multi-touch 5” big display gives off a picture-perfect resolution which will breathe life in all the pictures and apps.

Lahore –  To commemorate and celebrate the success of Pakistan cricket team’s historic win over India at Champions Trophy 2017, OPPO the leading camera phone is offering free official ICC Phone Case on purchase of OPPO F3 Selfie expert to its valuable customers.

Commenting about the offer CEO OPPO Pakistan George Long said “OPPO is very enthusiastic about supporting international cricket and cooperating with the ICC in bringing cricket fans more of the world-class competitions that the organization is known for. This unique offer from OPPO will allow us to continue to strengthen our links with cricket lovers in Pakistan, as we join them in celebrating the historic win.”

OPPO is the official global partner worldwide for the mobile phone category for ICC for the period of 4 years till the end of 2019. OPPO is one of the market leaders in its field with an impressive worldwide presence, especially in territories where the game of cricket continues to grow and, in a lot of cases, flourish.

Through the ICC partnership, OPPO is leveraging many high profile cricket tournaments hosted by the ICC to present itself through branding and fan engaging opportunities at the matches.

Lahore – HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has proudly announced a classic reimagined – the Nokia 3310. It speaks for itself. Kamran Khan, Head of Near East, HMD Global, “Pakistan is one of the top emerging markets when it comes to mobile phones, we have witnessed an overwhelming response in the country ever since we announced our Nokia phones at Mobile World Congress earlier this year. The return of the iconic Nokia 3310 is a real statement of our ambition and commitment towards honoring the hallmarks of the true Nokia phone experience.” Thin, light and incredibly durable, the Nokia 3310 is a head turning modern twist on one of the best-selling feature phones of all time. Boasting an incredible 22-hour talk-time and month long stand-by, the Nokia 3310’s fresh, colourful, modern design brings it bang up to date.
Talk all day, text, take pictures, listen to music, and get hooked once more on the original mobile gaming hit Snake, all on a single charge.
With its unparalleled month-long standby time, the Nokia 3310 encompasses everything you knew and loved in a sleek modern polycarbonate casing, and with inherent colour throughout its body the Nokia 3310 is more vibrant than ever before.

Islamabad – Jazz has successfully tested Voice over LTE (VoLTE) in Pakistan with its collaboration partners – Huawei and Nokia. In line with the Telco’s digital agenda and strategy of leading innovation across the industry, subscribers will be able to enjoy this service in the near future, once more handset manufacturers join the ecosystem. “Providing impeccable voice and data experience to Jazz customers is our continuous endeavor and we are humbled to be the first in Pakistan to conduct successful VoLTE trial using the latest technology. Once we move towards the commercial launch, VoLTE shall enable our valuable customers to enjoy premium voice services with more than 80% reduction in call setup time, and on top of it they can cherish the true essence of data session during call,” said Khalid Shehzad, Chief Technology Officer – Jazz. VoLTE carries voice calls over a 4G LTE “data network” instead of currently used “circuit switched” 2G or 3G networks. VoLTE therefore allows “voice” to become just another app that rides on a LTE data network.

Karachi – Advance Telecom will be launching Nokia smartphones in Pakistan as the official distribution partner of HMD Global-The Home of Nokia Phones. At a ceremony held to celebrate the placement of first smartphones order, Rizwan Majid, CEO Advance Telecom, reiterated the commitment that Advance Telecom has made to Nokia phones by voluntarily deciding to dedicate all its efforts and resources to Nokia smartphones. Mr. Rizwan Majid also encouraged all channel partners to buy legally imported stock available under Advance Telecom warranty. Mr. Kamran Khan, Head of Near East for HMD Global, appreciated the efforts made by Advance Telecom and thanked Mr. Rizwan Majid and Advance Telecom team for their commitment and dedication to Nokia phones. He expressed confidence in Advance Telecom’s ability to successfully launching Nokia smartphones in Pakistan. In response to a question, he recently confirmed that, since Dec 1, 2016 Advance Telecom has been HMD’s active distribution partner in Pakistan. Advance Telecom is a trusted name in terms of mobile phone distribution in Pakistan.

Lahore –  VEON, Global Telecom Holding (GTH) and Jazz, Pakistan’s number 1 digital company Tuesday announced the successful acquisition of the 4G license in Pakistan. The company will acquire the 10 MHz paired spectrum in the 1800 MHz band making Jazz the only operator to offer its customers access technology from 2G / 3G / 4G& LTE.
Jon Eddy, VEON’s Head of Emerging Markets, said, “Investment in the auction shows VEON and GTH’s commitment to Pakistan. The acquisition of the 4G license will cement our position as the Number 1 telecom operator, in Pakistan, and will allow Jazz’s customers to enjoy the best voice quality, data experience and fastest connection in the whole of Pakistan.”