3G / 4G auction is in process.

PTA is processing the auction for 3G / 4G. First round has been completed.

A public Service Message by PTA

PTA stated campaign for proper ID verification project in phase - 3, the sim information system, to prevent blockage of mobile connection in Pakistan. So what to do?

Ans: Send your Computerized Identification Number Card (CNIC) to 668. In response, system will send you the detail of SIM issued to your CNIC along with number of sims and respective companies. If the information is incorrect, just visit your nearest Sales & Service Center of respective Company and correct the record. All un-registered connection will be blocked on May 27, 2011.

* Use of SIM without proper documentation is a crime. PTA

PTA must launch a WHOIS Server for Special Numbers & Shortcode Numbers

Last Friday, when I was offering my Jumma Prayer, my Cell Phone was Off! When I switched it on, I received a MISSED CALL ALERT from the Number "1999". When I tried to call back the respond was "Check Operator Services". Again a few days ago, when I was ready for Fajr Prayer in the early morning I checked my Cell Phone alerting two missed calls. On call back the response was same. I request PTA (Pakistan Telecommunications Authority) to provide a WHOIS Service for such short code numbers or give a detailed list of such number with their owners at its website. I know some of them like

6969: Mobile Zone (MZ) as well as DELL-Pakistan, 5454: Digital Pakistan, 1122: Rescue Force, 8250 & 8257: United Bank Limited, and so on......

Internet users will grow to 22 million till 2013

The Internet usage in Pakistan is likely to see three digit growth rate in next couple of years as it is being predicted that internet base would touch 22 million mark by year 2013. Out of total base, 4.3 million users would be using broadband Internet. According to official sources, it was told that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was working in collaboration with educational institutes to get the new generation familiar with internet. Internet is going to be the next growing industry in Pakistan specifically in a scenario when Universal Service Fund (USF) is putting massive efforts to take Internet to rural areas of the country. The sources said there is still to cover a long distance, tele-density is merely 11 percent but experts are expecting good because there were only 133,000 Internet users back in 2000 and now around 18 million in Pakistan.

PTA to introduce 3G Cellular Technology in Pakistan

Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Major General (Retd.) Shahzada Alam Malik has said that PTAwould continue to introduce latest telecom technologies for the benefit of the consumers and shifting of cellular mobiletechnology from 2nd Generation to 3rd Generation would take place within due course of time. He stated this while making opening remarks at a presentation titled "Mobile Technology Evolution from 2G to 3G" arranged by PTA , here in Islamabad. The Chairman PTA said that the process of deliberations on limited mobility has been completed with the help of allcellular mobile and WLL operators and a comprehensive determination would be announced soon in this regard.While explaining the importance of 3G technology, Gen. Shahzada said that PTA was putting every endeavor to bringhome latest cellular mobile technologies including the 3rd Generation. He said that it has always been difficult tointroduce new telecommunication methods and technologies but like in the past, PTA would facilitate all operators toswitch over to the latest technologies.Chairman PTA said shifting from 2G to 3G is a highly technical issue and PTA would make all necessary arrangementsbefore its introduction and we should educate the people before the new technologies are launched. The 3G technologyhas good prospects of popularity in urban areas, he added.

PTA plans to roll out digital push-to-talk system

KARACHI: Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) has planned to roll out digital push-to-talk (PTT) network in the country with 800 MHz band spectrums by the next six months considering its high demand for commercial and security purposes, a top official told Daily Times. The regulatory body will auction band spectrums followed by the allocation of the separate frequency allocations among them. PTA is intending to segregate the spectrum on the basis of frequency bandwidth as well as the geographical area for it’s auctioning, it has been decided.
  Digital PTT technology has the potential to bring several benefits to several sectors of Pakistan’s population. Applications of this technology will include all forms of distress signaling, emergency calling, health services, services for fire and security personnel,
 Intelligence / border surveillance-type communication and in mainstream businesses perhaps a ready-fit for logistics and transport type operations where an instructor or superintendent is advising instructions to several junior / field staff. In Pakistan frequency bands: 806 – 811MHz and 851-856 MHz have been identified for trunk radio services in the National Frequency Plan. iDEN is one of the few technologies that is capable of providing digital PTT service to various closed-circuit sectors of Pakistan over these bands, it learnt.
   Chairman PTA, Dr Muhamamd Yaseen told Daily Times the market would consider every service providers of the digital PTT system as the authority will provide equal opportunity to every player.
   He said some of the cellular phone companies have shown keen interest in introducing digital PTT services through their existing wide-base network, however, he said the authority will also include separate independent PTT operators in the race to make competitive market of this technology, aiming to thrive this facility as soon as possible in country.
  Currently, the PTA has taken initiatives to acquire industry feedback on the regulatory framework to be adopted for licensing of digital PTT service in Pakistan, he added. PTA chief told the digital systems will be catering to the internal needs of private companies and organisations and enhance new business opportunities in the telecom sector.
  In order to bridge this gap between legacy analogue private mobile systems and modern digital public land mobile systems such as GSM, UMTS etc. a new genre of technologies have been developed that can serve the needs of closed circuit Radio users. These technologies include TETRA(Europe), iDEN (USA and Canada), IDRA (Japan), TETRAPOL and Project 25. However, in Pakistan, the private mobile radio is still being used by closed circuit users such as public safety organizations, industrial firms, transportation & security organizations etc.
        According to Statistics there are about 47.65 million employed industrial workers in Pakistan as estimated in 2006-07. A good majority of these workers are associated with agriculture, forestry, fishing industry, security organisations, factories, refineries, construction, and transport related businesses. All of these businesses rely heavily on private mobile radios in VHF band for carrying out their dispatch related activities, and hence, are potential users of digital PTT system.
        Industry people were of the view the Push-to-Talk digital services will prove to be another milestone in the most competitive and advance telecom sector of the country. They forecast that the advance digital communication system will also attract foreign services operators in the country and the inflow of Foreign Direct Investment will increase in this sector from various countries of the world.--Daily Times