August 31, 2010: Telenor Group’s operating company DTAC Thailand handedover a cheque of Rs68 million to Telenor Pakistan here today as its contribution toward theongoing flood relief efforts.
To announce the donation a press conference was organized by Telenor Pakistan at a local hotel.Present on the occasion from Telenor Pakistan were Aamir Ibrahim, Vice President Corporate Affairs &Chief Strategy Officer; and Affan Haider, Head of Corporate Communications & Responsibility. DTACwas represented by Thana Thienachariya, Chief, Corporate Affairs & Strategy; and Wansit Saiyawan,Department Head, Corporate Affairs, PR & Communication.
Addressing the press conference Thana Thienachariya said: “DTAC and its employees have a longtradition of reaching out to communities in their time of need. As soon as we learnt about thedevastating floods in Pakistan and the widespread destruction they have caused, DTAC Managementdecided to commit funds toward Pakistan’s flood relief efforts. We also made a passionate appeal toour employees to donate generously. By contributing the equivalent of Rs68 million to the relief effortswe hope we are able to help in some small way toward lessening the loss and grief that the people ofPakistan are facing due to these destructive floods.”
Aamir Ibrahim thanked employees of DTAC and members of its Management for personally coming toPakistan to hand over their donation. “Your contribution will help make a huge difference to the livesof thousands of flood affected people by helping rebuild their livelihoods and overcome their immediatedifficulties,” he said. “Such generous donations help Telenor Pakistan reinforce its commitment to helpthe flood affected, especially through long-term sustainable rehabilitation projects that are in line withthe local needs.”
Last month, following the large-scale devastation caused by the floods, Telenor Pakistan pledged Rs100million toward the flood relief efforts and entered into a partnership with Pakistan Red Crescent Society.
One-third of the pledged amount has already been spent on purchasing relief goods and medicines.These will support 6,000 families across Pakistan and comprise 15-days rations and medicine supplies.
Telenor Pakistan employees are also donating funds of their own. Until now, they have collected closeto Rs10 million. The company has promised to match all employee contributions four times over. Otherfund-raising methods being employed include donations through SMS, easypaisa and donation boxesplaced at Telenor Sales & Service Centers. Special telethons on various TV channels and Radio stationsare being held to raise additional funds and increase awareness of the issues being faced by the floodaffected. Telenor Pakistan employees across the country are assisting further with the relief activitiesthrough volunteer efforts, carrying out assessments and distributing food, non-food items and helpingwith medical supplies.
All additional funding received will be used to facilitate rehabilitation of communities affected by thefloods. A plan to rebuild some of the affected schools is already being chalked out with the help ofpartners.

In response to the recent floods in Pakistan, the Motorola Foundation has donated US$50,000 to CARE (www.care.org) and pledged an additional US$50,000 to match Motorola employee donations to CARE.

“Our sympathies are extended to the people affected by these natural disasters” said Karen Tandy, senior vice president, public affairs, Motorola. “This donation is an example of Motorola’s continued commitment to humanitarian relief throughout the world.”

Other than the donation from Motorola Foundation, employees in Pakistan have also contributed meaningfully towards relief activities for flood survivors. Motorola Pakistan has supplied food and other staple items including medicines worth US$14,600 through rescue teams in different areas of Punjab and Khayber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

Earlier this year, the Motorola Foundation provided a US$100,000 grant to CARE to support the Community-Based Education for Girls Project in Pakistan. The project will expand access to quality education for girls in rural northwest Pakistan.

Mobilink, Pakistan’s market leader in cellular services and a part of Orascom Telecom Holding, presented the 6 lucky winners of the Jazz “Zabardast Recharge Offer” with three 1,800 cc cars and three air-tickets to any global destination of their choice.
Mobilink Jazz, Pakistan’s premier prepaid brand with more than 30 million users, launched the Zabardast Recharge Offer in June 2010 to offer the opportunity to win thousands of free minutes and free SMS bundles to its customers. Continuing its tradition to share the fruit of success with the consumers, the attractive offer included a lucky draw where the winners could get high-valued prizes including 1800 cc cars and air tickets to any global destination. The offer concluded earlier this month.

The winners of 1,800 cc cars were Rizwan Anjum from Khanewal,  Muhammad Ihsan ul Haq from Rahim Yar Khan and Ashfaque Ahmed from Mehrab pur. The winners of air-tickets to any destination of choice included Abdul Hanan Khan from Narowal, Sifat Allah from Lahore and Farooq Ahmed from Karachi. The prizes were handed over to the winners in ceremonies held in Lahore and Karachi.

Irfan Akram, Vice President Customer Care, Mobilink, “We are delighted to have made a positive contribution in the lives of our customers. Our cutting-edge, services and unmatched offers are winning the hearts of more and more Pakistanis making the largest cellular family in Pakistan bigger and closer every day. We will continue to reward our customers for their trust through exciting promotions and offers.”

Ihsan ul Haq, receiving the car keys from Irfan Akram shared that, “This is really an exciting moment for me and all of us winners. My family is thrilled too. Mobilink Jazz has truly fulfilled its promise of Apna hai.

Pakistan cellular industry has reached to a level where competition is going neck to neckand in such a competitive environment of cellular industry in Pakistan where, the price war isreaching its pinnacle, technology is on a boost and competition is fighting to provide more & morecoverage but there is only one thing that’s making the difference and that is service reliabilityand standard of customer services. Largely admired for its exceptional network, transparencyand innovation, Warid Telecom leads the service excellence way. It’s the customer experiencethat makes Warid Telecom uniquely distinguished. The PTA (Pakistan TelecommunicationAuthorities) report on consumer complaints 2008-09 shows Warid with lowest consumercomplaints that reflects the consumer satisfaction level.
At Warid, the idea of service excellence is practiced in a manner where customers are givenmaximum comfort and in case of any issue customers are given first contact resolution throughhighly personalized and caring service. Warid has one of the largest distribution channels andcustomer services network in the country, allowing it to offer wide accessibility and exceptionalcustomer services across Pakistan. Having deployed a practice of “Customer ExperienceManagement” the team of highly skilled professionals at Warid Customer Services servesover 190,000 customers on average in 24 hours through two state of the art Contact Centersin Lahore and Karachi. Almost 7000 walk-in customers are entertained every day through 19Sales and Service Centers out of which 1 is Mobile Business Center (Service on the wheels -an innovation in the Cellular Industry). A large network of 320  franchises actively serves Waridcustomers throughout Pakistan. To effectively gauge the customer experience, an innovativefeedback program “Customer Delight” is practiced, ensuring each customer coming in contactis gratified and remembers Warid’s way of serving in a pleasant manner. Aiming to exceedcustomer expectations and make it more personalize “Priority Customer Services” is there andconstantly delivering with the needs of Corporate and high profile customers. Having tremendousprogress and remarkable brand reputation, Warid Telecom continues to earn customer trust andloyalty by setting exemplary standards of service excellence in the cellular industry of Pakistan.

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LG Electronics, (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in mobilecommunications, recently announced the launch of an Android-powered smartphone, LG Optimus (LG GT540),a handset offering an optimal environment for first-time smartphone users with easy and convenient mobileaccess.
LG Optimus allows users to enjoy diverse Android applications and automatic account synchronization withall Google mobile services. LG Optimus also features enhanced social networking functions in a high-poweredmultimedia environment.
“LG Optimus is the ideal choice for early smartphone users who expect all the features of smartphones withoutthe complexity,” said Mr Ki Wan Kim, CEO of LG Electronics Middle East and Africa. “This is a device that wasdesigned for regular people who want to jump into the smartphone experience but have been hesitant to doso because of the learning curve. By making LG Optimus more approachable, we hope more people will givesmartphones a try.”
Optimal Convenience: LG Optimus delivers smartphone benefits in a convenient Google internet package. Withan automatically synchronized Google account, users need to only log-in once to enjoy YouTube, Gmail, Gtalk,Google Maps and more. With easy access to more than 30,000 downloadable applications and games from theAndroid Market, users can easily customize and expand their LG Optimus experience.
The SN Manager offers integrated access to social networking sites in a convenient platform that can managemultiple accounts. LG’s dedicated Social Networking Client allows users to easily keep track of their Facebook,Twitter and Bebo accounts. Moreover, the Social Networking System (SNS) widgets provide real-time statusupdates directly to the home screen without having to access any other applications. The handset’s multitaskingfeature allows users to view updates from friends and access their social media sites while simultaneouslysearching the phone’s contact list. The user interface is customizable for maximum convenience. The LGOptimus can be customized to show anywhere from three to seven home screens displaying frequently usedapplications, news and weather, among other information, depending on user preference. Additionally, themain menu can be personalized to include up to 10 editable categories for faster, easier navigation.
Optimal Excitement: LG Optimus includes high-powered entertainment features that make the phone extrafun to use. The advanced media player allows users to watch DivX and Xvid videos directly without separateencoding and browsing multimedia files is especially enjoyable with the 3D thumbnail gallery. The phone’s 3MPcamera supports geo-tagging, auto face-tagging and face-to-action technology to allow users to create and sharemultimedia content from the phone. The LG Optimus has a built-in video editor with storyboard function so thatusers can add music and text to videos directly on the phone.
LG Optimus boasts a distinctive design that is both sleek and soft and is available in fashionable colors includingwhite, pink, black and silver. What’s more, the phone includes a long-lasting 1500mAh battery, a 3.5mmheadphone jack, Bluetooth 2.1 capability, assisted GPS, 32GB of expandable microSD memory and fourcustomizable home screen themes together with enhanced idle lock screen notifications.

Tameer Microfinance Bank and Telenor Pakistan made another addition to the bouquet of easypaisa services with the launch of ‘International Home Transfer’ in collaboration with Xpress Money, UK. This service adds on to the existing domestic remittance service Money Transfer by providing international home remittances receiving facility in Pakistan. The latest easypaisa service can be availed by anyone with a valid CNIC irrespective of any mobile operator or bank affiliation through all Sales and Service Centres and Franchises of Telenor Pakistan and all branches of Tameer Microfinance Bank. Vice President Financial Services Telenor Pakistan, Roar Bjaerum, announced the launch of ‘International Home Transfer’ service and shared, “Lack of financial infrastructure in many areas of Pakistan makes the process of receiving international remittances sent by loved ones abroad cumbersome. easypaisa International Home Transfer is meant to facilitate bridging this gap. At the same time, this service is part of our vision to offer wider range of financial services to increase financial inclusion in Pakistan.” Speaking at the launch of International Home Transfer, the Chief Executive Officer Tameer Microfinance Bank, Nadeem Hussain said, “The regular stream of new additions in the easypaisa portfolio displays regulators confidence in the reliability and performance of the solution. This new service offers all the benefits of any conventional remittance service. We are making quick progress towards offering new services providing additional benefits to the customers. The senders of funds from abroad can transfer the money through the wide network of Xpress agents present in more than 80 countries including United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom. A transaction ID will be generated on sending the amount which, along with the CNIC, are required to claim the funds through all Telenor Pakistan Sale & Service Centers, Franchises and Tameer Microfinance Bank outlets. International remittances can play a valuable role in providing foreign exchange, but more importantly, also offer significant potential to support incomes of poor and vulnerable groups. Tameer Bank has been given a member status of Pakistan Remittances Initiative (PRI). PRI is a joint initiative of State Bank of Pakistan, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Ministry of Finance aimed at increasing the inflow of remittances through legal channels. Keeping in mind the importance of international remittances to Pakistan’s economy, the International Home Transfer service is being offered without any charges.Telenor Pakistan and Tameer Microfinance Bank’s easypaisa International Home Transfer Service will extend its relationships to more transfer agents in addition to Xpress Money in the future.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, has won five prestigious awards from the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) for the year 2010-2011. Samsung was honored with the awards including; European 3D Solution, European Blu-Ray Player, European Social Media Phone, European Smartphone and European Advanced Compact Camera.

EISA awards are based on votes and reviews from editors of top consumer electronics magazines across Europe. These awards recognize the best equipment in the industry across a wide range of technology categories. Among the Samsung products that won this year’s awards is; the Ultra Slim, LED, home-theatre system with a smart Full HD 3DTV (UE46C8700) & HT-C6930W, a 3D Blu-ray player and 7.1 sound. It can convert 2D-to-3D with finesse. It also offers Internet@TV and access to Samsung Apps Store, Media-sharing, PVR and Skype-on-TV. It brings the fascinating world of 3D into your living room.

Another award winner from Samsung is the Blu-Ray Player BD-C8900/8900s with additional features and versatility to deliver great audio and pictures from integrated HDTV cable or satellite tuner (‘S’ version). It allows up to 136 hours of HD recording to an internal 500GB hard disk drive. It is equipped with CI+ slot, built in Wi-Fi, Internet@TV and USB playback, delivering high quality picture from Blu-ray discs, even when reproducing 3D.

Samsung Wave S8500 Smartphone, won the European Social Media Phone award for 2010-2011. Samsung Wave is the first device to run on Samsung’s bada platform and it provides the right applications to suit every social media environment. It has a stunning 3.3-inch Super AMOLED touch screen with a powerful 1 GHz application processor and amazing connectivity via HSPA network, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0. Other multimedia features include a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video and LED flash. This smartphone enables access to the “Samsung Apps” a vast integrated application-store. A ‘Social Hub’ feature provides an always-connected communication gateway.

The Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S I9000 smartphone won the award for European Smartphone 2010-2011. It incorporates a huge 4-inch Super AMOLED screen and a 1 GHz application processor that enables and maximizes ‘smart life experience’ with vibrant HD videos, rich augmented reality content through Layar Reality Browser, and advanced Location-Based Services. It offers Bluetooth 3.0, the latest Wi-Fi connectivity with DLNA and HSPA fast mobile communications. The Galaxy S features Samsung’s intuitive TouchWiz 3.0 user interface, and ‘swype,’ the quick way to input text on-the-move.

The solidly-built Samsung EX-1 Camera won the European Advanced Compact Camera 2010-2011 award. It has a high-quality, super-fast, 24-70mm F1.8-2.4 wide angle zoom lens which allows photography in low-light conditions. The advanced users can choose to record raw or JPEG file formats. The AMOLED tilt-and-swivel display allows easy shooting from creative angles

Nokia recently announced the launch of a new range of mobile applications and content tailored for the holy month of Ramadan. Mozzaker – a Ramadan application 2010 is available on Ovi Store. This updated mobile application tailored for the Holy Month can be downloaded on the compatible Nokia devices for free directly from Nokia’s Ovi Store. Mozzaker allows mobile users to listen, search and translate a large collection of daily Azkar and selected supplications. People can also download more Azkar and share via SMS and MMS with friends and family
“We know that Itikaf is an important experience for Muslims during Ramadan. Nokia Ramadan Applications 2010 includes the feature rich Mozzaker application which offers a large collection of Azkar and supplications with translation. All those Muslims who are planning to sit in Itikaf in this holy month can enrich their religious experience by using the Mozzaker application. Mozzaker application for 2010 is free and ready to be downloaded for the widest range of Nokia devices.” said Imran Khalid Mahmood, Country General Manager, Nokia Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Ramadan applications are developed by ASGATech, a Forum Nokia Premium Partner in the Middle East, with all content reviewed and approved by Al Azhar Al Shareef.
Ramadan applications for 2010 are compatible with a range of Nokia devices including Nokia N97 mini, Nokia E72, Nokia E52, Nokia X6, Nokia 5230,Nokia 5530,Nokia C5,Nokia 5235, Nokia 5800, Nokia E5, Nokia 6700 slide, Nokia 5233, Nokia X3, Nokia 6303i, Nokia 2710, and Nokia C3. The user interface for the applications is available in English, Arabic, Farsi, French and Urdu.

LED has come a long way. From very specific beginnings, when it was seen almost exclusively on buildings and mobile phones, this highly efficient light source has come down in cost and complexity, making it suitable for all manner of functions. Today, LEDs are lighting up everything from car headlights to TVs to billboards to road signs.

LED has come a long way. From very specific beginnings, when it was seen almost exclusively on buildings and mobile phones, this highly efficient light source has come down in cost and complexity, making it suitable for all manner of functions. Today, LEDs are lighting up everything from car headlights to TVs to billboards to road signs. Looking to repeat this success is the monitor, which is now one of the fastest growing market segments for LEDs. Drawn by LEDs’ energy efficiency, high picture quality and slim-line size, monitors are looking to reap the benefits that have already so energized TV technology. From just 1 percent last year, LED monitors’ share of the monitor market is expected to soar to 30 percent this year. According to DisplaySearch, a market research company, this means sales of LED monitors this year will increase at least 10-fold over last year.While neither monitors nor TVs use LEDs for their actual screens, the difference between LED and LCD displays is that the former has replaced its CCFL backlighting with LEDs. But just what does that mean in practical terms? And how does it make for a better monitor?The Beauty of StyleThe first evidence of LEDs’ influence is apparent before you even turn the monitor on. Significantly slimmer than LCD monitors, LED monitors have made a virtue of their ultra-thin size and light-weight with slick, elegant designs that turn them into virtual ornaments.   Take the E60, an LED monitor from LG. At just 12.9mm in depth, this sophisticated model is fully one-third lighter than LCD monitors with a similar screen size. Also taking great strides with monitor design is LG’s E80VX. With a premium, slim-line body, E80VX rests on a stylish, circular-necked stand, while a seamless bezel makes for a thinner, more polished look. The bezel also allows for a more expansive picture, producing a unique viewing experience that seems to stretch beyond the frame and blur the borders between the real and the virtual. And with glowing “galaxy lights at the bottom of the screen,” a feature unique to LG monitors, the overall effect is dreamlike and utterly distinctive.Clearer, Crisper, RealerOf course, design is all very well, but no new light source would be worth its salt unless it actually improved on the picture of LCD monitors. Fortunately, LED does precisely that, with pictures greatly enhanced by far higher contrast ratios.Thanks to this, LED monitors make video film and pictures far more vivid and clear than they would appear on an LCD monitor. LG’s LED monitors, for instance, boast an LED-fuelled mega contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1, meaning an exceptionally crisp and vivid picture even with dimly-lit movies, games or pictures. Better still, LG’s E50VR and E80 series of LED monitors have produced significant improvements in screen resolution. Through LG’s mold-breaking Super+ Resolution technology, the E50VR and E80 series produce an even more realistic HD picture while also making it possible to watch SD-level content at HD-level.The secret behind LG’s Super+ Resolution is the IC Engine, which uses LG’s algorithm to get rid of frame delay, without the need for any external memory or software. The IC Engine chip also works in tandem with another LG technology, the F-engine, to deliver images with even sharper color. For a new generation so accustomed to high-tech entertainment options ranging from video streaming to SD, HD-level movies and games, the high resolution and wide gradation of LED monitors isn’t just a nice extra – it adds a whole new level of enjoyment and convenience. Little wonder that LED monitor sales are taking off. Keeping it GreenBesides their aesthetic and technological blessings, LED monitors have another compelling advantage over their LCD counterparts: eco-friendliness. As they have a longer lifespan than CCFLs (the main material in LCD monitors), LEDs make for longer-lasting monitors and thus less e-waste. LEDs are also much more energy-efficient than CCFLs, meaning lower electricity bills and less harm to the environment. Indeed, LED monitors consume, on average, 40 percent less energy than LCD models, a benefit that is multiplied in offices, where dozens or even hundreds of monitors can be in use simultaneously. And compared with CCFLs, which operate using mercury, argon and neon, LED is also very clean, using a compound that contains no harmful substances at all. With credentials like these, LG’s LED monitors have already received acclaim for their eco-friendliness: In a first for the industry, the company’s E2350V model was awarded environmental certification from UL, a US testing and certification organization. Made with fewer hazardous materials – and no halogen or mercury at all – the E50 series also uses up to 45 percent less power than normal LCD monitors. From science labs to building facades to TVs, it’s been a long, interesting journey for LEDs. Having found their way to monitors, their exceptional picture quality, slimness and eco-friendliness are now producing tremendous gains in what might be their most natural home. In addition, LG is helping generate interest in LED monitors through a series of quirky and inventive marketing campaigns. In recent months, the company launched its Sincerity campaign, in which people from around the world were asked to share their own poignant stories, with the best getting the chance to win some fantastic prizes. Videos from this campaign will be on display in Times Square, New York, from July 1 to 13. With campaigns such as these, and with the cutting-edge power of LEDs, LG’s monitors now have a brighter future than ever.

Telenor Pakistan Management volunteered recently to assist in the ongoing relief efforts in Charsadda, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. They took active part in the registration of coupons, offloading relief goods from trucks and distributing them among the affected families. Relief items were distributed among 402 families during the day. Here they can be seen being briefed by a Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) team member before the distribution. Telenor Pakistan’s flood relief drive includes volunteer initiatives and provision of relief items to the affected families. It has pledged PKR100 million for the flood relief activities and has signed a MoU with PRCS for the relief and rehabilitation of those affected.