Pakistan cellcos bleed subs due to SIM rules

Pakistan's mobile operators have together lost around 2.7 million mobile subscribers in the first two month after the introduction of restrictions on the direct sale of SIMs through retail channels.

 

The latest statistics from telecom regulator PTA show that the nation's total mobile subscriber base fell to 120.8 million in January, from 123.6 million million in November.

 

Over the same period, cellular mobile teledensity dipped from 69.8% to 68%.

 

Each of Pakistan's five mobile operators were affected. Mobilink's mobile subscriber base was reduced from 36.6 million to 35.9 million over the two months. Telenor Pakistan's base fell to 30.2 million from 30.6 million, while Ufone's base declined from 24.3 million to 23.5 million.

 

In November, the Pakistani government announced new rules, introduced from December 1, prohibiting the direct sale of SIMs through retail channels. Operators were instead instructed to mail the SIMs to customers based on the address on their national identity card.

 

Operators were also ordered to block unverified SIMs and to limit the amount that can be registered to any one identity card to five.

 

Telecom operators have laid the bulk of the blame for the steep declines on the retail sales restrictions, the Express Tribune reported.

Source: By telecomasia.net (Dylan Bushell-Embling) on 27th March 2013

New fines to block spam messages in UAE

TRA working with etisalat and due to block messages coming from outside the country as well

In an effort to minimize unwanted messages on your mobile phone and other e-devices, the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) has drawn up a fresh list of penalties.

According to a report in Emarat Al Youm, TRA will act upon complaints of consumers who receive marketing messages without their prior consent.

The TRA is also working with etisalat and du to activate monitoring devices to block all advertising messages coming from outside the UAE.

Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, Director-General, TRA, said a list of penalties have been finalised to minimise marketing messages send to mobile phones of residents.

Initially, the senders will be only warned. On repeated violation their service will be temporarily terminated and finally if caught again the senders will be fined and their service terminated permanently.

TRA has been receiving complaints from consumers about spam messages since long. Al Ghanim said, those who send marketing messages after the allotted time will be fined. Marketing messages are to be sent only between 7am and 9pm.

Residents can block messages sent from within the UAE by sending a text SMS to 7726.

He added that the TRA is currently working with etisalat and du to help block messages coming from outside the country as well.

Source: By emirates247.com on 25th March, 2013