“We have based the regulatory environment in the UAE ... - Teletimes

Vol: 08 Issue: 01ABC Certifiedwww.teletimesinternational.comThe only tri-regional magazine focused towardsthe ICT & Telecom sectorsof The Middle East, Asia and AfricaPublisher & Chief Editor:Executive Editor:Associate Editors:Assistant Editor:Sub Editors:Director Sales (MEA):G.M (Business Dev):Graphics Editor:Legal Advisor:Khalid AtharRaheela AnjumIzhar Ahmad, QutubuddinGulraiz KhalidM Awais Hanif, Aslam MumtazValencio D’souzaNaveed Ahmad KhanKhurram ShahzadHashmat HabibE-mail: info@teletimesinternational.com8th year of publicationRecipient of“International Arch of Europe Award for Quality”and“Teradata ICT Execellence Award for Media”ADVISORY BOARDDr. Alaa Bader HindawiDr. Zafar Khan MBE Iqtidar ZaidiProf. Nasreen Khalid Haroon RashidMedia Partner to:Correspondents:Dubai:London:Istanbul:Jeddah:Abu Dhabi:Melborne:Casablanca:International OfficeBuilding # 211,Street Al-Inshirah,Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos,Sultanate of Oman,Muscat,Tel: (+968) 22043911Asia OfficesIslamabad# 6, St - 39, G-6/2, Islamabad, PakistanTel: (+92) 51 2874225, 2279830,Fax: (+92) 51 2272405Cell: (+92) 300 9559879Marketing Coordinator - Imran RasheedKhawar NehalBasim AsherYasemin SaygiAkram AsadBashir AnjumJaveria HashmatDr. Khadija ArabanyKarachi63/1, 6th Commercial Street,Phase IV, Defence Housing Authority Karachi.Cell.(+92) 345 2215050Regional OfficesKingdom of Saudi ArabiaKing Fahad Road, opposite Kingdom Souqe,RiyadhTel: (+966) 12 153200Egypt5, Tanta St. Al Mohandsein, GizaCell: (+20) 12 2175185Sole Distributor for GCC countries:Malik News Agency, Dubai.US$ AED PKR € GBPPrice per copy 8 25 300 7 5One year subscription 80 250 3000 70 50UAEP.O.Box 52263, Dubai.Cell: (+971) 0504268409U.K.235a, Old Brompton Road. London SW5 0EATel: (+44) 07831418072Printer: Khursheed Printers (Pvt) Ltd.A PROJECT OF PPA PUBLICATIONS

In this editionInterviews1118253539“We have based the regulatory environment in theUAE on a best practice international model”Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim,Director General, TRA - UAE“SAMENA Council has always been amulti-stakeholder forum and shall continue to be”Bocar A. BaCEO - SAMENA Telecommunications CouncilKhalid AtharPolycom thrives to make unified communicationsubiquitous for everyoneGlynn JonesVice President - EMEA, PolycomGulraiz Khalid“Technology is the plant of banking”Tamel GuzelogluGM - Finansbank, TurkeyYasemin Saygı“Industry-wide cooperation is the keyto crack hard problems”Dr. Vishal Sharma, Principal - Metanoia18 35Research & Analyses2945The business benefits of 4G LTEArthur D. LittleThe new IT agenda!How to define and deliver a capabilities -driven approach?Booz&Co.25 50Articles38515659The year ahead:The battle for smartphone supremacyAllen TsaiMovingMinds:Creating entrepreneurs of tomorrowGhaniah EjazInformation and Communication Technology:A comparison of Pakistan and Sri-LankaDr. Javed IqbalTelecommunication in Pakistan: still “2G”?Hanan Rafique Dahar4404 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

In this editionReports & News212151390915172121232842434344505255555561Smartphones: now rival laptops as the single most desired deviceby 18-30 year olds in the Middle EastMohammad BaayounKeynote speakers at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2013STC showcases experiencewith fiber optics in the FTTH MENA ConferenceOsman Sultan ranked 32nd mostInnovative Business Leader in the Arab WorldHala Badri named 21st most powerful personalityin ME’s media, marketing and advertising industryNawras gets closer to the community by sponsoringa range of multicultural and social eventsTadiran Telecom announces ‘Aeonix’:A unified communications and collaboration platform ...3rd Green ICT App Challenge targets urban sustainabilityAhmed Al-Sulati, CTO, Qatar National Broadband Networkto speak on 2nd day of Broadband MEA 2013Nokia offices raided by Indian tax officialsEtisalat partners with UBL to expand payment gateway service to PakistanZain partners with Huawei to build nation-wide convergentGSM/UMTS/LTE NetworksDaniel MercadoIEEE 6th International Conference on open soruce systems and technologiesKashif BashirChina Mobile Pakistan making quick inroads into Pakistan’s cellular marketTeradata workshop for executives to generate practical solutionsDr. Zafar Iqbal appointed new IT Secretary in PakistanPTCL and Meezan Bank sign agreement for PTCL Wireless Broadband servicesAqeel Shigriand much more ....January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com05

Letter to readersKhalid AtharChief EditorDear Reader,Welcome to the latest edition ofTeletimes International.Before I begin, I would like to wish allof our readers, sponsors and partnersa happy new year. With a forecastedIT spending of 3.7 trillion US$ for 2013,we all can have good hopes for theindustry in the coming year where wemight be seeing some newer marketsfor newer technologies like LTE andWebRTC as we move long in time.We are also looking forward in thenext month to the GSMA Mobile WorldCongress 2013 which is expected tothe biggest telecom event of the year.Senior Executives from Bharti Airtel,Deezer, Dropbox, General Motors,Juniper Networks and Qtel will also bespeaking at the occasion.In this edition of Teletimes, we havefive interviews from industry leaderson their specific expertise areas andtheir expectations from the comingyear. First of all we have Mr. BocarA. Ba, the new CEO of SAMENATelecommunications Council talkingabout the regional interests of telecomoperators within the SAMENA region.This edition also contains an exclusiveinterview of Mr. Glynn Jones, VicePresident, Voice Solutions, EMEAat Polycom speaking about thecommunications industry speciallyunified communications. Furthermorewe also have interviews of Mr. TamelGuzeloglu, the GM for Finansbank,Turkey, Dr. Vishal Sharma, Principal –Metanoia and Mr. Mohamed NasserAl-Ghanim, Director General, TRA, UAEpublished in this edition.Recently, Mr. Osman Sultan, the CEOof du was ranked as the 32nd mostInnovative Business Leaders in theArab World and Ms. Hala Badri, theExecutive Vice President, Brand andCommunications for du as the 21stmost powerful in Middle East’s media,marketing and advertising industry.Teletimes International would like tocongratulate them both and du fortheir extra-ordinary hardwork in theindustry and wishes them the best ofluck for the future.Mr. Iqtidar Zaidi, the President and CEOof Techaccess Pakistan has contributeda lot to the industry through hisorganization and has now started anew venture for training professionalsknown as “Moving Minds”. Teletimeswishes the best of luck to Mr. IqtidarZaidi for this venture.Coming back to the edition, wehave two special reports in themagazine, the first titled “The newIT agenda: How to define and delivera capabilities-driven approach” fromBooz & Co. and the second titled “Thebusiness benefits of 4G LTE” by ArhturD. Little, the second part of this reportwill be published in the next edition.In addition, we have several articlesin this edition. There are two veryinteresting articles about theSmartphone supremacy and how theyare becoming the rivals for laptops asthe most desired devices for 18-30 yearolds. There is also a very informativearticle about the comparison betweenthe ICT sectors of Sri-Lanka andPakistan.As per routine, we also have news andreports giving you an update on thewhole industry. You will find news andreports on Etisalat, Teradata, ChinaMobile, PTCL, IEEE, NEC, Zain, Tadiran,Huawei, Nawras, STC and ITU.Please enjoy the latest edition ofTeletimes International and once again,I wish you a very happy new year.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com07

Mohammad BaayounSmartphonesnow rival laptops as the single most desired device by 18-30year olds in the Middle EastAccording to the 2012 CiscoConnected World TechnologyReport (CCWTR), in the MiddleEast smartphones now rivallaptops as the single most desireddevice by 18-30 year oldsas they are seen as the mostversatile and compact:● If they had to choose onlyone device, more than halfof respondents preferred asmartphone, while slightlymore than a third favoredlaptops.● Smartphones have surpasseddesktop computers as thepreferred workplace devicefrom a global perspective.● Smartphones were ratednearly twice as popular as aLaptop PC.The results are based on asurvey commissioned by Ciscoof 1920 university students andyoung professionals aged 18 to30 globally. The report examineshow this generation usesthe Internet and mobile devicesto connect with the worldaround them, and reveals theirbehaviors, attitudes, issues, andconcerns about the creation,access, management, and privacyof the enormous amountsof data being generated dailyby smartphones, sensors, videocameras, monitors, and otherconnected devices.Key Findings - Middle EastregionMultiple devices for 18- 30 yearolds in the Middle East● Three out of five (60 percent)of respondents in the MiddleEast use three devices duringa typical day while nearly 30percent use more than fourdevices.● Almost 55 percent of 18-30year olds selected smartphonesas the single mostdesired device while onlyone out of three (33 percent)preferred laptop computers.Apps are used regularly● Nearly three out of five (56percent) of the respondentssaid they rely on mobile applicationsall the time whereasabout 22 percent use mobileapplications for games orentertainment.● The majority (68 percent)of the 18-30 year olds reportusing fewer than 10 smartphoneapps regularly.● Nearly one in five (19 percent)of respondents use 10to 24 apps regularly.Online shopping: a growingregional trend● In the Middle East, more thanthree quarters (75.8 percent)of the respondents said theyshop online while 24 percentdo not engage in online shopping.● Nearly half (47.5 percent)of respondents regularlyor always rely on customerreviews when deciding ononline purchases.Additional: Key Global Findingsfrom the 2012 Cisco ConnectedWorld Technology ReportConnected or addicted?● Sixty percent of 18-30year olds globally findExecutive Quote:Rabih Dabboussi, GeneralManager, Cisco, UAE:“The world is only justbeginning to reap the benefitsof this ever-changingInternet era. As more andmore people, devices,sensors, crops, animalsand other living things connectto the Internet, thevolume and potential valueof all the data generatedby those connections willgrow exponentially. Ciscobelieves that in the verynear future, people andbusinesses in the MiddleEast will be able to takeeven greater advantage ofdevice-to-device communicationmaking the networkmore valuable than ever.”themselves sub-consciouslyor compulsively checkingtheir smartphones foremails, texts or social mediaupdates.● Of those, women aremore driven to connect:85 percent of womenversus 63 percent of menfind themselves oftencompulsively checking theirsmartphone for text, emails,social media updates.● Over 40 percent of respondentswould go through a“withdrawal” effect and“would feel anxious, like partof me was missing” if theycouldn’t check their smartphonesconstantly.● Of those compulsive smartphone users, 60 percent wishthey didn’t feel so compelled.Globally, Information Technologyprofessionals are evenmore connected● Almost one third of IT professionalsstated they checktheir smartphones ‘continuously’● While 40 percent of IT professionalscheck at least every 10minutes.For the “always-connected”generation, a single mobiledevice will do, whether it is apersonal device or a companyowneddevice, which createschallenges for the IT managerswho must safeguard companyassets and information.● While two out of five saidtheir company’s policy forbidsthem to use companyissueddevices for non-workactivities, four out of five–almost 80 percent said theydon’t always obey thosepolicies.● Two thirds (66 percent) feelthat “employers should nottrack employees’ onlineactivities -- it’s none of theirbusiness.”Contd. on page 50January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com09

“We have based the regulatory environment in the UAEon a best practice international model”Mohamed Nasser Al GhanimDirector General, TRA - UAEThe TelecommunicationsRegulatory Authority (TRA) ofthe United Arab Emirates (UAE),established according to theUAE Federal Law by DecreeNo. 3 of 2003 – Telecom Law, isresponsible for the managementof every aspect of the telecommunicationsand informationtechnology industries in theUAE. Despite its relatively shortlife-span, the TRA has exceededexpectations by achieving itsprojected goals in record time.Mr. Mohamed Nasser AlGhanim, Director General of theTelecommunications RegulatoryAuthority, is the foundinghead of the Authority. Underthe supervision and managementof Al Ghanim, the TRA hassucceeded in implementing theregulatory framework of thesector through developing thenecessary policies and regulationssuch as the competitionframework, interconnectionagreements between provid-January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com11

ers, pricing policies, and theimplementation of the NationalSpectrum Plan, which is consideredto be the first of its kindin the region. Al Ghanim wasalso the President of WCIT-12,ITU’s World Conference onInternational Telecommunica-regulatory initiatives aimed atthe promotion of further competition.Such initiatives include:encouraging the provision ofhigh-quality services by licenseesusing advanced technologiessuch as LTE and fiber-to-thehome;collecting and provision-to those developments as wellas to the UAE Government’spolicy. The TRA’s immediatefocus is on securing a greaterdegree of competition in fixedlineservices. The approach ofthe TRA is to bring about suchcompetition through the sharingwith the development of themobile sector of the UAE, theAuthority notes that there is asignificant difference betweenthe post-paid and pre-paid marketsfor mobile services, withthe former being more competitive.The TRA considers that thetions, held in Dubai in December2012. He was awarded the ITU’sGold Medal for successfully andexpertly heading the internationalconference. Below in aninterview with Al Ghanim.Q. What are the initiativestaken by the TRA UAE to ensurea leadership position of theUAE’s ICT sector in the globalmarketplace?A. We have based the regulatoryenvironment in the UAE on abest-practice international model,and have aligned ourselveswith the concepts of Fairness,Non-discrimination, Transparencyand Regulatory Certainty.Such a regulatory environmenthas helped us establish an effectivelevel of competition in aduopoly market.The regulatory framework is anevolving process and the TRA isworking continually to developing high-quality ICT data to variousinternational organizations,so that the UEA’s position isaccurately reflected in internationalindices and indicators; andregularly participating in meetingsand conferences, convenedby international organizations.Q. The UAE is playing a leadingrole in the region to promoteICT development. What is theTRA-UAE’s roadmap to achievingsuch leadership?A. Firstly, it should be notedthat the TRA has a focus onInformation and eGovernment,following the successful integrationof the former GIA into theTRA. A number of initiatives areplanned in the area of Informationand eGovernment services.As for the telecommunicationssector, the TRA will continue tomonitor developments and willdevelop strategies in relationof networks. As you will know,the UAE has very advancedfixed-line infrastructure and webelieve that infrastructure sharingis economically efficient andnegates the need for investmentin duplicate infrastructure.We are aware that severalphases are elemental to therealization of a sound networksharingapproach, which include:Carrier Selection (CS) and CarrierPre-Selection (CPS) – we havecompleted this phase; BitstreamAccess – we are at an advancedstage of testing with hundredsof real customers taking part ina trial, and commercial launch isimminent; and sharing of passiveinfrastructure – the TRA will turnits attention to this aspect ofnetwork-sharing, following thecommercial launch of bitstreamaccess.While the TRA is very pleasedintroduction of mobile numberportability (MNP) will furtherassist in the development of themobile sector.The TRA is also extremely proudto have supported the ITU inthe organization and hosting ofthree major ITU conferences inDubai in 2012. These include ITUTelecom 2012 in October, ITUWTSA (World TelecommunicationsStandardization Assemblyin November 2012), and ITUWCIT (World Conference on InternationalTelecommunicationsin December 2012).Most, if not all, industry commentatorsare predicting furthergrowth in the demand for anduse of mobile broadband anddata services. It is thus also foreseeablethat future demandson spectrum usage will be veryhigh. Accordingly, the TRAhas a number of initiatives fo-12 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

cused on the efficient utilizationof spectrum. These include theestablishment of a frameworkof fixed spectrum monitoringstations; implementation of theTRA’s online Spectrum ManagementSystem; Switch-over todigital broadcasting (planningand trials); vacating of the 800MHz band; and planning forfuture re-farming of the 700MHz band.Q. What does it signify for theTRA-UAE to host the ITU’s majormeetings in 2012 for the firsttime in the UAE?A. The TRA’s hosting of theITU events in 2012 is a nationalachievement and a victory, anda new international milestoneadded to a series of differentglobal indicators that showglobal confidence in the UAE’sprogress in various fields, includingtelecommunications. TheTRA believes that we have successfullyraised the profile of theUAE as a leading internationaltelecommunications hub.Q. In what ways did the WCIT-12present a key opportunity toincrease collaboration betweencountries?A. According to the outcomesof the conference, the ITRs intheir new form include a setof several new principals andprocedures, which set theframework for internationalcooperation among the ITU’sMember States. All MemberStates, upon signing the ITRstreaty, are bound and urged touse them to a maximum practicableextent. WCIT-12 was animportant platform that broughttogether nations of the world,which engaged in an importantcollaborative exercise, bearinglong-term implications for thetelecommunications industry aswell as the world.Q. What are the changes in theTelecom/ICT ecosystem thatneed to be reviewed in terms ofadministration and governance?A. Governance of ICTs hasglobally become the focus ofgovernments, internationalorganizations in the ICT field,and multinational ICT corporations.The growing need formore coherent and harmonizedgovernance models across theglobe to cater for increasingpenetration of multi-stakeholderand multinational ICT businessaround the world, has inevitablymoved policy-makers and regulatorsto work closer with theirpiers to build such multi-characteristicgovernance models withnationalized features to protectinvestments and businessgrowth of both state-interestand commercial-interest ICTplayers.The increasing dependence ondistributed business processingor cloud-based services has itsshare of space in the minds ofthe policy-makers to developregimes and models, cateringto emerging service demands,while safeguarding the privacyand integrity of information andpersonnel.Due to saturation in most markets,competition dynamics havechanged, with focus on capturingchurn customers rather thantaping into virgin markets. This,in turn, has led to change in approachtowards developing theregulatory frameworks by thepolicy makers in these markets.Q. How do you see the opportunitiesfor telecommunicationsoperators in order to be ableto achieve sustainability in thelight of the massive mobile datagrowth?A. The TRA is very pleased withthe way the mobile market hasdeveloped. We have two verycompetitive innovative operatorswith advanced networks offeringlow prices by internationalstandards. We would expect thisThe TRA is very pleased with the way themobile market has developed.to grow further as mobile dataprices come down and as 4Gnetworks become increasinglyprevalent.The use of smart phones isanother major growth segment.We expect this to grow furtheras well since prices will comedown with greater availability ofhigh-speed mobile connectivity.Smart phones are a potentialJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com13

area of significant opportunitygiven the UAE’s very high mobilepenetration rates—over 163% asof October 2012.Q. In what way can digitizationimpact the overall nationaleconomy?A. With digitization, there istransparency in transactions.Digitization reduces the chancesof human errors and grantsspeedy access to services andinformation. It thus adds tothe overall effectiveness of thepublic sector.Digitization creates newavenues of employment, opensnew markets, improves thequality of life and increasesGDP. It brings prosperity. Asper the findings of consultingfirm Booz & Company’s analysis“Maximizing the Impactof Digitization”, the rise indigitization has generated 19million jobs and has contributed$400 billion in economic growthglobally over the past two years.It further reveals that countriesthat are at an advanced stage ofdigitization receive 20 percentmore in economic benefits thanthose at the initial stage.The UAE’s wise leadershipenvisions the UAE to becomea leading knowledge-basedeconomy. Digitization can support,promote, and build such aneconomy.Q. The issue of cyber securityis becoming a major challengethat needs regional and internationalcoordination. What arethe recent TRA-UAE activities inthis matter?A. The UAE National ComputerEmergency Response– aeCERT is established by theTRA as an initiative to facilitatethe detection, prevention andresponse of cyber securityincidents on the Internet. Oneof its main goals is to coordinatewith domestic and internationalCSIRTs and related organizations.Some of the activities done inthis regard include:● aeCERT becoming the cybersecurity coordination centerin the UAE.● Becoming a member of FIRST,Forum of Incident Responseand Security Teams. FIRSTbrings together a wide varietyof security and incidentresponse teams includingespecially product securityteams from the government,commercial, and academicsectors.● Joining APWG, which is theAnti-Phishing Working Groupand an industry associationfocused on unifying the globalresponse to cybercrime.● Becoming a member ofGCC-CERT, a center for collaboratingand coordinatingin handling cyber securityincidents at the regional andglobal levels.● Hosting international Informationand cyber security eventsin the UAE, such as Black Hat,to spread information securityawareness in the region andto stimulate more collaborativeinitiatives.Q. How do you see the currentstate of the UAE’s ICT Sector?What are the goals achievedand the challenges still toovercome?A. The UAE’s telecommunicationsnetworks are among themost advanced in the world. Thetelecommunications infrastructurein the UAE has undergonea tremendous update overthe last few years as predominantlycopper infrastructure wasreplaced by fiber-optic connectionsrunning either all the wayto the customer’s premises(FTTH) or to multi-tenant buildings(FTTB). This means servicesup to 100 Mbps can be offeredto residential and corporatecustomers depending on themaximum speed of the insidewiring of the building.The telecommunications sector in theArab region has been innovative.Such network updates havebeen done gradually, startingwith Dubai and Abu DhabiIsland, the most populated areasof the country, directly followedby all other areas. As of today,fiber-based connections areavailable at almost all locationsin the UAE with only a fewexceptions. The UAE is rankedsecond globally as the mostfibre-optic connected nation accordingto FTTH Council Europe,surpassed only by South Korea.The TRA is also very pleasedwith the way the mobile markethas developed. However, thereis room for improvement in thefixed services market. Competitiondoes not work as well inthat market as there are fewlocations where the operatorshave overlapping networkcoverage. As a result, prices arehigher than we would like themto be. However, the TRA is in theprocess of introducing a rangeof measures to enhance competitionwithin that market suchas, sharing of infrastructure. TheTRA considers that once thesemeasures are in place, competitionwill intensify, prices will falland broadband uptake levelswill increase.Q. How do you see the future ofthe telecommunications/ICTs inthe Arab region?A. The overall health of thecountry’s economy is intrinsicallylinked to the state of the telecommunicationssector. This isbecause telecommunications isa vital business enabler. Withouta robust telecommunicationssector, businesses would not beable to compete effectively inglobal markets. Thus if you wanta strong economy, you need astrong and sustainable telecommunicationssector. Telecommunicationsalso plays a veryimportant role in the day-to-daylife of the residents, so it isimportant from a social perspectivethat we continue to focuson safeguarding the future ofthe telecommunications sector.In many countries, thetelecommunications sector isalso a major source of revenuesfor the Federal Governments.The telecommunications sectorin the Arab region has beeninnovative, generally speaking,and has been characterized byan ongoing development ofnew technologies and services.The operators, especially inthe GCC, have proven to bevery responsive in terms ofinvesting in and adopting thesenew technologies and services.This has helped ensure that theGCC develop some of the mostadvanced telecommunicationsinfrastructure in the world.The TRA believes that theoperators throughout theGCC are well-placed tocontinue investing in newtechnologies in the future.This, in part, is because thetelecommunications regulatoryenvironment is conducive tothe ongoing sustainabilityof the industry. For thesereasons, we think that the GCC’stelecommunication sector willcontinue to flourish well into thefuture.(Courtesy - SAMENA)14 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

Keynote speakers atGSMA Mobile World Congress 2013The GSMA has announced thatCEOs and senior executivesfrom Bharti Airtel, Deezer,Dropbox, General Motors,Juniper Networks and Qtel willtake to the stage in keynotesessions at the 2013 GSMAMobile World Congress, takingplace 25-28 February 2013 atFira Gran Via in Barcelona. Thecompany announced severalnew sponsors participating inthe App Planet and mPoweredBrands programmes, along withnew partner events and trainingsessions taking place at MobileWorld Congress.“Mobile World Congressconference attendees will havethe opportunity to hear fromsome of the most prominentindividuals in the mobileindustry today, as well asleaders from companies in otherindustries,” said Michael O’Hara,Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA.“We are particularly excited towelcome several speakers whoare making their debuts in theMobile World Congress keynoteprogramme and will offer newperspectives.”Stellar Keynote Lineup atMobile World CongressA number of additional CEOsand senior executives fromleading companies acrossthe mobile ecosystem andin adjacent industries haverecently been confirmed tospeak in the Mobile WorldCongress keynote programme,including:● Sunil Mittal, Chairman andMD, Bharti Airtel● Axel Dauchez, CEO, Deezer● Drew Houston, Founder andCEO, Dropbox● Stephen Girsky, ViceChairman, General Motors● Kevin Johnson, CEO, JuniperNetworks● Dr. Nasser Marafih, GroupCEO, Qtel GroupThese executives joinpreviously announced MobileWorld Congress keynotespeakers:● Randall Stephenson,Chairman, President and CEO,AT&T● René Obermann, CEO,Deutsche Telekom● Hans Vestberg, President andCEO, Ericsson● Franco Bernabè, Chairman,GSMA and Chairman and CEO,Telecom Italia Group● Suk-Chae Lee, Chairman andCEO, KT Corp.● Gary Kovacs, CEO, Mozilla● Susan Whiting, Vice Chair,Nielsen● Stephen Elop, President andCEO, Nokia● Kaoru Kato, President andCEO, NTT DOCOMO● Paul Jacobs, Chairman andCEO, Qualcomm● Talmon Marco, Founder andCEO, Viber Media● Lars Nyberg, President andCEO, TeliaSonera● Vittorio Colao, ChiefExecutive, Vodafone GroupBeyond the keynotes, the 2013conference will also includesessions exploring hot topicssuch as big data, mobile cloud,mWallets, NFC, small cells andsmart cities, as well as the roleof mobile in adjacent industrieslike advertising, automotive,finance and retail.Nokia, Plantronics and Samsungto Host ADCs in App PlanetFor the fourth year at MobileWorld Congress, App Planet willbring together mobile industryleaders and the applicationdevelopment community to participatein programmes focusingon the explosive growth in themobile apps market, as well asexhibition, product and servicedemonstrations, networkingand workshops. The GSMA todayannounced that App PlanetSupporting Sponsors Nokia,Plantronics and Samsung will beholding app developer conferences(ADCs) in App Planet,joining previously announcedApp Planet Supporting Sponsorsincluding the Car ConnectivityConsortium and Wireless IndustryPartnership. The Official AppPlanet Sponsor is Generalitatde Catalunya – Government ofCatalonia and Supporting Sponsoris Inneractive.New Partner Events andTraining SessionsIn addition to the GTI Summittaking place on Tuesday 26thFebruary, Mobile World Congresswill also feature partnerevents from companies includingClickSoftware, FastbackNetworks, IBM, MasterCard, theOpen Mobile Alliance and Taisys.Mobile World Congress 2013 willalso include training sessionsdelivered by Andrew SeyboldWireless University and AwardSolutions. These independentseminars will focus on thedeployment of next-generationmobile technologies and includesessions such as “Mobile Todayand Tomorrow” presentedby Andrew Seybold WirelessUniversity, and “Making an Impactwith VoLTE” and “Keys toContd. on page 44Sunil MittalAxel DauchezStephen GirskyKevin JohnsonDr. Nasser MarafihJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com15

STC showcases experiencewith fiber optics in the FTTH MENAConferenceSTC has participated in the 4thannual FTTH MENA Conferencewhich was held in Doha underthe title “Future at the Speedof Light”. The conferenceincluded the participation ofkey representatives from ICT-QATAR, ITU, and FTTH CouncilMENA.Eng. Naser Al Sadoon, GeneralManager of Marketing inSTC’s Home Sector, conveyedSTC’s whitepaper in theconference, through which hediscussed effective tools thatwould promote the futuredirection to spreading FTTHSTC has launched weathermobile service, the firstof its kind that providesreliable information onweather conditions.The service is designed tofurnish customers withappropriate precuationsin the various weatherconditions.Customers can get theService by sending anSMS. The service providesSMS, MMS, aerial photosand maps. STC currentlyworks to launch thetechnology across the regionand the globe in general,taking into considerationthe increasing demand forbroadband services, and thetransformation towards the“Smart Homes Concept”,in addition to the benefitsassociated with spreadingFTTH use in Saudi society. Healso discussed the role thatSTC plays in providing highspeedInternet and multi-playservices, in addition to theInteractive TV “Invision”service. STC’s whitepaperalso talked about the modernSTC launches ‘WeatherMobile’ servicefirst application that iscompatible with smarthandsets and tablets inthe Kingdom, with supportfrom the PME.‘Weather Mobile’ Serviceis one of STC’s contentbased services intendedfor providing breakingnews together with dailybusiness, social, sports andeducational news.The new service comes tohighlight STC’s desire to bethe top content and newsprovider to its customers.fiber optics infrastructure thatSTC continues to work on, byreplacing copper networkswith the ultra-fast fiber optics.The paper further highlightedSTC’s success in linking morethan 500,000 sites with itsfiber optics network, with areach exceeding 5,500 Kmof FTTH spread out acrossthe various regions in theKingdom, in addition toproviding FTTH services tomore than 100,000 customersin the Kingdom and futureplans to link 1.5 million sites bythe end of 2014.STC launchesnew packagesfor Quick Net4G LTESTC has launched 3 newpackages for Quick Net 4GLTE, targeting data SIM cardusers, in addition to thecurrently available packages(5GB, 10GB). The packagestargeted customers withpostpaid or prepaid data SIMcards.The 3 new packages composeof 1GB at SR 24 per month,3GB at SR 69 per month, andunlimited Internet at SR 350per month. The packagescan be ordered and paid forvia www.aljawal.net.sa, orthrough a customer-carecenter.The new Quick Net 4G LTEadditions for postpaid andprepaid SIM cards come toreaffirm STC’s leadershipin offering mobile Internetservices, and to highlight itskey role in offering diversepackages to customers, andto continuously developpackages to fulfill customerdemands by offeringcustomers unlimited andunrestricted options, andproviding the latest 4G LTEnetwork technologies.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com17

Interview: Khalid Athar“SAMENA Council has always been amulti-stakeholder forum and shall continue to be”Bocar A. BaCEO - SAMENATelecommunications Councilspeaks to TeletimesTeletimes - Congratulations onbeing appointed as the newchief executive officer of theSAMENA Council by the SA-MENA Council Board of Directors.What are your aspirationsfor the future of this importantregional organization?Bocar A. Ba - Thank you forvisiting the SAMENA offices inDubai.I feel absolutely privileged byhaving been entrusted by theleaders of the regional telecommunicationsindustry to drivethe SAMENA Council’s agenda.A very exciting and a challengingjourney is ahead of the SAMENACouncil’s team. Some strategicoperational changes havealready been made in the weekssince my charge. We understandthe expectations that we areto fulfill. We aspire to make theSAMENA Council the regionalemblem of digital progressfor this region’s economy andsociety, and are working hardto represent our regional operatorsat the foremost globalplatforms.TT - In recent times, the SAME-NA Council has been perceivedto have grown distant from certainlocal market developmentsand, perceivably, is not involved18 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

in a manner as a regional multistakeholderforum would be.What may have generated sucha perception in the industry?BB - The SAMENA Council hasalways been a multi-stakeholderforum and shall continue to be.By design and mandate, we arean operator-centric organization,and the fact that theSAMENA Council’s membershipincludes 38 telecom operatorspresents evidence to that claim.However, I do feel that sucha perception may have beencreated by a combination ofoperational priorities and a veryprecise focus on specific issuesonly. The SAMENA Council didprogress well in 2011 and 2012,and we certainly have the supportof the Board of Directors ofthe SAMENA Council to continueour momentum forward to supportour operators’ interests.Our renewed communicationand external relations developmentstrategy will help changethis perception in the future.TT - What will you do differently,to help develop betterrelationships within the industry,with key industry players,policy makers, regulators, andother industry associations?BB - My goal is to steer theSAMENA Council’s operationsin line with what the Boardof Directors of the SAMENACouncil has mandated anddesires. The SAMENA Councilhas defined and will maintainits course of action in a highlypredictable, visible, andcommunicative manner.Our focus on relationshipbuilding,which is at theheart of what the SAMENACouncil does and plans toachieve, will be optimized bybecoming very region-specificand, where appropriate andrequired, market-specific; byenhancing communicationand relationship-building withregulators and policy-makersthrough knowledge-exchange;and by building grander globalalliances with organizationsoperating under a similarbusiness model as does theSAMENA Council.TT - How has the SAMENACouncil brought value to itsmembership?BB - The SAMENA Council’smission is to provide a unified,consensus-based platform andvoice for leading operators andservice providers in the SouthAsia – Middle East – North Africain an ambience that is unbiased,supportive of business, and aidsrelationship-building. We havebeen fortunate enough to havebeen entrusted by the leadersof this region’s telecommunicationsindustry with the responsibilityto represent telecomoperators’ interests; to contributeviewpoints on telecommunicationsmatters to globalorganizations; and to bring chiefexecutives and chairmen of thelargest telecom operator groupsin the world under one roofto address emerging businessissues that concern the sustainabilityof the entire ICT ecosystem.We have done fairly wellon those fronts, and need to domuch more. The SAMENA Council’srecently concluded studyon digitization, we believe, willhelp dramatically transform thetelecom business in the regionand will trigger positive policychange regarding the use andavailability of telecommunicationsand information communicationtechnologies.TT - How has the SAMENA Councilresponded to the industry’sneed for knowledge?BB - The SAMENA Councilis keen to present differentaspects of the industry and itsneeds. To this effect, we projectthe industry’s voice, interests,preferences, and our opinionsand viewpoints to policy makersand regulators. One wayto ensure that this transfer ofknowledge is carried out effectivelyis by responding to publicconsultations issued by governments.The SAMENA Council isin constant communication withthe regulators and policy-makers,having already respondedto various consultations.“We have been fortunate enough to have beenentrusted by the leaders of this region’s telecommunicationsindustry with the responsibilityto represent telecom operators’ interests.”TT - How has the SAMENACouncil been active on the ITRsrevision process?BB - The SAMENA Council hasbeen one of very few industrygroups to have participatedon the ITRs issue. We haveparticipated in various regionaland international ITRs relatedpreparatory meetings, held ourown meetings, and contributeda perspective to the ITU. TheITRs revision, being an issuewith global implications andsensitivity, has demanded thatit be handled carefully, in a nonconfrontationalmanner, and bybeing considerate to the sensitivitiesof nations, their regulators,and various stakeholderswithin the telecommunicationsindustry. For the understandingand benefit of operators,the SAMENA Council initiatedJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com19

earlier this year a backgrounder,developed and contributed a12-point viewpoint in the bestinterest of the telecommunicationsbusiness, participated asan observer to the ITRs finalrevision process, and was witnessto the ITU Member States’debate and consensus-buildingat the World Conference on InternationalTelecommunications.We are pleased to observe thatvarious business and commercialaspects of the SAMENA Council’s12-point perspective, submittedto the ITU earlier in June 2012,have been directly or indirectlyaccounted for in the new text ofthe ITRs Treaty.TT - Why was the SAMENACouncil’s Convergence to Turkey2012 annual conference recentlypostponed to 2013?BB - Convergence to Turkey 2012was rescheduled due to an imminentchange in our operationalstrategy.TT - Is the SAMENA Councilactive on internet governance,and has contributed to the ArabInternet Governance Forum?BB - Internet governance is oneof the important issues that themodern telecommunications industryis preparing to deal with.It is also a major focus area,which is an integral part of theSAMENA Council’s policy planfor 2013. In this regard, sincethe early stages, the SAMENACouncil has played a major rolein the Arab Internet GovernanceForum by actively participatingin all the public consultationsand meetings, and by beinga member of the Arab MultistakeholderAdvisory Group(AMAG). The AMAG is responsiblefor setting the scene for theforum as well as managing theworkshops’ requests received. Inaddition, the SAMENA Council, inOctober 2012, organized a workshopduring the First Arab IGF inKuwait under the title, “Towardsa New Digital Economy”.TT - What are your thoughts onNetwork Neutrality? Is this anarea that the SAMENA Council isconcerned with?BB - Net Neutrality is a complexissue, and one on which noconsensus currently exists. It hasdifferent meanings and implicationsfor each market; for eachregion. The region in which theSAMENA Council operates, NetNeutrality is being studied. As itbecomes a priority over a periodof time, the SAMENA Councilwill delve into it in accordancewith the wishes of its operators,and by the approval of itsPolicy Board and the Board ofDirectors.TT - What will be at the top ofthe SAMENA Council’s agendafor the next year?BB - Digitization is where our region’sfuture economic progresslies and it is an area that holdsthe greatest potential of yieldinginvestment returns to our operatormembers. Therefore, the SA-MENA Council anticipates takinga leadership role in digitizationand associated areas. We alreadyhave a digitization program inplace to move ahead.TT - What have been the SAME-NA Council’s greatest achievementsto date?BB - Our ability to sell theconcept behind the creationof the SAMENA Council andbe privileged by the regionaltelecoms leaders with theirtime, energy, and support havebeen our greatest achievement.Operationally, however, theSAMENA Council’s Chairmen &CEOs Dinner series of executivemeetings have become anindustry benchmark. In 2012, atotal of 63 chairmen and chiefexecutive’s participated with us,making the SAMENA Chairmen& CEO Dinner 2012 one of thetop-most leadership eventsin the world—no matter theindustry. Furthermore, SAMENAhas a small and very talentedteam that has enabled our Organizationto create and deliver“Our ability to sell the concept behind the creationof the SAMENA Council and be privilegedby the regional telecoms leaders with theirtime, energy, and support have been our greatestachievement.”professional output for ourmembership. Furthermore, theallocation of 700 MHz spectrumfor telecommunication servicesas an outcome of the ITU’s WRC-12 conference is consideredby us to be one of our notableachievements, as the SAMENACouncil had advocated on thatfront on behalf its expandingmembership. Above all, westand reassured of full supportby and work directly with someof the largest global and regionalagencies and interest groupswithin the telecommunicationsindustry.TT - Is there a requirement to legalizeInternational VoIP trafficin this region, and can it assist indeveloping economies?BB - VoIP is a recognized disruptivetechnology and is increasinglybecoming an importantrevenue stream for operatorsin markets where it has beenlegalized. As it is a communicationtechnology, by default, itcan contribute to the realizationof socio-economic progress. Invarious markets in the SouthAsia – Middle East – North Africaregion, there truly is a needto legalize this cost-effectivetelephony technology. However,the SAMENA Council believesin inspiring change rather thanpushing for change. Policy-makersand the regulatory bodies,nonetheless, do have a muchimportant role to play in thisarea. As part of our own digitizationprogram, VoIP will becomean area that we will address withconcerned stakeholders, bothdirectly and indirectly.TT - What challenges do youface as the CEO of the SAMENACouncil?BB - My greatest challenge is tomeet the expectations that theSAMENA Council as an organizationhas of me. Such expectationsare centered on the needto build a strong image of theSAMENA Council, execute asdirected and planned, generatevalue for the SAMENA Council’smembership, and to inspiredigital growth across continents.I personally feel that theSAMENA Council is respectedand can become an even morerespected industry group inthe world, ranking among thelargest and most prestigious industryorganizations. However,realizing that goal in a most efficient,transparent, vibrant, andharmonious matter is anothergreat challenge for me.TT - How can Teletimes Internationalcontribute better?BB - Teletimes has a strongcirculation in this region and, Ibelieve, you are already contributingto the industry in your ownjournalistic way. I congratulateyou on having developed astrong reputation in the regionfor providing diverse telecomscoverage and for increasinglystrengthening the quality of yourcontent.20 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

Osman Sultan ranked 32nd mostInnovative Business Leader in the Arab WorldIn recognition of his achievementsin telecom and visionaryapproach as the head of theUAE’s fastest-growing telecommunicationscompany, OsmanSultan, CEO, du, was ranked32nd Most Innovative BusinessLeader in the Arab World.“It is an honour to be includedin the ‘Most Innovative BusinessLeaders in the Arab World 2012’survey by Amwal Magazine.”said Osman Sultan, CEO, du. “Togetherat du, we have made everythingpossible. We achievedconstant positive growth andhave been continuously rollingout the most innovative, valueaddedservices available in theUAE. This recognition encouragesus to continue deliveringexceptional value to our shareholdersand customers.”In September this year, Sultanwas named Innovator of theYear at Gulf Business IndustryAwards, for taking du forwardsince its inception, which has ledto the capture of a 46,5% marketshare amongst other achievements.Among the other top rankedbusiness leaders in the listinclude Walid bin Talal, KhaldoonMubarak, Mohammed AlMaadi, and Khaldoon Al Tabari,Abdul Latif Jameel, Maitha AlThani, Hussien Al Qamzi, SherifAl Amade, Akbar Al baker andKhaled bin Kalban.Hala Badri named 21st most powerful personalityin ME’s media, marketing and advertising industryCommunicate magazine’sPower List 2012 has ranked HalaBadri, Executive Vice President,Brand and Communications, du,as the 21st most powerful andinfluential personality in theMiddle East’s media, marketingand advertising industry. Thelist, published in December2012, features the top 50people working in the industrybased on extensive criteria,including industry and personaldata.“I would like to congratulateHala on behalf of all of ourcolleagues at du, for thisrecognition. Hala is a highlyaccomplished individual whohas proven herself time andtime again since joining ourteam in 2006. Her string ofaccolades, both personal andfor her work with the company,are a symbol of her dedication,talent, and passion towardsfurthering herself and ourbrand,” said Osman Sultan,CEO, du.“It is an honour to have beenacknowledged as being one ofthe leaders in my professionalfield. I would like to thankCommunicate for recognisingthe achievements that, with thehelp of my talented team andthe support of my managementcolleagues at du, we have beenable to achieve in the past 12months. This is truly an honourthat I feel demonstrates thelevel of commitment we haveto achiev excellence in all thatwe do,” said Badri.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com21

Nawras gets closer to the community by sponsoringa range of multicultural and social eventsContinuing its promise toengage with the local communityand customers, Nawrasconcluded a successful 2012by supporting and sponsoringa wide variety of social andcultural events. Culminating withthe Muscat Youth Summit 2012,the 1st GCC BusinesswomenForum and Oman Debate 2012,the events throughout the yearadded to the company’s reputationas an integral part of Omanisociety.Mutassim Hamood Al-Zadjali,Head of Corporate Affairs atNawras, said, “Each month,Nawras contributes to projects,big and small, and become apartner in engaging with manycustomers and communitiesto enrich the lives of people inOman. We are always looking tocreate opportunities for customersto get together and enjoysocial occasions as well supportingthe cultural development ofthe Sultanate of Oman. As welook to the New Year, Nawraswill continue to be involved inmajor events in the country andsupport community initiativesto get closer to customers andbenefit the people of Oman.”In December, Nawras sponsoredthe Muscat Youth Summit 2012as over 200 students from 26countries came together in AlMussanah to indulge their creativepassion. Over the courseof four days, Nawras introducedthe next generation of entrepreneursto business ideas, youthleaders and the wide range ofNawras products developedto cater for every niche in themarket.Nawras was also a promo-Mutassim Al Zadjalitional sponsor of the first GCCBusinesswomen Forum held incollaboration with the OmanChamber of Commerce andIndustry (OCCI) and Federationof GCC Chambers. The eventbought together successful businesswomenfrom around theregion to highlight the significantcontribution made to smalland medium-sized businessesrun by women.As a strategic partner in theOman Debate 2012, Nawrasplayed a key role in the Sultanate’spremier discussion forum.The Oman Debate broughtkey stakeholders together toengage in provocative andthoughtful discussions on theprogress and developmentas well as pondering whetherOman is future ready.For the second year running,Nawras also recently sponsoredthe Muscat Regatta. This exciting,competitive event providesopportunities for aspiringOmani sailors to take their placealongside the professionals tocompete in a series of spectacularraces.Nawras continuously looks fornew ways to engage with thecommunity and customers aswell as being a keen supporterof national activities. Taking ona key role in the large eventsorganised by the government,Nawras has been able to have adirect impact on the community.This year Nawras sponsoredthe Muscat Festival and SalalahTourism Festival, both of whichshowcased Omani culture andheritage to a wider audience.Nawras also furthered thedevelopment of sport in thecountry by joining forces withKickworldwide to develop anoutreach program to help youngOmanis and promote a healthylifestyle. The outreach programwill provide courses in coaching,refereeing, sports science,sports law, journalism andphotography that will help turna passion for sport into a career.Nawras also sponsored the SummerSports program organisedby the Ministry of Sports Affairsto give children a chance to trynew activities over the summerholiday.As sponsor of ComEx, Nawrasdisplayed the power of its 4GLTE technology, while at JobExthere was an opportunity to displaythe hard work Nawras hasdone to create opportunities fortalented Omanis. TEDx Muscatbrought visionaries together toshare ideas and Nawras helpedto sponsor the event, underliningthe importance that thecompany places on encouraginginnovation.Nawras is committed tocare for the community andenhancing the daily lives ofpeople in Oman by creatingopportunities to get closer. Thecornerstone of the company’ssocial responsibility program,8th Nawras Goodwill Journey,this year covered the mostground of any previous Goodwillmissions as a convoy of NawrasGoodwill Ambassadors firsttravelled from the very northof Oman to the southern tip inDhofar. At each stage, Nawrasdonated necessary householdappliances and supplies aswell as the latest technology,including laptops, printersand iPads, as part of a ten dayjourney to spread compassionand smiles. The main focusof the 8th Nawras GoodwillJourney was to empower localWomen’s Associations to helpthe communities they serveand provide opportunities andequipment to start their ownbusinesses.Over the past eight years,fasting Nawras family membervolunteers of the NawrasGoodwill Journey have visitedover 150 charitable organisationsand non-Governmentorganisations in the Sultanateand travelled over 48,000kilometres across the countryto bring joy to the people ofOman during the holy month ofRamadhan.Nawras, a Qtel Group Company,will continue to support adiverse range of social, cultural,sporting and entertainmentevents throughout the year aspart of the company’s commitmentto helping businesses andthe community to get closer.Nawras offers a pleasingly differentservice through productsand services as well as communityand charitable initiatives.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com23

conferencing and all other typesof communications technology.We don’t provide networkequipment or devices such ashub roots etc. as we do not dealin data transfer but we help increating and using the data persay.GK - Does your equipment enableother unified communicationsapplications apart fromyour own to run on it?GJ - Right now, we do not haveany other companies with suchsoftware that is capable ofproviding the same service thatwe do. But what we are doing“We do have competition in some areas,but we as a company only like to lead ourcompetition.”is we are working on differentstandards on audio and videoand trying to enable them forusage by other companies orvendors who may want to jointhis business later on. It is onethe most important parts of ourR&D these days.GK - Please talk a little aboutyour latest innovations.GJ - We have announced lastOctober, a whole new wave ofinnovations which ranges fromapplications for mobile, redesignsfor root systems etc. withdifferent user interfaces, differentsoftware protocols, the abilityto provide better quality withsame inputs and better, tightersecurity. We’ve announcedcloud based applications platformbringing Skype users intothe same meeting. These cloudapplications are customizableto the customer’s requirement.We’ve also introduced somepersonal systems which arevery high end executive officesystems. So basically all we’redoing with these new productsso far is that we’re thriving tomake Unified Communicationsubiquitous for everyone and sofar we’ve been facing success indoing so.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com27

Tadiran Telecom announces ‘Aeonix’:A unified communications and collaboration platformto empower distributed organizationsTadiran Telecom, a leader incommunications solutions hasannounced the general availabilityof Aeonix, a Unified Communicationsand Collaborationsolution designed to empowerdistributed organizations byconsolidating powerful businessapplications under a flexibleand intuitive communicationsplatform.Following a successful betaphase, Tadiran is encouraging its100,000 Coral System customersworldwide to seamlessly migrateto Aeonix by offering them anintroductory speciel offer of 70%of user licenses with no charge.Aeonix’s open architecture andintuitive management interfaceenables customers to adaptand grow in accordance withcurrent demand and changingneeds. With automated networkdiagnostics and recovery mechanismsfor robust fault toleranceand the last word in softwarebasedUC&C technologies,Aeonix has achieved a high levelof customer satisfaction duringits beta phase. To date, Aeonixhas been installed in dozens ofbeta sites globally. One suchexample is Medford SchoolDistrict, located in Oregon, US,where Aeonix was installed in adistributed environment serving1100 users, in 20 district schoolsas a unified cluster solution.“Medford School was lookingto upgrade to a Unified communicationssolution that wastechnologically advanced, scalableand easy to manage,” saidJeffrey Bales, Manager, NetworkEldad BarakServices at Medford SchoolDistrict. “While current UnifiedCommunication solutions aregenerally based on legacy platformsand “patches” of acquiredtechnologies, Aeonix presents aunique approach to lower totalcost of ownership,” said EldadBarak, President and CEO of TadiranTelecom.”Media Partner:28 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

The business benefits of 4G LTEJoseph PlaceShinichi AkayamaStuart KeepingAnsgar SchlautmannAs Information andCommunications Technology(ICT) continues to develop,the business world is applyingit ever more broadly – andacross increasingly diverseapplications. Critical to this isthe development of mobilecommunications technology.The latest such technology, 4GLTE (‘Fourth Generation – LongTerm Evolution’), providessubstantial performanceimprovements over previousmobile technologies, and offersthe promise that connectivitywill no longer be a barrierto realising the benefits ofenterprise mobility.These improvements inapplication performance andenterprise mobility can bring arange of benefits:● Increased sales and improvedcustomer service● Improvements in productsand services● Productivity gains– Personal and teamproductivity– Management effectivenessand innovation– Process efficiency andeffectiveness● Direct cost reductions● Improved employeemotivation● Improved flexibility, agilityand decision-makingThese benefits are borne out bybusinesses in countries where4G LTE is already available. Ina survey, commissioned by EE,of organisations using LTE inthe United States, 67% haveseen increased productivityas a result. Furthermore, 47%have been able to cut costs,39% say they have won morebusiness and, when asked if 4Ghas helped their organisations‘innovate and jump thecompetition’, more than threequartersagree.Compared with previous mobilenetwork technologies, 4G LTEoffers much higher bandwidth(speed of data transfer),lower latency (faster responsetimes from the network) andimproved spectrum efficiency(increasing overall networkcapacity). In practice, thisallows:● More applications to be usedon mobile devices, out of thehome or office● Faster or real-time sharingof large files and streamingmedia● Near-immediate delivery oftime-sensitive data, such asfor real-time interaction ortransactionsCompared with Wi-Fi, 4G LTEallows:January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com29

● Fully-mobile use of applicationsthat require true broadbandspeeds● Improved convenience (‘ownership’of the mobile connection)● Security (no need authenticateonto another, possiblypublic, network)LTE will deliver improvementsin the performance of manyexisting applications, and makefeasible new applications thatdepend on reliable high-speedor responsive data transfer. Examplesinclude innovative telemedicineapplications, remotemonitoring, fully-mobile virtualdesktops and high-definitionmobile videoconferencing.The improved user experienceand practicality of LTE will alsohasten uptake of those existingapplications that already workon mobile devices – but justnot very well. Finally, LTE’shigh bandwidth can supportthe rapid set-up of temporaryworkplaces, as an alternativeor backup to fixed broadbandconnections.Drawing on interviews withsenior executives, togetherwith Arthur D. Little project experiencefrom other countries,this paper sets out to describesome of the real-world benefitsthat businesses can expectfrom LTE and explores specificapplications in five exampleverticals: Construction, Healthcare,Retail, Transport andProfessional Services.Based on these findings, thepaper defines five generaltypes of business applicationsor ‘usecases’ and explains howtheir performance can be substantiallyimproved by 4G LTE:● Large file transfer● Rapid workplace set-up● Rich machine to machineand remote monitoringapplications● Video conferencing,telepresence and rich mediacollaboration● Remote access to businessapplicationsIn the UK, there is clear publiccommitment from the operatorsto deploy 4G LTE widely,and EE has committed tolaunch services by late 2012.Business customers are alreadyanticipating the advantages of4G. An EE-commissioned surveyshows that 94% of IT decisionmakersin the UK believe that4G will be ‘an important businesstool’. 84% say that theyare ‘excited by the prospect ofintroducing 4G’ and over 60%hope to deploy 4G ‘within sixmonths of its launch.’UK organisations now needto consider how to exploit thebenefits of 4G LTE. They mustunderstand fully how the needsof their users – employees,contractors, suppliers and customers– are evolving, how 4GLTE can support them, and howboth revenues and costs can beimproved. This understandingshould be developed into a fullenterprise mobility strategyand business case, which defineshow to reconfigure the organisationto capitalise on thepromise of advanced mobility.The Evolution of BusinessCommunicationsThe three trends of workforcemobility, cloud-based servicesand the ‘consumerisation’of ICT are driving uptake ofdiverse applications, bringingbenefits including increasedsales, improved products andservices, productivity gains,cost efficiency, employee motivation,flexibility and enterpriseagility.The business environmentcontinues to demand richercommunication and collaborationfor employeeswho are increasingly mobileor distributed. Content andservices need to be accessibleaway from the office, and onmultiple devices. Businessesare increasingly deploying (orallowing) smart-phones andtablets for employee use. Usersexpect an easy, quick, powerfulexperience whenever they doanything on these devices –and they want the same in theirbusiness lives.These developments canbe summarised in three keytrends: The impact of thesetrends will see the already dramaticincrease in data demandfrom consumers also reflectedin the business world (see Figure1), driven by a diverse rangeof business-specific mobileapplications.These high-performancemobility applications will bringa range of benefits:● Increasing mobility andflexibility of the workforce● Popularity of cloud-basedservice delivery● The ‘consumerisation’ of ICTin organisationsThe impact of these trendswill see the already dramaticincrease in data demand fromconsumers also reflected inthe business world (see Figure1), driven by a diverse rangeof business-specific mobileapplications.These high-performance mobilityapplications will bring a rangeof benefits:● Increased sales and improvedcustomer service: enhancingsales meetings with richermedia, increasing theproductivity of a mobile salesforce, or simply being moreresponsive to customerswhen out of the office.● Improvements in product orservice (including quality):incorporating enhancedmobile functionality inproducts, or improving qualityof service provision throughfaster access to informationor media content.● Productivity gains:transforming productivity andflexibility through rich mobileapplications for:– Personal and teamproductivity– Management effectivenessand innovation30 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

can be described in termsof their level of mobility andthe extent to which they arevertical-specific?There are major differences inthe nature and requirements ofmany applications. Consideringhorizontal applicationsfirst, Figure 7 considers thecharacteristics of a range ofsuch applications, to identifythose for which LTE is likely tohave the greatest impact.LTE’s advantages are of greatestrelevance to applicationsfor personal communicationand collaboration, CRM andproject management. Theseare more data-rich and mobilecentricapplications – heavilyused by staff in Sales, CustomerService and Field Operations,bearing out the survey findingsdiscussed earlier.Vertical applications arehighly varied, and are typicallybespoke or highly customisedto industry-specific processes.They are used to address underlyingindustry drivers suchas: improving health outcomesin the healthcare sector;improving journey reliabilityor the passenger experiencein the transport sector; andmanaging tight margins oroptimising marketing in theretail sector.One emerging category ofvertical applications coverscommunication betweendevices and machines, or fromremote machines to a centralhub of people, rather than betweenhumans. Arthur D. Littlecategorises this machine-tomachine(M2M) world in six keydomains, as shown in Figure 8.4G LTE has applications in allof these domains, but threedomains (shaded) stand out asbeing particularly well-suited toexploit the richness of data andrapidity of access which LTEcan provide:● The Moving Objects domainincludes streaming mediain cars and public transport,fleet and freight managementapplications and data-richtelemetry.● The Retail domain includesexamples such as point-ofsaleand stock control applications,automated kiosks,media distribution and digitalsignage.● The Medical & Health domainincludes remote monitoringand diagnostics, support forassisted living and, in thebroader area of security,video surveillance.Case studies for machine-tomachineand other verticalapplications are considered inmore detail later in this paper,which further explores fiveexample sectors: Construction,Transport, Healthcare, Retailand Professional Services.Where has 4G LTE been rolledout and what are the lessons?First launched in Scandinaviain 2009, 4G LTE is expected tobe available in 59 countries bythe end of 2012. Experiencein markets where 4G LTE hasbeen launched suggests thatwidespread adoption by businessesrequires five essential‘enablers’: device availabilityand choice; reasonable pricing;clear awareness of LTE’s capabilities;applications that useits capabilities; and widespreadnetwork coverage. These are,or will soon be, in place in theUK.4G LTE was first launchedin Norway and Sweden in2009, followed by ten furthercountries in 2010. Roll-out isexpected to have begun in 59countries by the end of 2012, asshown in Figure 9.Early uptake in Norway andSweden was hindered bypoor availability of compatibledevices and initially limited coverage,and 4G LTE was pricedat a significant premium. Bythe time 4G LTE services werelaunched in other countries(such as South Korea, Japanand the United States), moredevices were available andpricing was more competitive.Some operators are even pricing4G LTE lower than equivalent3G packages to encouragerapid adoption. In Japan, forinstance, on some data plansNTT Docomo charges around32 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

some transaction processesrequire low network latency.● ‘Application criticality’ –what impact will a failureof the application or itscommunications platformhave?Wi-Fi is better suited for staticor nomadic situations, such ashot-desking.Figure 5 summarises the keydifferences between variousmobile technologies andtheir suitability to meet thesensitive applications, such asreal-time videoconferencing orremote desktops. Comparedwith Wi-Fi, LTE offers fullmobility and providesconvenient, secure connectivityat true broadband speeds.Use case characterisationThis paper considers a range ofuse-cases that demonstrate thebenefit from 4G LTE’s performance,drawing on experienceof organisations that are alreadyusing it in other markets.Five main characteristics areimportant when consideringthe applicability of 4G LTE to agiven use case (Figure 4):● ‘Application breadth’ – howmany business applicationsneed to be made available?● ‘Degree of mobility’ – is uselimited to one location, is itnomadic (the user movesbetween locations, but isgenerally stationary whileusing the application) or is itfully mobile?● ‘Richness/data intensity’ –what kind and size of data,files, or media are needed forthe application?● ‘Responsiveness’ – does theapplication need immediatedelivery of data, regardlessof the amount of data? Forexample, real-time voice andvideo communication andSuitability of different wirelesstechnologiesIn broad terms, 3G connectionslend themselves to fully-mobilesituations, although connectionspeed and reliability may belimited for certain applications.Wi-Fi, on the other hand,generally offers higher speed(especially with superfast fixedbroadband and where thewireless network is private)but at the expense of mobility.needs of each of the use-casecharacteristics.4G LTE potentially offers the‘best of both worlds’ and hasintrinsic advantages acrossall dimensions. The practicaladvantages of 4G LTE over 3Gand Wi-Fi can be summarisedas follows:Relevance of LTE to businessapplicationsIndustry executives draw aclear distinction betweenapplications that are‘horizontal’ and those that are‘vertical’.● Horizontal applications,such as email or sales forceautomation, are used acrossdifferent industry sectors.● Vertical applications arespecific to a particularindustry sector, such as parceltracking in Logistics or patientmonitoring in Healthcare.Drawing from a paperpublished by Arthur D. Littlewith Orange Business Servicesin early 2012, Figure 6 showshow enterprise applicationsJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com33

16% less per month for thesame data allowance on 4Gthan it charges on 3G.Widespread network coverageis crucial. In South Korea,where almost 100% coveragewas in place within 9 months,4G LTE penetration hadreached 18% of subscribers justtwo years after launch. This is amuch faster take-up rate thanin countries where coveragehas been more limited, such asJapan and the US.In the countries surveyed forthis paper, no 4G LTE-only applicationscan yet be identified.These are unlikely to be createduntil coverage and uptake iswidespread. However, manyexisting enterprise applicationscan take, and are taking, advantageof LTE. In Japan, NTTDocomo is primarily using itsbusiness 4G LTE service to driveuptake of business-focused tabletdevices for mobile access toproject management and salessupport applications and theinternet.A wider choice of devices isnow becoming available andwill be increasingly attractiveto businesses, particularly aslower price-point devices arriveusing the UK’s chosen LTE frequenciesand if early concernsover battery life are addressed.There are LTE versions of handsetssuch as the Apple iPhone5, Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTCOne XL. The Global mobile SuppliersAssociation (GSA) reportsthat 347 LTE-enabled deviceswere available as of April 2012,examples of which can be seenin Figure 10.Many of these devices areprimarily aimed at consumersbut are increasingly beingused in the workplace and willoften belong to employeesthemselves. This trend,sometimes referred to as‘bring-your-own-device’, orBYOD, has led Samsung toproduce a version of its GalaxyS3 smartphone aimed atcorporate use. It incorporatesbusiness features such asenhanced security, improvedVirtual Private Network (VPN)connectivity and enhancedcollaboration and calendaring.For business customers, thereis evidence to suggest thatmodest adoption of 4G LTE alsoresults from low awarenessof the benefits it can bring.With plenty of examples nowemerging around the world,UK businesses appear to bevery aware of 4G LTE and itspotential impact. An EE-commissionedsurvey2 shows that94% of IT decision-makers thinkthat ‘4G will be an importantbusiness tool’ and 84% say theyare ’excited by the prospect ofintroducing 4G’. Over 60% hopeto deploy 4G within six monthsof its launch.So, experience from countrieswhere LTE has already beendeployed clearly shows thatwidespread uptake of 4G LTE inthe UK will be dependent upona number of vital ‘enablers’:1. Broad choice and availabilityof LTE-enabled devices2. Extensive network coverage3. Reasonable and attractivepricing4. Awareness of LTE’s performanceand applicability5. Applications that capitaliseon the capabilities of 4G LTEIn the UK, there is clearpublic commitment fromthe operators to deploy 4GLTE widely and plans arealready announced by EE tolaunch services by late 2012. Areasonable range of devices isalready available internationallywhich can be deployed in theUK and this will develop rapidly.Above all, as the researchshows, business customersare already anticipating theavailability of 4G LTE.The main enablers of uptake inthe UK appear to be falling intoplace.To be continued ...34 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

Exclusive interview: Yasemin Saygı“Technology is the plant of banking”Tamel GuzelogluGM - Finansbank, Turkeyspeaks to TeletimesUsually the financialorganizations have been thefirst adopter of the latesttechnologies in Turkey. Mostof the applications used inour country even do not existin Europe and America. Wehad an interview with GeneralManager Temel Güzeloğlu ofFinansbank, which is one ofthe most successful adoptersand followers of the latesttechnologies within thefinancial organizations onboth technology and banking,as well as their new productEnpara.com. Güzeloğlu is anorigin of technology manager.Actually he is not alone inthe finance industry in thissense… He says, “Eventually,technology may be consideredas the plant of banking…”,and he adds: “All the servicesand products we provide arerealized in accordance withthe new technologies. Bankingis in between the countedindustries with telecomregarding the overall usageof technology. And naturally,being technology-based bringsa lot of advantages to thebank’s general manager. Youcan estimate which productrequires how much time andwhich sort of technologicalwork approximately, andthis becomes an importantadvantage in such acompetitive industry as ours.”CTO: Among the mostimportant senior managersAs we point out that long yearsago data processing managersused to live in the basements ofthe banks while currently theytake part in the boards with theCKO title, Mr. Güzeloğlu repliesus as following: “We are a bankconsidering to be creativeand innovative as one of theessential values. Nowadays it isimpossible to implement thesevalues without technology andmost of the innovations comethrough technology. TherebyI think that it wouldn’t be toexaggerate to say that the CTOis one of the most importantJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com35

senior managers of the bank.”Considering the events of thepast in the finance industry, it isdefinite that Finansbank usedto have a constant route… Wecan’t be able to desist to thinkif technology investments havea share behind this sustainablesuccess. “Finansbankhas been a pioneer intechnology investments”,says Mr. Güzeloğlu and adds:“Regarding the banks similarto our size and larger scaledbanks, we can easily raise thatwe are one of the first banksusing new technologies evenin the basic infrastructure. Ofcourse this also means that wemake use of the cost advantageof the new technologies.Therefore I can state that wemake affordable investmentsin terms of expenditure levelsbut intensive in terms ofinfrastructure investments.”Turkey has potential ininternet bankingAs we underlined at thebeginning of the interview,we are more advanced in thebanking applications comparedto Europe and the USA. Despitethe fact that the technologybelongs to them, our banksoffer us so many new servicesby using it. We ask the reasonof this race to Mr. Güzeloğlu…General Manager, exemplifyingfrom the OECD report, talksas such: “When we considerthe internet penetrationrates in Europe, we see thatTurkey’s potential of usinginternet banking is prettyhigh. For instance, taken theinternet growth pace in theOECD reports, it is seen thatTurkey is the fastest growingcountry between the years2007 and 2010. The higherpotential of Turkey and theincreasing number of internetusers motivate the banks formore frequent technologicalinnovations. Besides, thedecreasing profit margins leadthe banks to follow policiesdecreasing their costs. Insteadof realizing the transactionsin the expensive bank offices,the deployment of internetbanking provides considerablecontribution in terms ofoperational savings. Thepractical easy-to-use servicesare the most important toolof the banks with regardsto increase the usage of theinternet banking.” (Ref: OECDHigh Level Meeting – TheInternet Economy: GeneratingInnovation and Growth – Junethe 28th-29th , 2011).Shopping without credit cardwith QR codeConsidering last five years’ developmentsin the technologyworld, we ask Mr. Güzeloğluto share his future vision.Here he says: “Fast developmentof touch screens, mobilephones and the social channelshas affected the habits“Taken the internet growth pace in theOECD reports, it is seen that Turkey isthe fastest growing country betweenthe years 2007 and 2010.”of the customers young andold alike. We started to usemobile phones for bankingtransactions besides calling,accessing internet, learning theweather and road conditions.Who Is Temel Güzeloğlu?Born in 1969, Mr. Güzeloğlu is a graduate of BosphorusUniversity, Electricity and Electronics andPhysics Departments. Then he studied master ofscience in Northeastern University, Boston-Massachusettsin the field of Electrical and ComputerEngineering and then Business Administration inBilgi University. He served as Deputy to GeneralManager, Responsible of Individual Banking untilthe August of 2008. He became the Deputy ofGeneral Manager, Responsible of Retail Bankingand a member of Finansbank’s Executive Board.Mr. Güzeloğlu is assigned as the General Managerby the April of 2010.The change in the demographicfeatures of the online channelusers has led new trends in theonline banking. In the bankingapplications, usage easiness,customization, simplicity anddesign have become prominent.E-trade has pervadedrather rapidly in recent years. Inaccordance with this trend, thebanks have started to offer diversecampaigns especially forthe online channel users. Wethink that this clustering will goon crescendo and increase inthe forthcoming period. Apartfrom that, we will be able toshop without payment toolssuch as credit cards thanks toQR Code or virtual wallet. Gettingstarted in some cities ofGreat Britain, 4G will increase36 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

the internet speed and thiswill enable us to make furtherdevelopments on the net.”Then we mention aboutFinansbank’s latest product,Enpara.com, and Mr. Güzeloğluinforms us about their services.“Before actualizing Enpara.com we realized that there isa special target client segmentwhose needs are not be metcompletely by massive bankingwhich does not providetailor-made solutions, whilethis segment holds seriousopportunities.” And he adds:“The most important featureof this segment which wedefine as young professionalsis that they can not use theby digital channels specific toEnpara.com, so the experimentingis being extricated forthe channels only serve to thissort of customers. Furthermore,since Enpara.com is notrelated with the branches, weare not affected by the branchcosts and we can differentiateour prices as advantageous andsustainable prices. Actually wehave founded a small world inwhich the ones who want to beEnpara.com customer can getservice via their own channels.We took a brave step in a newfield as Enpara.com. Franklyspeaking, our expectationswere really high, and we puttop-tier objectives. What makes“We have founded a small world inwhich the ones who want to be Enpara.com customer can get service via theirown channels.”bank branches due to lack oftime. However, this type ofcustomer is sometimes obligedto visit the branch while theymainly use the internet fortheir banking needs. Besides,they think that they are notrewarded for they do not usethe branch and cause the bankextra costs. In Enpara.commodel, the service is providedus proud is that, in just a shortperiod of one month, we’vegot returns above our expectations.We aim 100.000 customersand 2 billion TLs depositwithin one year. But right atthe moment, after one monthfrom the launch, we reached20.000 customers and 700.000TL deposits. But beyond thisquantitative success, the mostimportant criteria for us isthe customer happiness wegenerated. Our field teams andsolution center put signature toa service quality which makes adifference.That’s why we mentionabout ‘digital banking’ butnot ‘branchless banking’. Wedon’t move the branches, wereach our customers throughdigital channels, however,our employees are the mostprecious added value forus; the secret of our servicequality is hidden in the humanedifference created by ourteams. Enpara.com customerswill soon be offered newproducts and mobile bankingapplication in the field ofinvestment. In a very shortperiod of time, it’s proven thatinvesting in digital bankingwas so relevant and willcontinue our investments andinnovations as we scale up ourgoals.”January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com37

The year ahead:The battle for smartphone supremacyAllen TsaiThere’s a war being raged inSilicon Valley. On one side:Apple. On the other: a tech titanthat’s partnering with hardwarevendors and blanketing themarket with software runningon devices across various pricepoints.Apple chose to go it alone, controllingthe hardware, softwareand distribution, while the otherfocused on its operating system,letting partners figure out thehardware.If it sounds familiar, it is. Microsoftdid it two decades ago. Butthis is a story about Google, andhistory is repeating itself. Googleis taking a page out of Microsoft’sbook, aiming for widespreadadoption. Meanwhile,Apple is taking a page from...well, Apple.Like PC, Like MobileThe lessons from the PC warsare repeating in the mobile wars:the stronger you are, the strongeryou’ll get. It’s an idea that’sdominated industries since 1981,when IBM released the PC. Backthen, companies quickly clonedthe desktop, and three yearslater, when Apple released theMacintosh, MS-DOS dominatedthe market. Two million PCswere sold each year, beating theMac’s 400,000 units handily. Inother words, Microsoft crushedApple by five-to-one.When Microsoft released Windows95, PCs took off, outsellingMacs by a ratio of 60-to-one. Bythe end of the 90s, Windowshad clearly won the PC wars.Microsoft would then leverageits self-perpetuating ecosystemto lock in a monopoly. Businesswas great over the next decade.But then, in 2004, things startedgoing wrong.Microsoft’s DeclineThe PC market’s in a bad state.Microsoft, Intel and AMD allreport diminishing sales thisyear. Microsoft, no doubt, hasits own transition issues, and thePC world at large is grasping atstraws, known as Windows 8.Even mighty Apple reported fallingshipments of Macs -- downseven percent in the July-Septemberperiod alone.Meanwhile, consumers arebuying more smartphones andtablets -- a trend that’s replacingMicrosoft with Google andApple at the helm. For Apple,that’s a tradeoff that’s worthit, given its hefty profit marginsfrom the iPhone and iPad. Microsoft,meanwhile, is scramblingto adjust. If there’s any doubt ofthe emergence of mobile, justask the kids. One-in-two say theywant an iPad for Christmas, andone-in-three, an iPad Mini. Howmany want a PC? Yeah, that’sright.To say Microsoft missed theboat would be an understatement.Microsoft missed theboat, dock and hitched a rideto the middle of Nebraska.To compound the blunder,Microsoft, an early adopter withWindows Mobile, spearheadedthe smartphone revolution, butrather than lead the revolution,it lost focus. Or rather, it didn’texecute.Back in 2009, Microsoft did seethe next big shift -- the declineof the PC and the transitionto mobile devices. But insteadof throwing resources into itsmobile platform, it decided topush online services. To CEOSteve Ballmer, smartphones andtablets were remote controls,used to access data stored in thecloud. Or as he called his vision:three screens and the cloud.Ballmer wasn’t far off --computing did move to thecloud. But Microsoft’s seismicfailure didn’t blindside it onsome idle Tuesday afternoon.It was a gradual rollingcollision. No, the problem isits fundamental way of doingbusiness -- going really big. Yousee, the problem with goingreally big is that you needpartners, and Microsoft doesn’tlike to build hardware. For that,it has vendors. The Redmond,Washington-based companyfocuses on software, and anarmy of hardware vendors buildthe gadgets that run Windows.It worked decades ago, and itshould work again, right?Well, it should have, exceptthe software wasn’t thatgreat. Windows Mobile wasnotoriously buggy, and itshardware vendors mademediocre gadgets at best.By 2011, Windows 7 capturedless than four percent shareof mobile market. Apple,meanwhile, posted the thirdhighestgrowth rate, whileSamsung, backed by Google’sAndroid platform, surged sellingnearly one-in-four devices.Microsoft lost faith in its vendors,and in October, decidedto go it alone, releasing its owntablet, dubbed the “Surface.” Tohell with partners, this is survivalmode. And Microsoft is scramblingto stay relevant.For Ballmer, the fight ahead ishuge, and the consequences offailure are dire. By dithering andfailing to capitalize on its Windowsadvantage, Microsoft isnow vulnerable to direct competition.It needs to fight withoutan edge -- a position it’s neverbeen in before. The success ofWindows, most importantly,hinges on its ability to attractconsumers and third-partydevelopers, so it can populateits lagging app ecosystem. Onlythen can Microsoft join the secondplatform wars -- the mobilewars.38 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

“Industry-wide cooperation is the keyto crack hard problems”Dr. Vishal SharmaPrincipal - MetanoiaDr. Vishal Sharma, Principal atMetanoia, Inc. in Silicon Valley,is a seasoned internationaltelecom industry expert withglobal exposure, who hasexecuted assignments forclients on 4 continents, and,over two decades, has playedmulti-faceted roles, including:entrepreneur, technologist,technical leader, academic,educator, technology writer& editor, speaker, andresearcher.Metanoia, Inc., a leader inbringing focus to carriercentricissues for over adecade, uses its uniqueassessment framework,deep-knowledge of the fullservice provider eco-system,and elite team of world-classexperts to help operators andvendors make sound strategicand technical decisions thatare critical to grow, sustainprofitability, and thrive in thelong-run.They help clients acceleratetechnology design anddevelopment or networkdesign and deployment,master complex technologies,slash learning cycles, speedtime-to-market, & enhancecustomer-interactions,thereby increasing profits andproductivity in ways that arefinancially measureable.They work with networkplanning & design and networkengineering and operationsat carriers or with systemsengineering, product planning,and product managementat vendors, to acceleratenext-generation network/systems requirements,analysis, architecture, anddesign. Metanoia, Inc. alsowork closely with executive &engineering management andJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com39

technical leaders to speed-upproduct development/servicedeployment, using their deeptechnology base, extensivemarket knowledge, and360-degree perspective.Q: As you mentioned thata burning question beforecarrier executives todayis: “How do we efficientlyoperate networks thatperform optimally andprovide an excellent end-userexperience, while loweringour total cost of ownership(TCO) and increasingprofitability?” How do youaddress this using yourprovider network healthassessment framework, whichwe’ve been hearing aboutlately?A: Service provider executivestoday undoubtedly face abarrage of critical questions.Upon analyzing these, with ourdecade rich experience in thetelco eco-system, we realizedtwo vital facts:First, answering these requiresa systematic analysis of theirbusiness and technology,which is often lacking.This begs a framework thatwill allow them to examine thetwo holistically, and analyzetheir interconnections. So wecleverly condensed a carrier’soperations into a set of corefocus areas (Figure 1) that arefundamental to its businessbut independent of operatortype,size, geography orvertical. Our frameworkenables an efficient resolutionof carrier issues by mappingeach to a core area(s), andthen furnishing an effectiveplan to streamline operations.Second, with diversity insystems & technology,industry-wide cooperationis the key to crack hardproblems. The industryneeds to come together ina collaborative environmentto contemplate solutions todemand operator issues, aphilosophy that underpins ourmany leading initiatives.Q: How does your frameworkapply in the service deliveryand service managementarena, and how do you helpoperators there?A: In the service- andperformance-managementarena this framework is“The industry needs to come togetherin a collaborative environment tocontemplate solutions to demandoperator issues, a philosophy thatunderpins our many leading initiatives.”critical. Smart strategies tokeep the network and itsservices running smoothlyare vital and the foundationof an operator’s networkmanagement plan.For example, depending ona carrier’s specific situation,health assessment wouldhelp decide whether it needsto deploy better networkmanagement systems, ordeploy existing systems better,or operate them better,or perform measurementsbetter, or enhance its backendOSS/BSS or monitoringsystems to perform proactivemanagement. Each of thepreceding actions couldmarkedly improve networkhealth, and, thereby,operational cost.We help operators (Figure 2)here by: (a) using our historicalinsight into the eco-system andour framework to incisivelyhone-in on a carrier’s businessand technology environmentand needs, and (b) usingour deep understandingof solution providers toimmediately identify the bestplayers and strategies to meetthose needs.Likewise, because we have afundamental understandingof a range of solutions andtheir applicability in multipleoperator classes, we can alsoguide solution providers aboutcarriers that are best-suited toutilize their solutions.The three mini case studiesFigure 1: Provider Network Health Assessment Framework : Core Focus AreasFigure 2 Metanoia, Inc.: Carrier-centric Leadership Activities40 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

Figure 3: Service & Performance Management: Emerging Solution ApproachesFigure 4: Provider Network Health Assessment Processahead demonstrate how weserve as a bridge betweencarriers and solution providers,using our expertise and our360°-perspective on operatorneeds to benefit both.Q: In the smart monitoring andperformance managementspace you just spoke about,what do you see as key trendsin the state-of-the-art? Why?A: First, let me reiterate thatagile monitoring/managementis essential to keep thenetwork operational, andshould form the basis of acarrier’s customer experiencemanagement plan.With the growing diversityof services and technologies,we see three advances inthe state-of-the-art helpingoperators immensely (seeFigure 3 for a list of emergingareas, and 4 for details):● Proactive & PredictiveManagement● Smart, Integrated Systemswith Multi-Layer Monitoring● Rapid Service DeploymentSoftware and SystemsLet us see why.Most carrier operations todayare reactive, meaning the staffacts after an outage or breakoccurs. A 2010 Telcordia studypegged the cost per networkdowntimeincident as high as$750,000, which adds up fast!(Witness the O2 and Orangeoutages in July, which causedmuch customer consternationand carrier expense.) The threedevelopments above, addressthis.With proactive diagnosisand reporting, changes in:configuration, logical entities,and performance could bereported to the operator inadvance, so that anomaliesare handled ahead of actualtrouble. Deviations of theoperational network fromthe designed baseline orimpairments in end-userapplication performancecould be detected in realtime,enabling proactive (andeventually predictive) action,saving the carrier millionsin cost, lost revenue, anddamages.Smart integrated systems,likewise, consolidate multiplelayers, e.g. DWDM, SONET/SDH, ATM, Ethernet and IP,in a single system, savingcapex. Additionally, theycan now incorporate multilayermonitoring capabilities,and, via smart software, canexpose monitored parametersthrough a single portal,giving the operator superiorvisibility of network layers, andsimplifying management andfault correlation. This speedsfault resolution and servicerestoration, directly helpingthe carriers’ bottom line.Finally, the operatorenvironment is becominghighly dynamic, with timevaryingdemands e.g.,streaming VoD, webcastingevents, or replicating a datacenter, which requires networkagility, the rapid creation ofon-demand virtual networkswith time-limited bandwidthreservations. To provide suchservices, network resourcesmust be exposed to softwareapplications. This gives theoperator visibility and flexibilityin bandwidth usage andmanaging network assets, anda pay-for-use capability yieldingprecious savings.Our partners, e.g. OPNETTechnologies, BTI Systems,Cariden, play key roles above.Q: You spoke of three keyevolving trends/capabilities inthe service and performancemanagement space. Could youshare some examples or casestudies that would illustratewhich operator environmentsthese are most applicablefor, and some representativesolution providers that anoperator may rely on toinstantiate these capabilities?A: Absolutely!January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com41

3rd Green ICT App Challengetargets urban sustainabilityCall for applications to focuson smarter citiesTelecomEgypt seesRegulatordecision onVodafonestake in 2013ITU together with Telefónicahas launched the 3rd GreenICT Application Challenge. Aprize of 5,000 US dollars wasawarded to the applicationthat best helps to promotesmart sustainable cities andenvironmental sustainabilityin urban areas.The impact of urban areason natural resourcesnecessitates a path ofsustainable growth anddevelopment for theexpansion of cities. It isexpected that 70 per centof the world population willbe urban by 2050, and thatmost of this growth will occurin less developed countries.Cities currently emit 71 percent of total greenhousegases and consume between60 and 80 per cent of theworld’s energy. Innovativeuse of ICTs can drive solutionsto make cities more efficientand sustainable.Developers can submitconcepts individually or aspart of a team. Submissionsmust be original andshould deal with one ofthe following subjects:transport and mobility;management of energy,water, health services orwaste; adaptation to climatechange; town planning,including smart buildings; andDr. Hamadoun Tourésmart sustainable societies,community participation andenvironmental education.Dr. Hamadoun Touré,Secretary General, ITU said:“Application challenges havebeen a great way to unlockhidden talent and innovation.The past two winners wereperfect examples of what canbe achieved with out of thebox thinking. I wholeheartedlyencourage participantsto think creatively about howwe can harness the power ofICTs to make our cities moresustainable better places tolive.”The winner will be selectedaccording to criteria includingimpact, scalability, the degreeof innovation, feasibility, thequality of the implementationplan and the business model.In addition, priority will begiven to applications that canhelp developing countriesto solve environmentalproblems in an urban context.The deadline for submittingConcept Papers is 30 April2013, with the name of thewinning project revealed on23 May. An award ceremonywill take place on 5 June 2013during the ITU’s 3rd GreenStandards Week.The launch of this latest Challengeis in line with the Call toAction on “Smart SustainableCities”, proposed in September2012 at the 2nd ITU GreenStandards Week in Paris.The 3rd Green StandardsWeek (GSW) will be hostedby Telefónica in Madrid, Spainbetween 3 and 7 June, 2013.Workshops will include:● Workshop on Green ICTStandards (ITU) - 3 June.● Workshop on e-Waste Challengesand Opportunities(ITU/UNEP/UNU/CEDARE)– 4 June.● Green ICTs for SmartSustainable Cities, includingthe award ceremony forthe 3rd Green ICT ApplicationChallenge (ITU andTelefonica) – 5 June.● 3rd Workshopon SubmarineCommunications NetworksFor Climate/OceanMonitoring and DisasterWarning (ITU/WMO/UNESCO IOC) - 6-7 June2013.Telecom Egypt (ETEL),the monopoly fixed- lineoperator, expects theregulator to decide on thefate of its stake in VodafoneEgypt and the resolutionof a dispute with twoincumbent mobile phoneoperators next year, pavingthe way for obtainingEgypt’s fourth mobilelicense.“We are waiting for adecision by the regulator onwhether we will be forcedto divest from VodafoneEgypt or just leave our seatson the board of directors,”Ahmed Labib, TelecomEgypt’s investor relationsmanager, said by phone.Telecom Egypt holds 45percent stake in VodafoneEgypt.Telecom Egypt is alsoexpecting a decisionfollowing a Septemberarbitration hearing ona claim involving twoincumbent mobile phoneoperators, Labib said.The company claims thatcompetitor Egyptian Co. forMobile Services, or Mobinil,paid lower interconnectionrates to Vodafone Egypt.The decisions on its stakeand the dispute resolutionwill “hopefully” be made in2013, Labib said.42 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

Ahmed Al-Sulati, CTO, QatarNational Broadband Networkto speak on 2nd day of Broadband MEA 2013Ahmed Al-Sulaiti,CTO at Qatar NationalBroadband Networkwill speak onDay 2 of BroadbandMEA 2013, with hispresentation entitled‘Qatar’s NationalBroadband Network:Driving Innovation &Widespread Connectivity’.Read on to find outabout developmentshappening in Qatarand at QNBN itself...What impact willthe network have onQatar’s role in the MEAregion’s ICT industry?“Qatar National BroadbandNetwork Company(Q.NBN) is a shareholdingcompany wholly ownedby the government, witha mandate to enableaccessible high-speedcommunications withthe right cutting edgetechnology platform acrossQatar.Q.NBN, one of the firstgovernment initiativesof its kind in the region,reflects Qatar’s Vision 2030to transform the countrythrough investment inadvanced technologies intoa knowledge-based societyand make Qatar the bestconnected country in theGulf Cooperation Council(GCC) and one of thebest connected inthe world.Through its visionaryand collaborativeapproach to themarket, Q.NBN willhelp to empowerthe nation withbroadband fibreaccess to citizensand businesses alikein line with the QatarICT Strategy 2015.Q.NBN serves thewider digitisationagenda of thecountry.The next generation fibreoptics network which isthe alternative to copperwill become exponentiallyfaster, bringing communityand enterprise benefitsof enhanced delivery ofservices, cost savings,increased competitivenessand improvedsustainability.”officesraided by Indiantax officialsNokia’s Indian offices have beenraided by the country’s IncomeTax Department investigatingallegations of tax evasion.It is reported that the company’soffices in the Tamil Nadu capitalwere inspected, and other officesaround the country are dueto be visited. When contacted,a Nokia spokesperson in astatement to the Press Trustof India said, “Earlier today,tax officials visited Nokia’smanufacturing unit in Chennai.Nokia is fully cooperating toensure they get the necessaryinformation to help in theirinquiry.” “We always observeapplicable laws and rulings inthe countries where we operate.This has been a core principle ofour operations in India, whereNokia has been present since1995.” Sources said that the taxofficials are looking for somealleged mismatch in paymentsmade by the company under theTax Deducted at Source (TDS)category. A team of about 30-40investigators are involved in theoperation, sources said.China expected to add 100 m 3G subscribers in 2013China’s mobile networkoperators will collectively addan around 100 million new 3Gsubscribers in 2013, accordingto the Ministry of Industryand Information Technology(MIIT). Citing Miao Wei, ministerof industry and informationtechnology, said that thenumber of broadband Internetusers will also increaseby 25 million. Next year, thetelecommunications industrytargets an 8-percent increasein main business revenue. Thesoftware and informationtechnology service industry’srevenue will grow by around25 percent.At the end of November,the number of mobile phoneusers had exceeded 1.1 billion,and 3G users had reached 220million. The ministry enhancedindustrial supervisionthis year by allowing moreprivate capital to enter themarket, lowering service feesand improving service quality,Miao said.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com43

Etisalat partners with UBL to expandpayment gateway service to PakistanEtisalat, one of the largesttelecom operators in the MiddleEast, has made its entry intoa new international market inpartnership with leading retailbank United Bank Limited (UBL)by extending Etisalat PaymentGateway services to Pakistan.Enterprises can now serve Pakistan-basedmerchants conductinge-Commerce transactionsusing UBL as the local acquiringbank. The volume of overalle-banking transactions in thecountry has increased in 2012to reach more than $7 million,according to the latest figuresfrom Pakistan’s Central Bank.The Etisalat Payment Gateway(EPG) service is a proprietarypayment platform that enablesreal-time authorization of paymenttransactions from Visa,MasterCard, Diners Club andAmerican Express. This serviceoffers an advanced, reliable,affordable and secure paymentmechanism for organizationskeen to develop e-Commerceplatforms. It enables seamlesstransaction flow between customers,online businesses, thebank and credit card networks.The signing ceremony was attendedby senior officials fromEtisalat’s Business Solutionsincluding Abdulla Ebrahim AlAhmed, Senior Vice President,Business and e-commerce division,Marwan Al Qadi, SeniorDirector Electronics and mobilecommerce. Senior executivesfrom UBL included AameerKarachiwalla, Group Executive -Retail Bank and Najeeb Agrawalla,Group Head – Marketing &Product Management – RetailBank.Speaking on the occasion,Abdulla Ebrahim Al AhmedSenior Vice president, Businessand e-commerce division,Etisalat said: “The increasingnumber of transactions throughmultiple electronic devicesacross markets has made itcrucial for vendors and paymentinstitutions to be linked, using asecure payment gateway that isflexible and versatile.“EPG offers a perfect blendof secure and efficient onlinepayment service that merchantscan use as a daily (or24/7) online payment option fortheir customers. In this regard,the partnership with UBL isimportant as it enables Etisalatto authorize transactions inPakistan markets using UBL asthe local acquiring bank. Thispartnership connects six banksto our payment platform.”Aameer Karachiwalla, Group Executive- Retail Bank, UBL, said:“EPG’s growing popularity andsuccessful track record in theUAE means that Etisalat is wellequipped to deal with the challengesthat may be presentedin other markets, including Pakistan.We are confident that thispartnership will benefit bothour corporate and individualcustomers in Pakistan and allowthem to conduct e-Commercetransactions securely”.Najeeb Agrawalla, GroupHead – Marketing & ProductManagement, said: “UBL hasalways been committed toprovide innovative productsolutions. We are happy topartner with Etisalat, whichhas an impeccable track recordof payment solutions in UAEand other regions. The newElectronic Payment Gatewaywill provide a robust andsecure platform that fosterse-Commerce and paymentsystems in the industry.”Contd. from page 15 Keynote speakers at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2013Successful LTE Networks”, bothpresented by Award Solutions.New mPowered BrandsSupporting SponsorMobile-Loco has joined asthe latest mPowered BrandsSupporting Sponsor at MobileWorld Congress. Designedto develop marketers’ andenterprise leaders’ mobileknowledge and to fast-tracktheir use of mobile for marketingand consumer engagement,mPowered Brands comprisesthree elements: the mPoweredBrands Zone, mPowered BrandsTheatres and mPowered BrandsMobile Ambassadors.Demonstration Sponsors forMobile World Congress MediaWelcome ReceptionThe GSMA announced thatMobeam, Symphony Teleca andTrend Micro will be participatingin demonstration showcases atthe first official Mobile WorldCongress Media WelcomeReception. Held on Sunday, 24thFebruary from 17:00 to 19:00 atFira Gran Via, this networkingcocktail reception will offeraccredited press and industryanalysts the opportunity to meetwith leading players from acrossthe mobile ecosystem andpreview the week’s activities inrelaxed social environment.The Mobile World Congress isthe cornerstone of the MobileWorld Capital, which will behosted in Barcelona from 2013to 2018.The Mobile World Capital alsoincludes the Mobile WorldCentre, the Mobile WorldFestival and the Mobile WorldHub, programmes and activitiesthat will span the entire year andwill benefit not only the citizensof Barcelona, Catalonia andSpain, but also the worldwidemobile industry.44 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

Peter BurnsDavid HovendenMark JohnsonSocrates VossosThe new IT agenda!How to define and deliver a capabilities-driven approach?As they seek to developa strategic role in today’sorganizations, chief informationofficers and chief technologyofficers have a choice for theirdepartments: to try to fulfill allthe demands placed on themwhile spending less and lessmoney, or to focus on being“fit for purpose”—providingthe capabilities their companyneeds most, in line with itsmost essential ways of creatingvalue.Different organizations createvalue in different ways, and theinformation technology (IT)organization contributes to allof them. But few IT functionshave realized their potential asan enabler and developer ofthe distinctive capabilities thatgive companies their essentialadvantage. This Perspectivelays out a three-step processthat can help IT leaders becomecritical partners to the restof the enterprise in buildingcapabilities, while making themost of the information andcommunications technology(ICT) products and servicesavailable to them.First, analyze the value that thefunction currently provides tothe enterprise. (There are sixpotential value drivers, rangingfrom helping to keep costs inline to facilitating innovation.)Second, build a richerunderstanding of theorganization’s strategicimperatives—its valueproposition in the market if it isa business, and its core missionif it is a government agency ora not-for-profit organization—and the capabilities it needs tofulfill this proposition.Third, develop a functionalagenda that can work with yourexisting strengths to enable themost important capabilities.There are five archetypalagendas to consider: ValuePlayer, Operator, TechnologyLeader, Service Broker, andCapability Builder.The challenges aheadEvery information technology(IT) department in everyorganization—whether inthe private sector, the publicsector, or the not-for-profitworld—struggles to develop asustainable strategic role. Butthough most chief executivesagree that a sophisticated,strategically oriented ITfunction is a desirable goal,many factors and forces make itdifficult to accomplish.For example, the globaleconomic downturn hassignificantly limited the levelof investment available to ITdepartments. Other constraintsinclude the aging workforceand insufficiencies in scienceand technological education,which hinder the ability ofIT departments to find andkeep the talent they need.Consolidation, in the form ofmergers and acquisitions, hasadded complexity and broughttogether ill-matched systems.Changing consumer demandhas opened the door to newdigital business models (suchas those involving mobileand personal devices, socialmedia, and automatic locationtracking), which challengeconventional IT practices.More stringent regulations,along with the drive for “bigdata” and related customerinsights, are leading companiesand governments to demandbetter systems for tracking andanalyzing massive amounts ofinformation.Meanwhile, the information andcommunications technology(ICT) industry that suppliesbusiness technology is goingthrough massive change. Thegrowth of cloud computing andthe acceptance of “software asa service” have sharply reducedthe costs of many computingfunctions, and added a newarray of ICT commodities thatcompanies can draw upon.Advances in robotics and digitalfabrication are beginning tohave an effect on prototypingand supply chain practices.And rapid consolidation amongvendors across the industrylandscape is transforming howIT departments source andmanage the services they areresponsible for.All these changes are takingplace while the demands placedon IT by the organizationincrease in scale and number,making it increasingly difficultfor IT departments to meetall the internal requests thatcome their way. IT leaders areexpected to simultaneouslyimprove the quality of theservices they provide, keep upwith technological advances,reduce errors and mishaps,simplify the user experience,protect the company againstcybersecurity threats,embrace openness and socialmedia, realize the benefitsof digitization, and maximizethe value they get from theirmany vendors. They must doall this while spending less andless money. The landscape ofservices they are expected toprovide is increasingly complexand expensive, even as theoverall skill level of the IT talentpool declines.One consequence of thesechanges is a shifting role inthe types of people hiredJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com45

in IT departments, and thetasks they are asked to do. Inthe near future, IT managersand employees in most largebusinesses and governmentagencies will work on activitiessuch as predictive analytics—setting up systems that captureinformation in real time andusing these systems to enablebetter decisions or to programautomated customer-tailoredresponses. IT staffers whospecialize in more familiartasks (for example, codingor providing support) willend up moving to dedicatedoutsourcing organizations, suchas ICT services providers, thathave the scale to offer thoseservices more effectively andinexpensively.The most effective way foran IT department to navigatethese trends and imperativesis to focus on being “fit forpurpose”—setting an agendathat provides the companywith the capabilities it needsthe most, while preparingfor the changes expected inthe future. If you are a chiefinformation officer (CIO) orchief technology officer (CTO),you will be expected to take aleadership role in setting andimplementing this agenda. Inother words, you will be makingthe same kinds of disciplinedchoices for your departmentthat the CEO and top leadershipteam are making about thestrategic direction of thecompany.Thus, for example, you may findyourself unilaterally proposingreductions in some IT services,if those costs can be reappliedin ways that make the companystronger overall. You may alsobe drawn to suggest ways thatIT can fill the gap betweenwhat the company does welltoday and what it needs to dowell in the near future. Mostof all, however, you will becalled upon to transform yourfunction: to choose the role itwill play in your company ororganization, and to executethat choice.The vicious cycle ofincoherenceThe problem with much of theadvice on ICT strategy is that itdoes not take into account theparticular circumstances of aparticular com-pany. Therefore,it leads to a merely transitoryadvantage. For example, manyhave suggested that companiesfocus their ICT strategy onserving customers. Otherssay that IT should outsourceas much as possible to keepcosts low, or that IT should be“strategic,” meaning orientedtoward long-term projects tiedto corporate priorities. All ofthese tactics will work well—46 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

for a while—because they helpto focus the IT function. But asproduct lines shift, technologiesevolve, customers migrate,business processes digitize,and strategies change, theorganization starts makingdemands for new services andnew technologies, and thefocus dissipates.Undermining any talk of settingpriorities is a vicious cycleof incoherence. Even as theIT department tries to keepfocused on long-term strategy,it must try to be all things to allpeople in the short term. Thisis generally not feasible in mostlarge companies, because toomany parts of the enterprisefail to fit together effectively.Nor is it possible to bring themtogether with changes in ITalone. The inevitable result:declines in performancerelated to informationtechnology, more widespreaddissatisfaction with ICT services,and thus even more pressure toperform well—to be all thingsto all people in the short term.When an IT function is caughtin this vicious cycle, thesymptoms are familiar. Theorganization of the departmentis extremely complicated, andits reporting lines and flowof information are unclear.Ongoing debates about whichtechnologies to invest in leadto consensus decisions: twoor more competing systemsare installed at the same time,even if they work togetherpoorly. Relationships withsuppliers, vendors, and externalcontractors also come intoconflict with one another,adding to confusion and leadingto a proliferation of transactionbasedarrangements withminimal value for the money.Shadow IT projects (set upby business units to “workaround” the problems of thecorporate system) proliferate;in other words, the technologystaff within business units,not linked to the central ITorganization, keeps growing.Senior executives struggleto understand the focus andpositioning of technologywithin the organization. The ITdepartment ends up operatingon a catch-as-catch-canbasis, grappling to meet thedemand from business unitswithout being able to set clearexpectations of what it canreasonably accomplish.Getting out of this dilemmawill require an analysis of thestrategic and operational needsof the greater organizationand the ways in which the ITfunction can become fit forpurpose. There are three stepsin this process: analyze theways in which ICT currentlyprovides value, understandthe strategic value propositionof the enterprise (and howICT fits), and determine theright role and agenda for theIT function going forward.By framing this sequence ofchoices, ICT leaders can makea robust contribution to theenterprise’s strategy—andescape the vicious cycle ofincoherence.Value drivers of it effectivenessInformation andcommunications technologyprovides value to anorganization in at least sixdifferent ways, each ofwhich carries with it specificexpectations for how ICT willoperate (see Exhibit 1).These value drivers remainconsistent priorities forIT functions, no matterwhat changes take placein technology, business,regulation, competition, andglobal markets. At the sametime, IT leaders have discoveredthat no single organizationcan possibly excel at all six ofthese drivers. Each requires itsown form of investment andcompetence.Thus, in many organizations,these value drivers are lockedin some degree of tensionwith one another. Attentionto cost effectiveness is seenas a curb on quality; eagerresponsiveness may seem toundermine the independentthinking needed for innovation.Each is worthy in itself, buttogether they add up toincoherence—for the ITfunction, and for the companyas a whole.Therefore, the first step in youranalysis should be to assessyour current situation. Whichof these value drivers representstrengths in your organization?In which of them do you haveweaknesses or gaps? Whichare in conflict with each other?Where do you feel the greatestdemand from the largerorganization, and how wellJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com47

are you meeting that demand?As part of this analysis, somecompanies have literally rankedthe value drivers according towhich are demanded by thelarger organization (or parts ofit), and according to how wellthe IT department can deliver.Enterprise capabilitiesThe value drivers show whatyou’re doing now. But they donot define your primary role,which is to help create andsustain the capabilities thatthe enterprise needs most,now and in the future. This roleis not focused on ICT-relatedissues—providing technicalservices, keeping up withdevelopments such as cloudcomputing, fixing problems inbusiness systems, or makingsourcing decisions. Rather, itis focused on contributing tothe enterprise’s strategy. Thus,as your second step, you mustbuild a richer understanding ofyour organization’s strategicimperatives—its valueproposition in the market if it isa business, and its core missionif it is a government agency or anot-for-profit organization.There are three types ofcapabilities that the leaders ofa successful enterprise mustconsciously think about—andthat IT departments must beable to support, to a greater orlesser degree:1. Differentiating capabilities:These are the primarycapabilities that set abusiness apart from its rivals.They are the source of itscompetitive advantage. Insuccessful companies, thesedifferentiating capabilities arenearly always complex andsophisticated enough thatthey transcend functionalboundaries; a company mighthave a remarkable capabilityin designing productsthat delight consumers,incorporating R&D, design,customer insight, mediadevelopment, ICT, and more.Typically, there are three tosix of these differentiatingcapabilities, all reinforcingone another. They requireconsiderable attention andinvestment to ensure thatthe company maintains itsdistinctive position. Wellknownexamples includeFrito-Lay’s direct storedelivery system, Apple’suser interface prowess,and Inditex/Zara’s abilityto mix classic and fashionforwardgarments at lowprices through supply chainmanagement.2. Competitive necessities:These are the secondarycapabilities that allcompanies in a specificindustry must have tocompete successfully.Examples might includelogistics, strategic sourcing,or financial-services-specificback-office processes.3. Basic business capabilities:These are the competenciesevery company needsto “keep the lights on”and maintain operations,including tax reporting,real estate and facilitiesmaintenance, and energymanagement.One company that hasorganized its priorities thisway is Aetna Inc., a US$34billion diversified healthcarebenefitscompany thatwas recently profiled instrategy+business.2 “Withthe enactment of healthcarereform, 40 million Americansare theoretically going to beentering the market for healthinsurance,” says Meg McCarthy,executive vice president ofinnovation, technology, andservice operations. “There willbe significant growth in thecost-competitive individualbusiness. Our aim is to be theglobal leader in empoweringpeople to lead healthier lives.That’s our strategy.” Aetna hasprioritized investment in severalareas—including information,health information exchange,and clinical decision support—that contribute to theseconsumer-oriented capabilities.For other aspects of IT, such asback-office claims processing,the company seeks the lowestpossible unit cost and thegreatest efficiencies. “It’s like acan of Legos,” says McCarthy.“We need to put the piecestogether in new and differentways to grow our business.”Each enterprise has its ownunique mix of capabilities, butall enterprises have one thingin common: The IT organizationplays a significant role in allthree types. Most important,IT contributes to—or evenco-creates—the company’sdifferentiating capabilities,working with the otherfunctions that are responsiblefor them, developing solutions,and leading the way acrossthe gap between where theorganization is now and whereit needs to be. Supply chainlogistics, for example, is akey differentiating capabilityat Avon Products, and its ITdepartment played a criticalrole in making the companytruly world-class.IT also helps provide both thecompetitive necessities andbasic business capabilitiesat the appropriate level ofinvestment, which is usuallyless than world-class becausethese capabilities need onlybe sufficient to get the jobdone. Every financial-servicesinstitution needs the ability toprocess transactions quicklyand accurately, but being ableto do so is not a differentiatingcapability—it is a competitivenecessity. So among the tasksof a bank’s IT department isthe capability to ensure theefficiency and effectivenessof transaction processing—without putting more moneyand time into the effort thannecessary. IT then downgradesor eliminates any activitiesthat do not contribute directlyto the first two priorities:differentiating capabilities andcompetitive necessities.Every IT department mustsupport its organization’spriorities. Therefore, your nextanalytical task is to identifythe three types of capabilitiesat your company or agency.In some cases, they will beclear: The enterprise will havea well-defined strategy, andeveryone will agree about thedifferentiating capabilitiesthat set this organizationapart from others. In othercases, it may be necessaryto talk with your peers, andwith the leading executivesof the enterprise. What is thebasic value proposition thatthis organization offers itscustomers? What capabilitiesare needed to deliver thatvalue proposition? Whichcapabilities need to be just“good enough” to comply withindustry standards, but notworld-class? Which investmentsin capabilities—particularlyin IT—bear little relationshipto the strategic needs of theenterprise and should bedowngraded or cut?In some companies, wherethere are crosscurrents anddifferent views of enterprisestrategy, you may not be ableto get a definitive answer.In all companies, however,you should be able to builda working hypothesis of thecapabilities (including IT) thathelp your company stand apart,48 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

the competitive necessities thatit needs to stay current in itsindustry, and the basic businesscapabilities that it requiresto survive. Any activity thatdoesn’t fall into one of thesethree categories will sooneror later be cut, no matter howpopular it has been historically,because the organization can’tafford to keep it.An agendato become fit for purposeAs companies become morefocused, and corporate leadersdiscover the importance ofdistinguishing themselvesthrough what they can dobetter than anybody else, ITleaders will be called upon tohelp define and deliver thedifferentiating capabilities thatthe company needs. Each ofthese capabilities will requiretechnological prowess tailoredto it. The IT leader will alsoneed to dispassionately channelinvestment where it is needed,to move it away from where itis not needed, and, for someprojects, to raise the questionof whether investment isneeded at all.To develop an internallyconsistent approach tomanaging the function, it ishelpful to think of the strategicrole that the function plays asan archetype: a well-establishedidentity for your department,which guides the agenda forthe function, influences theway it operates within theenterprise, and defines andclearly communicates thecontribution that it makes tothe strategy. Build on your workin the first two steps: Look foran agenda that takes advantageof the strengths you found inStep One and that can deliverthe capabilities the enterpriseneeds (as you determined inStep Two).There are five archetypal agendasto consider: Value Player,Operator, Technology Leader,Service Broker, and CapabilityBuilder. Each is named for theway it resolves the tensionsthat exist among the ICT valuedrivers (see Exhibit 2).● Value Player: Focused oncost and efficiency, this ITdepartment has masteredstandardization and basicfunctionality, rolling out eachservice as broadly as possibleto maximize the return oninvestment while greatly limitingthe number of products,variations, and services. Ifyour company is an overallvalue player, distinguishingitself through low prices, thisIT agenda is usually a prerequisitefor success.● Operator: This IT departmentfocuses on providing highqualityservice with low riskby emphasizing executionand operational excellence.It is valued in companies thatdepend on technology toavoid mishaps and damages,or to maintain high volumesor extra reliability. If youpursue this agenda, you mayneed to resist the temptationto overinvest in competitivenecessities and basic businesscapabilities; world-classtechnological excellence maynot be justified, especially if itcomes at extra cost.● Technology Leader: Drawingon advanced technologicalprowess, this IT departmentprovides leading-edge supportfor innovative productsand services, enabling thecompany to gain a firstmoveradvantage. This typeof agenda might help yourcompany cross the “capabilitiesgap” most effectively tobecome a truly differentiatedenterprise.● Service Broker: To providescale and consistency(typically to global companieswith multiple outsourcedproviders), this IT departmentintegrates servicesfrom external vendors into anend-to-end solution that canbe delivered to customers.This agenda can enable yourIT function to work closelywith other internal functions,and with outside groups, todevelop a distinctive set ofcapabilities.● Capability Builder: ThisIT department is closelyinvolved in the design ofnew practices and processesthat enable a larger corporatestrategy. The agendagoes beyond a purelyfunctional shared-servicerole; you become, in effect, astrategic partner to the CEOand top leadership team,helping to determine whatdifferentiating capabilities toinvest in.All five of these roles are viable(unlike some other roles, like apure service provider, which arelikely to be outsourced). Yourchoice of role should dependon the enterprise strategy ofyour company. For instance, theIT departments at two airlinesmight take on completelydifferent roles. A long-haulairline that sets itself up as apremium experience providermight want to invest in having aTechnology Leader IT function.That would enable it to havehighly customized technologicalplatforms: a customerrelationship management(CRM) system that seeks tolink customers to the airline forlife; a way to rapidly prototypenew cabin designs and logisticinnovations; and a rich onlinepresence with dynamic content.All of this would combine todistinguish this airline in serviceand sophistication, with pricesjust low enough to convincepremium customers (whoare tracked through CRM andcontinually given offers tailoredto them) that they are gettingbargains at times. Anotherairline, providing no-frills serviceat low prices, would need aValue Player IT function. Thisfunction would outsource mostoperational and back-officeactivities; impose strict controlsover demand management; setup basic, low-function personalcomputers for its ticketing andcheck-in staff; and drive lowercosts through a self-servicewebsite.Your IT function does nothave to take on one of theseroles exclusively. The rolescan be combined to craft anagenda for your IT functionthat is closely matched to thecapabilities system your parentcompany has established. Aglobal discount hotel chain,for example, might develop anIT function that combines theValue Player and Service Brokerarchetypes. If your company’soverall strategy changes tomeet shifting external conditions,your IT organization’s basicagenda will probably changealong with it.By focusing on an IT agenda,CIOs and CTOs can exercisechoice. They can become fitfor purpose: providing thecapabilities the company needsmost, while still maintainingthe other attributes thatenable the entire enterpriseto create value. No IT functioncan provide everything thata business might demand,but functional leaders candetermine the attributes thatmatter most. They can then usean archetypal role to providethe services that are neededmost, in a transparent andeffective way that everyoneunderstands and that makes astrategic contribution.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com49

Zain partners with Huawei to build nation-wideconvergent GSM/UMTS/LTE Networks in KuwaitDaniel MercadoHuawei, a leadingglobal information andcommunications technology(ICT) solutions provider, andZain, a pioneer in mobiletelecommunications in 8markets across the MiddleEast and North Africa, haveannounced the successfullaunch of a commercial LTE1800 MHz network that coversthe entire country of Kuwait.The network is the largest of itskind in the region and marks amajor step for the developmentof the region’s mobilebroadband market.Zain and Huawei expandedtheir LTE partnership after thesuccessful deployment of GSMand UMTS networks in Kuwait.On November 21, Zain launchedLTE services under the bannerof “Wiyana Connect LTE”.The newly-built LTE networksupports CSFB (circuit switchedfallback) technology for voiceover LTE (VoLTE) services.Download speeds in the fieldhave now been shown toexceed 90 Mbps.The new LTE networkenables a wide variety ofhigh-performance mobileapplications and multimediaincluding video conferencing,high-definition contenttransmissions, high-speedvideo downloads, and socialnetworking platforms. Theseseamless mobile services,made possible by both theexisting GSM/UMTS andnew LTE networks, provideZain’s subscribers with anunparalleled mobile broadbandexperience.Zain has also partnered withHuawei to provide diversifiedLTE smart devices, includingsmart phones, routers, hotspotMiFi and dongles. Zain andHuawei’s partnership alsoincludes agreements on variousseries of products, solutions,and services for terminal, radioaccess, core network operationand management.Mr. Omar Al Omar, ZainKuwait CEO, said: “We arebuilding a world class mobilenetwork in Kuwait withGSM, UMTS, and LTE accessto offer our customers anenormous coverage and speedimprovement. We have selectedOmar Al OmarHuawei as long-term strategicpartner. We believe thatHuawei’s innovative solutionsand rich commercial experiencewill enable our customers toenjoy an incomparable mobilebroadband experience.”Huawei has providedZain with its cutting-edgeSingleRAN solution capableof converging GSM, HSPA+,and LTE standards into asingle network. This simplifiesoverall network structure whilereducing TCO and expendedmanpower requirements.Huawei’s SingleOSS suitealso helps realize exceptionalimprovements in wholenetworkO&M efficiency.Mr. Shi Yaohong, Presidentof Huawei Middle East, said:“Our successful wirelesspartnership with Zain forGSM, UMTS, and now LTEdemonstrates the effectivenessof Huawei’s SingleRAN solutionin helping operators managethe challenges of operatingmultiple networks and whilemeeting growing mobilebroadband demands. We arecommitted to being the bestbusiness partner possible forour customers worldwide,and will remain focused oncustomer-centric innovation todo this.”Contd. from page 09Smartphones now rival laptops as the single most desired device ...● IT professionals know thatmany employees don’t followthe rules, but they don’tunderstand how prevalentit is: over half of IT professionalsglobally thought theiremployees obey the policyon not using work devices forpersonal use.Online shopping – global trendfor 18-30 year olds● Nine out of 10 of respondentssurveyed said they engage inonline shopping.● Fifty-seven percent - almost3 out of five- are willing toshare their email addresswith stores and online sitesin order to receive noticesabout discounts and sales.But they are wary of sharingmuch more than that – feware willing to share phonenumbers, home address orother personal data.Fueling the world’s data● Almost 90 percent uploadphotos to share or store oninternet sites.● 62 percent upload videos toshare or store on internetsites.● Facing the world: 87 percenthave a Facebook account,and one in 10 have Facebookalways up.● 41 percent update Facebookat least once a day, and overone in five update Facebookseveral times a day.● 56 percent of respondentshave a Twitter account, and21 percent tweet at leastonce a day.50 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

Ghaniah EjazMovingMinds:Creating entrepreneurs of tomorrowPakistan’s technology market israpidly evolving and witnessingadvancements with both newand existing market leaderstrying to stay ahead of the race.Given the economic conditionsof the country, many capitalistsare still hesitant to investin new projects and ventures.It is important to realize thatwhile there is much potentialfor embarking on new businessventures, there remains an untappedmarket space in relationto quality human resources thatcan fill the gap. An adequatebalance of leadership, resourcesand finances is therefore requiredto remain at the forefrontof a competitive and prospectivemarketplace.MovingMinds was founded withthe vision of “Improving Lives”by educating today’s professionalsaccording to the internationalstandards and frameworksthat are being followed in thecorporate business world andthe global Information andCommunication Technology(ICT) market. MovingMinds is atraining arm of Techaccess andaims to create a pool of qualifiedexperts that can be the entrepreneursof tomorrow. Throughconstant innovation and processimprovement, the firm strives toimpart knowledge and educatepeople from varied professionalbackgrounds.“I hope that “MovingMinds” willhelp bring expertise in our humanresource. We are not focusingprofessionals only; we aretargeting every individual who isseeking a sound career progression.The Pakistani market has alot of potential; it’s just a matterof creating an environment thatis conducive enough to harnessgrowth” – Said Mr. Iqtidar Zaidi,President and CEO of TechaccessPakistan.With MovingMinds’s uniqueportfolio, the primary mission isto provide an all-in-one platformto nurture and create suchtalent and take it to the nextlevel. The company specializes inproviding Management Trainingservices, Consultancy services,Soft Skill Training sessions andTechnical Training courses thatcomply with latest industrybest practices. The curriculumconforms to the needs anddemands of all kinds of businessprofessionals. MovingMindsalso offers Consultancy servicesincluding GAP analysis and TrainingNeed Assessments (TNA)to identify and target the exactdeficiencies and needs of anybusiness.MovingMinds offers specializedcourses that fall under thecategories of ManagementTraining, Soft Skills Training,Management Consultancy andTechnical Training.● Certifications like InformationTechnology InfrastructureLibrary (ITIL), Project ManagementProfessional (PMP), RiskManagement Professional(RMP), ISO 27001, Six Sigmaand Enterprise Project Management(EPM) are mainlycovered as a part of ManagementTraining services.● Under the Soft Skills Trainingportfolio, MovingMindsprovides extensive sessionsin areas such as HR Practices,Emotional Intelligence, ConflictResolution, Social MediaMarketing, Strategic Development,Change Managementand many more.● Technical Training coursescover product trainings of allmajor technology vendorsand principals like Oracle,IBM, Microsoft, VMware andSymantec. In addition, coursesin web technologies such asJava, Dot Net, cloud computingare also taught.MovingMinds follows carefullyformulated consultancypractices for customizedtrainings. For any corporatesetup or an organization thatrequires implementation ofspecific standardizations orprocess improvement models,the team at MovingMindsinitially performs a thoroughgap analysis. The project scopeis planned in accordance withthe results of the gap analysis.Finally, process re-engineeringis performed in compliance withexisting industry best practicesand frameworks.To ensure the provision of bestservices and facilities, Moving-Minds has a specific selectionprocess to recruit the bestfaculty. The firm has a team ofhighly qualified instructors, trainersand consultants that comefrom diverse professional backgrounds,have internationallyrenowned credentials and holdvast industry exposure bothpractically and managerially. Thegoal is to equip the customerswith modern tools, skills andexpertise so that the can applythe acquired learning in relevantfields, given any specific businessscenario or issue. The keyphilosophy behind the foundationof MovingMinds is deeplyrooted in fostering corporatevalues, strong organizationalculture and lasting relationships.Through its carefully formulated3P Quality Model, MovingMindsintends to assure its customersof continued success.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com51

Kashif BashirUET, LahoreIEEE 6th International Conferenceon open soruce systems and technologies (ICOSST-2012)Al-Khawarizmi Institute ofComputer Science (KICS),University of Engineering andTechnology (UET), Lahorehas organized the IEEE 6thInternational Conference onOpen Source Systems andTechnologies (ICOSST-2012)and associated Open SourceSeries Workshops (OSSW-2012)with technical sponsorshipfrom IEEE and in collaborationwith Higher EducationCommission, National ICT R&DFund Islamabad, UET-ACMStudent Chapter.The main purpose of theconference was to bringtogether academia andsoftware industry researchersand practitioners from acrossthe world to share their ideasand experiences related to thestate-of-the-art and the futureof open-source software. KICSis conceived as an institute forapplied research, covering thegeneral area of InformationTechnology and ComputerScience in UET, Lahore. One ofthe main contributions of KICSis its open source developmentwhich targets development,deployment, modificationand customization of opensource tools and software.The international delegatesparticipating in the conferencewere from USA, UK, Japan andMalaysia.The conference started in thename of Almighty Allah. TheDr. Waqar MahmoodDirector - KICSconference also containedthe Multifaceted Open SourceSeries Workshop (OSSW-2012).A total of eight workshopswere presented in the areaof Sensor–based Applicationfor Android Devices, AndroidApplication Development,Mr. Fouad BajwaConsultant - UNCTADGetting Started with Ns2 forDeveloping New Protocols,How to Build Wireless Devicesin Software, Near FieldCommunication, Integratedand Extended Open SourceMachine Learning Software,Urdu Nastalique OpticalMuhammad Irfan Chaudhry, CTO - Warid Telecom presentingthe shield to Mr. Fouad Bajwa, Consultant - UNCTAD InformationEconomy Report 2012. Dr. Waqar Mahmood, Director - KICSis also seen.Muhammad Irfan ChaudhryCTO - Warid TelecomCharacter Recognition andProtocol Implementation andEvaluation Using Omnet++?The purpose of this activitywas to bring Open Sourcepractitioners from around theworld related to academia andindustry on a single platformwhere they share theirexperiences and present theirwork lively.Chief Guest, Mr. MuhammadIrfan Chaudhry, Chief TechnicalOfficer (CTO), Warid Telecom,talked about the telecomsector and highlighted thechallenges which Pakistantelecom industry is facingcurrently. He appreciated thecollaboration of academiaand industry in mobilecommunication, open sourceand technology field. In theend of his address he speciallyappreciated the efforts ofKICS-UET and congrats the ViceChancellor, UET, and Director,KICS, on their achievements.Keynote speaker, Mr. FouadBajwa, IPRR, Pakistan, talkedabout the open source52 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

Dr. Umar Saif, Chairman - PITB presenting shields to Dr. Khaver Zia, Chairman - IEEELahore Section, Dr. Muhammad Yusof Ismaili, UTM - Malaysia, Dr. Waqar Mahmood, Director - KICSand Dr. Abdul Waheed from Cisco System - USAVC, Lt. Gen (R) Muhammad Akram Khanpresenting shield to Dr. Umar Saifsoftware industry scopein Pakistan and shared theInformation Economy Report2012, United Nations, withthe audience. He speciallyhighlighted the presence ofUET in that report and reallyappreciates the KICS-UETcontributions in this field.Conference 1st day was consistedon parallel sessions onInformation Systems, Networks& Security and SoftwareApplications and Systems. Invitedspeakers Dr. Abdul Waheed,CISCO, USA, Dr. Farooq Ahmad,FIT, UCP, Lahore, Dr. SohaibAhmad Khan, LUMS, Lahore,Dr. Umar Saif presenting shield toDr. Usman Javaid, Vodafone - UKand Dr. Muzammil Shahbaz,University of Sheffield, UK,addressed with the audienceduring these sessions.Conference 2nd day wasconsisted on parallel sessionson Software and NetworkSystems and Mobile Systemsand Applications. Speakers likeDr. Usman Javaid, VodafoneUK, Dr. Muhammad YusofIsmaili, UTM, Malaysia, Dr.Ashiq Anjum, University ofDerby, UK, Dr. Tahir Abbas,Ritsumeikan University,Japan, Dr. Fakhar Lodhi, GIFTUniversity, Gujranwala and Dr.Mehvish Irfan Poshni, PUCIT,Lahore addressed with theaudience during sessions.The closing ceremonyof ICOSST 2012 was heldat Auditorium Complex,University of Engineering andTechnology, Lahore. The ChiefGuest for the closing ceremonywas Dr. Umar Saif, Chairman -PITB admired the efforts andteam work in successfullymanaging and hosting theevent. He also conveyed hisviews about contribution byPITB in Open Source. Dr. WaqarMahmood, Director of KICSapprised the audience of KICSservices in Open Source forlast many years. He highlightedcontribution by KICS in OpenSource in the domain ofEnterprise solution, multi-coreprogramming software radios,energy invoicing etc. Thedistinguished guest was Dr.Khaver Zia Chair, IEEE LahoreSection. He also highlightedimportance of Open SourceTechnology. He acknowledgesthe practical approach oforganizing ICOSST.The representative ofinternational delegates, DrAbdul Waheed from CiscoSystem, USA reviewed theconference performance andhighlighted its achievementsfrom international perspective.He also appreciated thesuccessful conductance andmanagement of technicalprogram. The Vice-Chancellor,Lt. Gen (R) Muhammad AkramKhan presented the shieldsto the Chief Guest at closingceremony.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com53

China Mobile Pakistan making quickinroads into Pakistan’s cellular marketIn Pakistan since 2007, ChinaMobile’s Zong was the lastplayer to join cellular mobileoperators (CMOs) in thecountry. It is currently rankedfourth, based on the size ofits customer base with morethan 17 million subscribers.Zong recorded 50% growth inits subscriber base in 2011, andit is likely to achieve similargrowth this year, accordingto the company. Owing toits strategy, which focuseson expanding the company’ssubscriber base and cheapercalling rates, Zong has gainedTeradata Corporation, theleading data analytic solutionscompany has conducted aworkshop for executives ofmajor companies in the financeand corporate sector.Stephen Brobst, chief technologyofficer, Teradata Corporation,conducted an engagingsession on “Best Practices inEnterprise Information Management,”and on “The (R)evolutionfrom Business Intelligenceto Consumer Intelligence.” Hesaid, “leading edge organizationsare deploying consumerintelligence applications,putting further requirementson the data warehouse.” Hefurther explained best practicesarchitecture principles, whichif employed, could drasticallyincrease value of ownership inclose to a million subscribersin the July-September quarteralone. And while naysayersTeradata workshop for executivesto generate practical solutionsan organization’s informationenvironment.Brobst specializes in thedesign and construction ofdata warehouse solutions.He has authored numerousbooks and articles related toadvance data managementtechniques. He has served asan advisor to the US NationalAcademy of Sciences in thearea of information technologyworkforce development,and is currently a member ofBarack Obama’s Innovationand Technology AdvisoryCommittee, a working groupof the President’s Councilof Advisors on Science andTechnology.Other speakers at theworkshop were Fawad AsrarQureshi, technical marketingclaim the company cannotsurvive for long based on itsaverage revenue per user(ARPU) – currently the lowestin the industry – its optimisticCEO does not yet consider ita problem. “We in no hurryto increase our calling rates,”Dr. Fanyun Jun says. “Weare enjoying this position –offering the lowest callingrates in the industry.”However, Jun doesacknowledge that thecompany will have to raise itscellular tariffs at some point inthe future.manager, Teradata, whogave an overview of thetechnological ecosystem,and Najia Naqvi, industryconsultant, Teradata, whoshared the technologyperspective on ”IntegratedMarketing Management.”The workshop was wellattended by executives. Theinteractive sessions assistedthe participants in generatingcreative solutions to solvechallenges faced within theircompanies.Khuram Rahat, managing directorTeradata Pakistan, Afghanistanand Bangladesh welcomedthe participants and said “moreand more business executivesare focusing on how they canuse information as a strategiccompetitive tool?”Dr. Zafar Iqbalappointed newIT Secretaryin PakistanDr. Zafar Iqbal Qadir hasbeen appointed as secretaryIT and Telecom at Ministryof Information Technology.His appointment wasannounced after which hetook the charge to replaceMr. Amir Tariq ZamanKhan, who served as actingsecretary IT and Telecom foraround five months. Dr. Qadir,with this appointment,has been promoted fromgrade 21 to grade 22. He hasbeen given the charge ata time when Ministry andother telecom authoritiesare under severe pressureafter two failed attemptsof auctioning 3G licenses.Dr. Zafar Iqbal Qadir wasserving as Chairman of theNDMA (National DisasterManagement Authority)before his current appointment.Dr. Qadir is said tohave experience of projectmanagement, public administration,revenue administrationand communitydevelopment. Dr. Qadir haspreviously served as thecommissioner of Naseerabad,director general andadditional secretary in thepresident`s secretariat, jointsecretary in the commerceministry.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com55

Dr. Javed IqbalInformation and Communication Technology:A comparison of Pakistan and Sri-LankaThe objective of the paper is toexamine the information andcommunication technologysector in Pakistan and Sri-Lankabecause they are among topfive countries in ICT in the SouthAsian region. The research ishelpful for decision makers tochannel ICT related resourceswhere they are required themost. ICT oriented data havebeen collected by InternationalTelecommunication Union butno comparison exists betweenthe countries included in theresearch. Therefore, the sourcesof data are ITU who has identifiedtwenty three parametersindividually; they have beenrearranged under three subjects:ICT infrastructure, usage andeconomic impact on the economiesof the countries concerned.It is found that the infrastructureof Sri-Lanka is better thanPakistan while both countriesare using their resources equally.However, the economic impactsare less visible in Pakistan thanits counterpart. Overall the ICTscore of Sri Lanka is better thanPakistan. It suggests that policymakers in both nations have torethink to deploy their resourcesto take maximum benefit as parto the international standards.1. IntroductionICT has the potential to improveindividual productivity, profitablyand work process (Kijsanayotin,2009). Direct gaing are offeredin productivity while indirectemerged from “trade andfacilitation through lower cost,increased range of offerings andimproved availability and accessof information. Employment inICT and ICT-enabled reforms andstructural changes are visible.ICT offers flexibility in workinghours, location, and work practicesfor business organizations.In addition, new business modelsand opportunities have been createde.g. many services are deliveredfrom anywhere in the worldto anywhere in the world.”(ITU, 2010) Technology shapesknowledge, speed of change andglobal reach (Drori, 2010). So, itis worthwhile to look into theICT capabilities at country levelso that the respective countriescan assess their strengths andidentity their weakness to takebenefit of this emerging sectorin their economic endeavours.There is lot of work done on theindividual countries and data areavailable but no comparativeanalysis has been made betweenthe countries involved. Therefore,the paper is an attemptto compare the ICT capabilitiesof Pakistan and Sri-Lanka;it is useful for policy makersand managers to redirect theirresources in order to improvetheir productivity. Objective is toconsolidate the scattered datato make it useful for the relevantstakeholders, governments andbusinesses. Since the input datachanges continuously that canbe measured on annual basis yetfuture research may be conductedas soon as the new evidenceis available.The rest of the paper has beendivided into five sections: literaturereview, ICT infrastructure ofboth countries involved, usage,economic impacts on the respectiveeconomies and discussionand conclusion.2. Literature ReviewThe importance of informationtook place with the classic workof Porter and Miller in 1985;they claim that information givecompetitive advantage. This wasthe time when IBM embarkedon mass production of personalcomputer which boosts theinformation possessing powerof people and new field of studyemerged on the horizon ofthe world i.e. the informationtechnology (IT). IT offers gainsin individual productivity at personallevel (ITU, 2010). Kijsanayotin(2009) believe improvedwork process and profitability atorganization level. And improvementsin GDP at national level(ITU, 2010). Mobile telephonyenables developing countriesto save investment in installingexpensive infrastructure (Drori,2010). Broadband technologyis “an enabling technology inincreasing investment payoffs inother sectors, transforming researchand development (R&D),facilitating trade in servicesand globalization, and improvingpublic services to enhancenational business environmentsand competitiveness”. (Qiang etal, 2010).However, the potential has notbeen realized in South Asia despiteof the fact that the regionis the home of the major IT industryin the world. For example,“The South Asia (SA) is the homeof 22% of the world populationbut 44% of the poor; they waitfor the miracles of technologyto eliminate or minimize thedysfunctional impacts on theirday-to-day lives” (Gunasena,2003). It necessitates lookinginto the phenomenon so that itssignificance maybe highlightedto take appropriate measures forbetter application of IT for thesocio-economic development ofthe countries involved.3. InfrastructureThere are seven items in theinfrastructure; however, datais not available for personalcomputers (per 100 people) forPakistan and households witha T.V. sets (%of population) forSri-Lanka. Therefore, they arenot included in the comparison.Percentage of personal computerspercentage in Sri-Lanka is3.7 against 3.3% of the regionalaverage and households with TVsets percentage in Pakistan 56%against regional average of 46%.Both countries are scoring higherin their respective area than theregional average.Telephone lines percentage ofboth the countries is less thanthe regional average; however,Pakistan is better than Sri-Lanka.More telephone lines have beenlaid down in Pakistan than itscounterpart. Coverage of mobilephone networks are almost similarin both countries, nevertheless,Sri Lanka is slightly higherthan Pakistan. Sri-Lanka has anedge in International Internetbandwidth with high score of56 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

190 against 43 in Pakistan whilePakistan is better off than otherregional countries with 12 points(39%) i.e. it has bigger capacityto transmit data. Both countriesscore equally in e-governmentweb-measure index. However,the regional average is lowerthan their ranking. Finally, Sri-Lanka is much better in secureInternet services than Pakistanand the regional average. Pakistanis better off in percentageof households with T.V sets thanthe regional average while datais not available for Sri-Lanka. AndSri-Lanka is better off than theregional average for personalcomputer ownership while datafor Pakistan is unavailable. Fiveparameters have been comparedunder infrastructure; Sri-Lankaleads Pakistan in three parameterswhile Pakistan leads in oneparameter to its counterpart.The score of one factor is equalfor both nations. Therefore, itsuggests that the infrastructureof Sri-Lanka is better than Pakistan(See Table 1).4. Usage of resourcesThere are six factors that makeup the usage of ICT resources.Mobile telephone usage is higherin Pakistan than Sri-Lanka morethan double in size but bothcountries are still below regionalaverage (363). The highest is inIndia (440) followed by Bangladesh(264) and Nepal’s score is103. The second element is theinternet users (ITU, 103) wherePakistan leads both Sri-Lankaand the regional average (4.7).Nevertheless, Sri-Lanka is abovethe regional average. Accordingto the recent figures Pakistanhas extended the lead to 16% in2012 (Internet Stat, 2012).Sri-Lanka leads Pakistan in fixedbroadband subscription with ahuge margin and its score is alsohigher than the regional average(33.1). Similarly, Sri-Lanka has ahigher score (55) in mobile cellularsubscription than Pakistan(53). Nevertheless, both nationsTable 1 Infrastructure of Pakistan and Sri LankaFactorTelephone lines (per 100 people)House holds with TV sets (%)Population covered by mobile phone network (%)International Internet bandwidthE-government web measure indexSecure Internet Servers (per 1 million people, 2009)lead the regional average (32.6);recent statistics is different fromthe above mobile subscriptionin Pakistan reached to about70% in 2012 (PTA, 2012). Pakistanalso leads both Lanka andthe regional average in fixedInternet subscription while thescore of Sri Lanka is below thanthe regional average. Finally, SriLanka got higher score than Pakistanin international voice trafficwhere the regional average isnot available.5. Economic impactsThe economic impacts havebeen derived from sevenfactors; Sri Lanka leads PakistanTable 2Pakistan2.75690430.400.60Usage of resourcesin ICT goods export with 2%of total goods export to 0.5%.The country scores high inthe regional average (1.2%).Sri-Lanka also imports minusgoods (4.6% of total imports)against 5.7% of Pakistan. Itshows less dependence uponothers; however, more importscan be an advantage in thatthey enhance the existing ICTinfrastructure such as number ofcomputers, broadband devicesetc. in this regard Pakistan hasSri Lanka2.5Data not available951900.403.50an edge over Sri-Lanka but forthe purpose of this paper thebenefits goes to the one whoimports less ICT goods. Sri-Lankais even importing less than theregional average (5.1% of totalimports). Sri Lanka is net importis also lower than Pakistan thatis 2.6% (4.6% 2%); while Pakistan’snet imports are 5.2% (5.7%-0.5%).Pakistan logs behind in ICTservices exports, 6.7% of totalservices exports against 16%of Sri-Lanka. Nevertheless, theregional average is much higherthan Sri-Lanka that is 47.3%. it isbecause India’s share is 50% ofits total services exports, theFactorInternet voice traffic (minutes/user/month)Mobile telephone usage (minutes/user/month)Internet users (per 100 people)Fixed broadband subscription (% of total Internet subscription)Mobile cellular subscription (per 100 people)Fixed Internet subscription (per 100 people)largest in the region. Pakistanis slightly better off than Lankain ICT expenditures, 4.49% ofits GDP against 4.3% of Sri-Lanka. The regional average ishowever, higher than both ofthan i.e. 4.7%. ICT expendituresignifies the investment on thesector which boosts economicactivity at national and sectorlevels. Pakistan also leadsSri-Lanka in telecom revenue(%of GDP); received 2.7% whileSri-Lanka’s are 1.8% (4.3%-2.5).it suggests that Sri-Lanka isspending more on ICT thanPakistan; it rapidly increases theinfrastructure which enhancesthe contribution of the sector.Sri-Lanka is leading Pakistan infine factors against two wherePakistan leads its counterpart. Itsuggests that economic impactsare more visible in Sri-Lankathan in Pakistan. It also impliesthat the farmer is using its ICTresources more efficiently thanthe later. It may be worthwhilehere to remind that Sri-Lanka’sinfrastructure is better thanPakistan where Lanka leads inthree parameters while Pakistanleas in one factor only. However,both countries are equal in usageparameters; each scores highin three parameters than theother. Let us put it together;Sri-Lanka leads in eleven factorsand Pakistan in six. Thus, the ICTsector is better than Pakistan inSri-Lanka; it corroborates thatSri-Lanka is leading seven nationsof South Asia i.e. Afghanistan,Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,Pakistan0.10164114.5532.2Sri Lanka2.9695.841551.2January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com57

Nepal, Pakistan and Sri-Lanka.(Iqbal, 2011).6. RankingAlthough we have shown theindividual and group based performanceof the countries but anoverall measurement is requiredto decide which of the countriesis better and why. Iqbal (2011)has ranked the South Asiancountries on the basis of regionalaverage; a score of 2 has beenawarded to those parameterswhich are above the regional averagewhile a score of 1 has beenawarded to those values thatare below the regional average.However, the method ignoresthe amount of strength a certainparameter owns or the intensityof weakness a given parametersuffers from. It can be addressedthrough measuring the performanceof a parameter by theratio of a parameter (the performanceof a country in a certainarea) to the regional average. Itsupports the value on either ofthe sides i.e. strong and weak.And it provides the amountof strength or weakness in agiven factor. If a country is verygood in an area, its goodness ismeasured as such whereas in themethod used previously showsstrong or weak no matter howmuch strong or how much weak.Table 4 shows the individual andtotal score of both the countries.The total figure suggests thatthe position of Sri Lanka is betterthan Pakistan. However, the calculationscan be augmented byincluding the population of therespective countries to determinethe per head contribution.For example, the populationof Sri Lanka is 21.5 million (CIAWorld Fact book, 2012) and theTable 3 Economic impactsFactorICT goods export (% of total goods export)ICT goods import (% of total goods import)ICT services export (% of total services export)ICT expenditures (% total of GDP)Telecom revenue (% total of GDP)Mobile and fixed line subscription per employeeTelecom investment (% of revenue)total score is 24.2; it gives us a ratioof 1.12; population of Pakistanis 190 million (CIA World Factbook, 2012) and the ICT score is15.5 which give a quotient 0.08.It suggests that Sri Lanka is muchTable 4FactorPakistan0.505.76.74.42.7501.7Sri Lanka24.6164.32.591912better in ICT score per capitathan Pakistan.7. Discussion and conclusionThe above analysis provides usefulset of information for policyand decision makers. For example,economists and planners canlook at the infrastructure; compareit with other countries andregional trends in order to directthe flaw of investment whereit is needed. It points out theweak areas where improvementis required. For instance, mobileComparative figures of Pakistan and Sri LankaTelephone lines (per 100 people)Population covered by mobile phone network (%)International Internet bandwidthE-government web measure indexSecure Internet Servers (per 1 million people, 2009)Mobile telephone usage (minutes/user/month)Internet users (per 100 people)Fixed broadband subscription (% of total Internet subscription)Mobile cellular subscription (per 100 people)Fixed Internet subscription (per 100 people)ICT goods export (% of total goods export)ICT goods import (% of total goods import)ICT services export (% of total services export)ICT expenditures (% total of GDP)Telecom revenue (% total of GDP)Mobile and fixed line subscription per employeeTotaland cellular phone coverage, internetbandwidth and telephonelines network. The analysis alsohigh lights the application ICTresources; Pakistani users are usingtheir mobile phones almosthalf of the regional average. Itis an indicator for the respectivegovernments to increase the usageby introducing user friendlypolicies. Sri-Lankan public isusing only 19% of the regional average;it is concern for he policymaker to think about the waysby which usage can be increased.It is under the circumstancesthat Sri-Lanka owns one the bestinfrastructure in the region, e.g.95% geographical area is coveredwith mobile phone network butthe usage is very poor. Similarly,the Internet users are also low inSri-Lanka compare to Pakistan.The Internet is a springboard forinnovation and e-commerce.Economic impacts show theContd. on page 60Score ofPakistan0.871.481.381.080.460.452.340.141.631.690.451.120.140.941.290.0915.55Score ofSri Lanka0.811.566.121.082.690.191.231.261.690.921.670.900.340.921.191.6324.258 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

Telecommunicationin Pakistan: still “2G”?Hanan Rafique DaharThere were times when peopleused to work hard, day in andday out to get food for theirloved ones. One of my teacheronce said that he had badtimes in his initial post marriageyears and he had to start daylightening to earn money. Nowwhy is everyone running somuch after for food. The reasonis simple; it’s not a rocketscience. It is our necessity.In today’s world the meaningof necessity has changed. Inbusiness word necessity meansMobile phones. Yes, I am talkingabout telecom sector.Telecommunication Sector inPakistan is not as vintage as it isin USA and the European Union.Mobilink and Ufone were theonly two GSM operators in 2002and they enjoyed a fair amountof time until the period whichstarted in 2005 and is knownas the boom period in TelecomPakistan.The telecom sector in Pakistanis a major source of revenuegeneration for the governmentand the investors. Since 2002there has been an upward Trentin this sector mostly becauseof government’s plan ofderegulization and privatization.When the new players namelyTelenor and Warid came intothe market they came with a bigbang. They not only increasedtheir share but also madethis market an eye catchinginvestment point. Telecomindustry got a boost becauseof value added services, Voicemails, MMS services. Low SMSand call rates suggested that itwas the cheapest market ratenot only in sub continent but inmost of Middle East.Pakistan has achievedso much in the field oftelecommunication then manyof its neighboring countries.Coverage of cellular mobileservices has reached almostall the corners of Pakistan,connecting most of thepopulation in rural and urbanareas.The above picture is atransparent review of whatTelecom sector has achieved inthe last 10 years. But if you askme today then I would certainlynot believe this Trent, Theeconomic survey of Pakistan2011-12 suggests that, totalinvestments in the telecomsector was $1,137.5 million in thefinancial year 09-10 and in 2010-11 it was $495.8 million. Fromthese figures we can concludethat the investment has fallen toa large amount, mainly becauseof political instability and that iswhy the investors are not willingto invest their money.Let’s play a lot more withnumbers; The Foreign DirectInvestment in Telecom industrywas $370 million in 2010, whichwas reduced to only $ 79 millionin 2011. The FDI was 17% of totalFDI in Pakistan and it became5% in 2011. Apart from that,the revenues generated byTelecom Pakistan in 2010 were$340 million compared to $360million in 2011. Since there isincrease in terms of revenue,so the telecom industry is acontributor of more than Rs 110billion in taxes to the nationalexchequer, which is the highestto date.The above all was achievedusing a 2G network. Now thetime is gone for 2G networkor 2.75G network to bespecific. The market whichstarted as boom in 2005 is inyellow portion as the pictureshows. 2012 saw nothing newbut revenue generation andthis trend can go on for thenext 2 to three years but theconsumers want somethingfrom the mobile companies. Ifthe government doesn’t reactthen I fear that the industry fortelecom would suffer the wayCNG industry is suffering.Given the trends, how can thegovernment persuade foreigninvestors to invest in Pakistan?From where I see the only wayis by auctioning of 3G and 4Glicenses, for which telecomoperators and investors havebeen waiting for over 3 yearsnow. Unfortunately, thedecision has not been made dueto lack of political interest.Sri Lanka was the First countryJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com59

to start 3G technology. Theappreciation goes same forNepal and India. This switch,in return has contributed topositive GDP growth withincreasing mobile and internetpenetration.Pakistan is no doubt a hugemarket for mobile industry, asthe population of Pakistan isgrowing at exponential rates.In the last 5 Years the rate ofbroadband subscribers hasseen a tremendous growth.According to the PakistanTelecommunication Authority,broadband penetration willreach 10 subscribers per 100inhabitants by 2020, and thenumber of broadband users inPakistan will touch 78 million.The demands of sectors likehealth, education, agriculture,commerce can no longerbe fulfilled by 2G networks.However, 3G technologieshave the essential elementsfor advancing socio-economicdevelopment as it will enhancequality of life and provideeconomic opportunities both inpublic and private sectors.The transition from 2G to 3G/4Gtechnology will entail significanteconomic benefits for Pakistan.Experts in the telecomsector believe that increasingbroadband penetration leads toeconomic gains: a 10% increasein broadband penetrationcontributes by a percentagein GDP growth, while around80 new jobs are created forevery 1,000 new broadbandconnections.InternationalTelecommunication Union statsshow that almost 160 countriesare using 3G technology. Whilethe number of active mobilebroadbandsubscriptions hasexceeded 1 billion users.The good thing is that inPakistan, The telecom sectorhas a well established 2Gnetwork, so it will have nodifficulty in switching to 3G/4Gtechnology; it is the need oftime for Telecom Pakistan tojoin those 160 countries thathave already adopted 3G/4Gtechnologies and reach thoseplaces which have never beenserved. We cannot afford todelay the process anymore. Anyfurther delay in auctioning of3G/4G licenses will adverselyimpact this potential sector. Thecurrent national IT and telecompolicies are scraped and thegovernment must reframea clear, multidimensional,stakeholder-friendly policy, andalso provide an implementationroadmap that can cater forboth short-term and long-termobjectives.The writer has recently doneMBA in marketing (with majorscope in brand management)from Bahria University,Islamabad. His book entitled“Brandization – through brandextension” has been publishedin Germany. He can be reached athanan.dahar@gmail.com.Contd. from page 58Information and Communication Technology: A comparison of Pakistan and Sri-Lankacontribution of the sector inthe economy; both countriescan evaluate the averment andreturn on it as a result of thiscomparison. If one of them isnot performing well in a certainaspect than he can learn fromthe experience of other; the lowperformer can also identify thereasons for not doing well inorder to improve it.On the bases of above discussionand overall analysis it may beconcluded that the infrastructureof Sri-Lanka is better thanPakistan; usage is similar but theeconomic benefits are not morevisible in Pakistan. However,other socio-economic factors arecontributing in demonstration ofeconomic outcome. For instance,telecom investment is more thanseven times higher in Sri-Lankathan Pakistan.References● CIA Fact book (2012) RetrievedNovember from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/, date:12.15.2012● Drori, G.S. (2010) Globalizationand Technology Divides:Bifurcation of Policy betweenthe “Digital Divide” and the“Innovation Divide”. SociologicalInquiry, Vol. 80, No. 1, pp.63–91.● Dutta S & I. Mia (2010) ExecutiveSummary, The GlobalInformation Technology Report2009-2010, World EconomicForum, vii-xiv. Retrieved from● http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Global%20Information%20Technology%20Report/index.htm, 12.13.2010● Gunasena, H.P.M. (2003) Foodand poverty: technologies forpoverty alleviation, South AsiaConference on Technologies forPoverty Reduction, New Delhi,10 –11 October, 2003.● Iqbal, Javed (2011) Digital Dividein South Asia, Manchester:GRaASS Books.● ITU (2010) Key Trends in ICTDevelopment, Retrieved fromhttp://www.itu.int/publ/D-IND-WTDR-2010/en, 12.13.2010● Kijsanayotin, B., Pannarunothai,P., and Speedie, S. M. (2009).Factors Influencing Health InformationTechnology Adoption inThailand’s Community HealthCenters: Applying The UTAUTModel. International Journal ofMedical Informatics, Vol.78, pp.404–416.● PTA (2012) Telecom Indicators,Retrieved from www.pta.gov.pk/, 09.13.2012● The Internet Stat (2012)Internet usage statistics, theinternet big picture:● world internet users and populationstats, Retrieved fromhttp://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm, 12.13.2010.● Qiang C Z et al (2010) EconomicImpacts of Broadband, Informationand Communicationfor Development, Retrievedfrom www.worldbank.org/ic4d,12.13.2010The writer is the Head of Departmentof Technology Managementat International Islamic UniversityIslamabad.60 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

PTCL and Meezan Bank sign agreementfor PTCL Wireless Broadband servicesPakistan TelecommunicationsCompany Limited (PTCL) andMeezan Bank have signed anagreement for provision ofPTCL Wireless Broadband services.As part of this partnership,Meezan Bank customerscan now enjoy exclusive PTCL3G EVO Wireless Broadbandservices along with the servicesoffered by the bank.The agreement was signedby Furqan Habib Qureshi,PTCL Senior Executive VicePresident (SEVP) BusinessPakistan TelecommunicationsCompany Limited (PTCL) haslaunched a standalone packagefor its Smart TV customers.PTCL is the first and onlytelecom service providerin Pakistan that is offeringthis state-of-the-art digitalinteractive television service.Equipped with unique featureslike rewinding live programsand news through time shifttechnology, parental lockand digital quality Video onDemand (VOD), PTCL Smart TVallows customers to be moreinteractive and in completecontrol of their televisionZone South and Ariful Islam,Chief Operating Officer &Executive Director, MeezanBank at an impressiveceremony held at MeezanBank Head Office in Karachi.Sajid Shabir Mangrio, PTCLGeneral Manager, ConsumerBusiness South; BashirPhulphoto, PTCL SeniorManager, Consumer BusinessKarachi and Muhammad Raza,Executive Vice President,Meezan Bank were alsopresent at the occasion.experience.The new package has beenspecially designed to bringadded convenience for PTCLcustomers, enabling them toexperience Smart TV withoutthe requirement of Broadbandinternet. With this package,customers can now experienceinteractive TV at just Rs.450 per month. The packagehas an added advantage ofunlimited calls on Sunday fromPTCL Landline to Landline &Vfone for just 199/month extra.Besides offering the highestdigital quality TV picture, SmartTV also gives customers theAqeel ShigriFurqan Habib Qureshi,PTCL Senior Executive VicePresident (SEVP) BusinessZone South while speakingon the occasion said “We aredelighted to partner withMeezan Bank. PTCL WirelessInternet services offerconvenience and ease of onthe-gointernet connectivityand create new possibilitiesfor our customers. Throughthis partnership and otherslike it, we are enhancingaccess to the latest ICTapplications through our vastinfrastructure.”PTCL 3G EVO Wireless Broadbandis Pakistan’s fastestgrowing Wireless Internetnetwork accessible nationwide.With 3G EVO Dongle,3G EVO Wingle and 3G NitroCloud devices, PTCL is simplifyingaccess to informationand online services.PTCL introduces standalone Smart TV packageoption to choose high qualityvideos from a large pool ofvideo library.“Access and control of contentin a personalized way is hereto stay, and at PTCL we shallcontinue to offer our customersa dynamic, personal anddigitally interactive televisionexperience. Our goal is tointroduce innovative technologiesto customers that shallcontinue to empower them asthe world of internet-deliveredcontent unfolds”, said NaveedSaeed, PTCL Senior ExecutiveVice President (SEVP) Commercial.PTCL announcesunmatched offerfor seamlessBroadbandconnectivityPakistan TelecommunicationsCompany Limited (PTCL) hasnow enabled its Broadbandcustomers to upgrade from2Mbps to 4Mbps connectionfree of cost. Customers cannow enjoy 4Mbps speeds atonly Rs 1,549 per month, atthe same price of 2Mbps connection.This offer is valid forboth existing and new PTCLcustomers.As Pakistan’s fastest and mostaffordable Broadband service,PTCL’s Broadband Pakistanoffers seamless Internet experience,uninterrupted streamingand fastest downloadingspeeds. It provides access torich high-definition multimediaresources over the Internetenabling customers to downloadlatest movies, TV showsand music files.This offer is applicable for all2Mbps connections exceptstudent package. The promotionalpackage will expire on31st January 2013. Standard4Mbps rates of Rs. 2,100 permonth will apply after the expirydate. Customers can optout of this offer by calling 1236or by contacting their nearestPTCL One Stop Shop (OSS).“Accessibility and innovationis the hallmark of our productsand services. PTCL continuesto bring state-of-the-arttelecommunication solutionsto Pakistan’s telecom marketwith the added aroma of affordabilityand convenience”,said Executive Vice President(EVP) Wire-line PTCL, AasifInam.January 2013www.teletimesinternational.com61

Global Telecom events 2013JanuaryConvergence India 201316 - 18 Jan - New Delhi, IndiaWireless Symposium16 - 18 Jan - San Antonio, TXPTC conference20 - 23 Jan - Honolulu Hawaii, USACustomer Experience Management in Telecoms21 – 24 Jan - London, UKBig Data Monetisation in Telecoms22 – 24 Jan - Venue to be confirmed, UKWHIR Networking Event24 Jan - TX, USASmart Metering and Grids Cyber Security Summit 1324 - 25 Jan - London, UKAlaska Telephone Association Winter Conference27 - 30 Jan - Ka’anapali, HIWDM Asia 201328 - 30 Jan - Singapore, AsiaAPAC WDM and Next Generation Optical Networking28 - 30 Jan - Singapore, AsiaRoaming MENA 201329 - 30 Jan - Dubai, UAEDECT & CAT-iq World 201329 - 30 Jan - Barcelona, SpainTelecomFinance 201330 - 31 - Jan - London, UKCDN Asia 201329 - 30 Jan - SingaporeFebruaryWorld Summit Award 201303 - 05 Feb - Abu DhabiLTA Annual Convention06 - 08 Feb - New Orleans, LAMobile Number Portability Forum 201311 - 12 Feb - Dubai, UAECustomer Experience Management In Telecom12 - 14 Feb - Miami, North AmericaTELSA17 - 19 Feb - Riyadh, KSASTO Europe 201318 - 20 Feb - Aberdeen, UKFTTH Council Europe19 - 21 FEb - London, UKAPRICOT19 Feb - 1 Mar - Shangri-la Hotel, SingaporeMobile World Congress25 - 28 Feb - Barcelona, SpainMarchCable Congress 20135 - 7 March - London, UKMENA ICT Forum 201306 - 07 Mar - Dead Sea, JordanCOMTEL10 - 13 Mar - Las Vegas, NVCards and Payments Africa11 - 13 Mar - Johannesburg, South AfricaCABSAT 201312 - 14 Mar - DWTC Dubai, UAEIT & Software Excellence Awards 201313 Mar - London, UKIT Leaders Africa Summit13 - 14 Mar - Johannesburg, South AfricaCustomer Experience Management In Telecom17 - 20 Feb - Dubai, UAE62 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013

MarchOFC/NFOEC17 - 21 Mar - Anaheim, CACyber Security UAE Summit 201318 - 19 Mar - Dubai, UAEBroadband MEA 201319 - 20 Mar - Marriott, Marquis - DubaiCOMEX 201325 - 29 Mar - MuscatTV Connect 201319 - 21 Mar - London, UKAprilWestern Telecom Alliance Spring Meeting07 - 10 Apr - Las Vegas, NVCONNECT 201309 - 11 Apr - Karachi, PakistanInternational ICT Expo13 - 16 Apr - Hong Kong, China4th Telco Cloud Summit15 - 17 Apr - London, UKBig Data in Telecoms 201315-17 Apr - LondonCaspian Telecoms 201318 - 19 Apr - Intanbul, TurkeyTelecom Cloud Services Summit 201322 - 24 Apr - London, UKFTTx Summit Europe 201323 – 25 Apr - Berlin, GermanyTelecom CEM World Congress 201323 - 24 Apr - Grand Connaught Rooms, LondonTD-LTE Summit23 - 24 Apr - SingaporeTelecoms Regulation Forum 201323 - 24 Apr - Venue TBCTransport Networks for Mobile Operators 201323 - 25 Apr - Hotel Russell, London4G World India25 - 26 Apr - Delhi, IndiaData Center World28 April - 02 May - Las Vegas, NVMay - JuneLTE MENA 201313 - 14 May JW, Marriott, Marquis - DubaiThe Mobile Show ME-201314 - 15 May - Dubai, UAEQITCOM Exb. & Conference14 - 16 May - QatarMaximising Customer Loyalty and Profitability20 - 23 May - Vienna, AustriaIIR Telecoms Critical Communications World21 - 24 May - Paris, FranceFTTx Summit Middle East26 - 29 May - Dubai UAEKITEL 201328 - 30 May - Almaty, KazakhstanMobile Payments and NFC03 - 05 June - London, UKM2M Forum Europe10 - 13 June - London, UKCustomer Experience Management In Telecom10 - 13 June - South AmericaWDM & Next Generation Optical Networking 201317 - 20 June - Grimaldi Forum, MonacoHosting Con17 - 19 June - Austin, TXCommunicAsia 201318 - 21 June - SingaporeJanuary 2013www.teletimesinternational.com63

Teletoons64 www.teletimesinternational.comJanuary 2013