Wi-Tribe in Pakistan [Rumor]
(7) Comments
Posted by on May 14th, 2008
We come to know through another blog from Pakistan that the much promised WiMAX technology for the companies owned by the Orsacom group in Pakistan is here. It goes by the name Wi-Tribe and currently operates in Jordan. They are planning to run their their WiMAX services through LINKdotNET. If that happens, they will be Wateen WiMAX’s only competition in the country and might spur both of them in a heated competition.
From Wi-Tribe’s website I learn that they are deep into providing WiMAX and also into providing Wi-Fi hot spots all over Jordan.
[via Pro-Pakistan]
Wateen’s strategy? Others doing any better?
Posted by on May 3rd, 2008
So just when you thought they were good at marketing they signed film star Reema as their ‘brand ambassador‘. Nothing wrong in it, just that they are focusing on the wrong end of business, in my humble opinion. [Via Buzzwines]
A client of their’s made a long, yet slightly comic, post about her ordeal in getting her Wateen.
One of our esteem commentators, Usman Khawaja, has written about his headaches in subscribing to LINKdotNET’s 1Mbps connection Sialkot. He was formerly a Dancom Online’s DSL subscriber who is facing repeated disconnection problems.
WTF has happened to all of them all? Let’s hope super film star Reema can change all this.
Booming Internet Market in China
Posted by on April 22nd, 2008
It was time that there would be news that China takes over the world as the leading Internet markets when everyday one would hear about the amount of investments, developments and usage of Chinese internet users was rising.
China has a population of 1.3 billion and in a recent report by USA Today the last year saw a 53% increase in internet usage. Currently at 233 million users as compared to 220 million users, China midgets the country that originally conceived and adopted this technology. With very low internet rates due to subsidiaries, and probably the lowest in the region, China offers basic broadband internet at $10 per month.
Gamers in China are relishing this boom as they get to play games more often with more players and there is always a room or map full of people ready to frag at each other. This potential is being exploited by game rooms and internet cafés all over China. The Chinese gaming community has seen a meteoric rise in the last few years and more people are taking up massively popular games like World of WarCraft and Counter Strike.
But due to a more controlled market, and a more restricted internet usage due to censorship, the amount of foreign investment is not as high as in other countries like India or South Korea.
[Via Digg]
WiMax causes Australian CEO to WhineMax!
Posted by on March 24th, 2008
I won’t be surprised to find out that wireless technologies haven’t really got ‘there’ when it comes to the ultimate experience. Sure there are one that are working quite fine for a lot of people, but most of them are not working fine for the rest.
Such was the case with Buzz Broadband in Australia, who had to close down their shop (business) because of extremely poor performance within the distant proximity of the base stations. Engadget has it that the CEO claimed “it failed miserably,” and that there were quality and latency issues within 400m for home users. Service was non-existent for user beyond a 2 Km radius. The CEO presented a whole talk (visit Slashdot) on the failings of the technology at a conference in Bangkok.
Pakistan however is still to learn about the fate of the WiMax rollouts by various companies and many other that promise to do so. Understandably the first stone’s throw is always hard, but that is when we shall know whether this technology is worth it’s salt or not. Till then, I am still a skeptic. Wires for the win!
Like We Said, LinkDSL slashes Tariffs, Competes with PTCL
Posted by on March 3rd, 2008
Yup, the game is ‘really’ on! LINKdotNET have formally put up their revised tariffs about which we talked earlier. I confirmed this information earlier for you after I got off the telephone from LdN customer service. Check out the LinkDSL Tariff page, and breath a sigh of relief. I hope businesses and home users make use of this decreasing price in unlimited fat pipes of information and bring home some income.
[Thanks, Nash, for the tip off]
PTCL, LINKdotNET slash DSL Rates: 1Mbps for Rs. 2K only!
Posted by on March 2nd, 2008
So you might have come across friends that belittle you about your measly DSL connection and how broadband outside of Pakistan is so cheap and fast. Well, my friends, days of happiness and joy are here!
Recently, PTCL announced the launching of their Entertainment Portal for PTCL Broadband subscribers and also reduced their DSL rates. You can now get Unlimited usage connections for Rs. 2000 @ 1Mbps, down from Rs. 3000 and Rs. 1200 @ 512Kbps. PTCL will soon be launching it’s IPTV.
LINdotNET, who initially came out with all time always Unlimited downloading initially, told me today on the phone that they will be introducing their new rates on March 15th for new customers and switching the current users upgraded packages. This move comes with the news that Mobilink has launched their MobileTV service. Mobilink is an Orsacom company that has also announced the future introduction of WiMax technology to their network. Download their promo.
This insane price war is going to benefit the end-user eventually. And at 1Mbps gaming will be much, much more cooler! Can’t wait for it to dip more.
Confirmation: LINKdotNET buys Dancom!
Posted by on February 11th, 2008
So, I have to confirm this to you as I read on the Dancom Online’s website, the following statement,
Important NEWS!
LINKdotNET, an Orascom Telecom company, has successfully launched its operations in Pakistan on 3rd February, 2008 and has also acquired Dancom Online Services. For details, kindly visit LINKdotNET web site www.link.net.pk or call 111-600-111.
Please visit www.mylink.net.pk to view DSL & Dialup tariffs and use online services such as web mail, account information, payment details , payment collection request etc.
Click this link (419K) to view the image of this statement! Someone asked me today that why we weren’t being charged a penny this month, more over that comment on the forum surprised me, but now I know why! So this means Dancom will not be getting an email from me… Makes me so happy! 
In fact, it was me who should have had received an email of this change! Now I am definitely writing them an email… nah, ferget it.
LINKdotNET’s unlimited volume DSL launched but don’t jump just yet!
Posted by on February 11th, 2008
Last week we all saw our newspapers bombarded with LINKdotNET (LdN) advertisements who happen to be a new entrant into the DSL (Broadband) game in Pakistan. LdN ask for no installation charges and offer internet at unlimited usage volumes. Don’t believe me, read their tariff’s page. All at the going Bandwidths of 256K, 512K and 1Mbps rates. Add to that the marginally competitive pricing, LdN might just go pop with the DSL masses. Of course, Nayatel, a subsidiary of Micronet Broadband Limited also started their Sundays and 8 to 8 (that is 2000 to 0800) free timings a few weeks back.
SeaMeWe-4 Damaged: Pakistan needs a satellite up link!
Posted by on February 2nd, 2008
SeaMeWe-4 owned and run by Flag Telecom had been severely damaged near Egypt, where some of the company owners even termed it ‘cut’ at one point on Wednesday, has again been damaged to a critical level. Although this incident does not effect Pakistan directly, but in the near past there has been an incident of this sort where the entire Pakistani nation was left without the internet for a days, and it was this very cable.
Wateen WiMAX: A beginning of sorrow
Posted by on February 2nd, 2008
Wateen WiMAX broadband hasn’t received any accolades in it’s few months of starting up. Something I suspected long ago, would be a poor start to their services. Sadly that has what has happened.
Wateen (and Motorola) promised to Pakistani consumers the WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e) technology in a 2005
roll-out which was then claimed to be the biggest roll-out in the world. WiMAX is a broadband protocol/standard that delivers on the wireless medium. It uses a normal transmission tower like a cell phone tower, and at the user’s side there is a signal receiver. This receiver can then multiplex the signal onto various other mediums (TV, telephone, LAN).
From the people that have used it, it hasn’t really made a good impression with them. The company as a setup might be impressive in their marketing and after sales department, but the user experience thing still needs to be worked upon. From the comments posted on the Islamabad Metroblog things are not so good. User complain of frequent disconnections, slow speed and erratic behavior. Which, honestly speaking, is not surprising it’s a wireless technology. Learn a lesson from your cell provider! Forget internet.
