Hi-tech: A speed test to gauge mobile internet in the offing

According to the FCC’s official blog, the app is a first step towards accurately evaluating mobile broadband network performance. DESIGN: FAIZAN DAWOOD

KARACHI: As the government plans to conduct a spectrum auction for high-speed mobile internet services in a few months, it is high time for the mobile industry to find solutions for the largest challenge facing Pakistan’s online community — quality of network service.

A recent study conducted by the International Data Corporation (IDC), a global research firm, found that the major setback for the country’s internet users is the quality or reliability of connectivity.

The nationwide survey titled ‘Pakistan Digital Consumer Study’ is the first consumer survey for Pakistan’s online users conducted by the IDC on behalf of Google. The survey found that issues concerning the quality of connectivity included poor speed or bandwidth availability, perceived value-for-money, customer service quality and frequency of service interruptions.

With the rollout of the next-generation mobile services in the country, Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) will offer all kinds of mobile broadband services (3G, 4G or beyond), but on a higher tariff than the rates offered against the current 2G services.

Mobile subscribers are not only concerned with the service quality of the mobile internet but also complain about sub-standard services on their respective networks even on regular voice calls. Hence, consumers will need some mechanism to know whether the services offered are worth the price.

To curb similar concerns, United States Federal Communications Commission released a new application ‘Speed Test App’ for android-powered smartphones last month under their Measuring Broadband America Program. The app enables cellular subscribers to run their own tests and find out mobile broadband performance of their networks.

According to the FCC’s official blog, the app is a first step towards accurately evaluating mobile broadband network performance. It provides consumers with information that helps them make informed decisions when choosing and evaluating their mobile wireless providers. A similar app can be developed for Pakistani consumers to have some kind of mechanism for measuring the quality of cellular network.

Former Managing Director of Pakistan Software Export Board Zia Imran said a similar app could be developed easily. “What’s more important is to broadcast the app or link it to some central server, which will make it easy to report poor service by a particular network in a particular area,” he said while answering a question.

Currently, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, telecom sector’s regulator, measures the network quality of internet service providers (ISPs) and the CMOs through surveys. It carries out a nationwide Broadband Quality of Service (QoS) survey of all wireless and wire-line service providers. However, it’s not frequently practised – the last time PTA conducted any QoS survey was in 2011, when it conducted the survey for the third and fourth quarter of the same year.

The telecom regulator also has a short message service-based survey system which aims to find consumer’s perception about performance of their respective cellular mobile operator. Under this system, PTA sends a text message to mobile phone users and invites them to participate in the survey. The users can also participate directly by sending an SMS to a short code, 8899.

Observers believe that PTA surveys have their own importance, but developing an application similar to the FCC’s ‘Speed Test App’ will be faster and more efficient. A speed-test app can provide fact-based results to both the regulator and the consumers – and that, too, in real time.

“The development of apps does not fall under PTA’s purview but it is not restricted in any case. People are developing different apps and using them,” said PTA spokesperson Khurram Mehran in response to a query, However, the telecom regulator expressed support for any initiative in this direction. “PTA, as per its mandate, is committed to ensure that consumers get up-to-the-mark service quality,” Mehran said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2

Winning streaker: JWT makes the country proud, wins Gold Agency award

JWT Pakistan was named Gold Agency of the Year by Campaign Asia Pacific at an award show in Mumbai PHOTO: facebook.com/JWTPakistan

KARACHI: 

JWT Pakistan was named Gold Agency of the Year by Campaign Asia Pacific at an award show in Mumbai, capping a fast-paced year of business wins in this important emerging market.

Under the leadership of CEO Mansoor Karim Shaikh, the agency expanded its digital scope with the creation of JWT Fusion, brought in 10 new clients and led the market on thought leadership, with an in-depth research report on Pakistan’s youth market, titled “A Time for Change”, and “JWT’s Anxiety Index”.

The agency also brought in its youngest-ever executive creative director, Shakeel Hasan, this year, injecting energy into its creative department.

“I am thrilled and ecstatic. I am proud of my teams who have worked so hard this year and made sure we produce some great work”, said JWT Pakistan CEO Mansoor Karim Shaikh

Eurozone industrial output falls sharply

A factory of Italian shoes and luxury leather goods maker Tod's in Casete d'Ete in the Italian Marche region on May 28, 2013. PHOTO: AFP

BRUSSELS: Eurozone industrial output fell sharply in October, stoking concerns a fragile recovery from a record recession could be stalling, official data showed on Thursday.

Industrial output in the 17-nation eurozone slumped 1.1 per cent in October compared with September when it fell a revised 0.2 per cent, the Eurostat statistics agency said.

In the full 28-member European Union, industrial production dropped 0.7 per cent after a marginal gain of 0.1 per cent in September, Eurostat said.

Several analysts said the figures were worrying, especially after economic growth slowed sharply in the third quarter.

“October’s marked drop in industrial production indicates that the eurozone is struggling to regain even modest economic momentum,” said Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight.

Industrial output figures can be volatile but as well as the large drop, October was also the second consecutive monthly downturn.

That is of particular concern since the eurozone escaped a record 18-month recession in the second quarter with growth of 0.3 per cent only for this to slow to a marginal 0.1 per cent in the third.

Archer said the European Central Bank would likely have to take further stimulus measures soon, having recently cut its benchmark interest rate to a record low 0.25 per cent in an effort to boost activity.

“It is possible that the ECB will eventually go down the negative deposit interest rate route,” even it would prefer not to, he said.

Negative rates on deposits with the ECB would be a radical step meant to push the commercial banks to lend their money out rather than in effect pay for the ECB to hold it.

While the ECB and national authorities have pumped massive amounts of cheap month into the financial markets, the banks have largely focused on rebuilding their capital base rather than take on risk.

The ECB is likely to hold interest rates at 0.25 per cent through to 2015 but “could trim it to 0.1 per cent or even zero,” depending on circumstances, Archer said.

Among the major economies, EU powerhouse Germany fell 1.2 per cent after a downturn of 0.7 per cent, with France off 0.3 per cent, the same as in September.

Non-euro Britain was up 0.4 per cent, slowing too after a gain of 0.9 per cent in September.

Compared with October 2012, eurozone industrial output, a broad measure of manufacturing activity, was up 0.2 per cent while the EU gained 0.8 per cent.

Capital Economics analyst Ben May said the data “paint a pretty downbeat picture and suggest that the industrial sector cannot be relied on to drive a wider euro-one economic recovery.”

The separate country figures “also painted a pretty bleak picture,” May said, citing Germany, France and Spain which all fell 0.8 per cent.

Other analysts said the report might not be as bad as the headline figures suggest.

Tom Rogers, a senior economic adviser to Ernst and Young Eurozone Forecast, said that while the data look disappointing, it “would seem largely to reflect a reaction to the stock building that took place in the third quarter.

“As such, while the numbers do underline the relative fragility of the eurozone recovery, they shouldn’t provide too much ground for pessimism over a relapse into recession in the final quarter of the year,” Rogers said.

In what could also be seen as a move to mitigate the effects of the industrial downturn, the European Parliament on Thursday granted GSP Plus status to 10 countries, including Pakistan, approving duty free access to European markets.

SteamOS gets official launch date: December 13

A look at Steam Machines

(Credit: Valve)

SteamOS, the highly anticipated software platform for gamers, will launch on Friday, Valve, the company behind the platform, has confirmed.

In addition to launching SteamOS, Valve says that it'll make available 300 prototype Steam Machines and controllers to those who signed up for the Steam Machine beta test. The Steam Machine is essentially a PC designed for the living room that will allow gamers to play titles through SteamOS on their televisions.

SteamOS was announced earlier this year as an ambitious project to bring yet more streaming to the living room. The Linux-based platform comes with Steam's Big Picture mode, allowing users to play titles through Steam with a controller. The service, in other words, attempts to turn standard mouse-and-keyboard PC gaming to controller-based, couch-sitting gaming.

Although Valve is trying to boost its chances of getting SteamOS off the ground with Steam Machines, that might not be the main thrust of its sales pitch to customers. SteamOS is a relatively lightweight platform that can run on just about any machine. So in theory, any computer could be a "Steam Machine" and will provide the same access to Steam OS as Valve's own devices.Beyond gaming, Valve envisions SteamOS being a platform for streaming television and movies, as well as games that are already running on a Windows or Mac box.

Valve was quick to point out that trying out SteamOS right now might not be the best move, however. The company said that it's only in beta and it might prove to be a stripped-down version as it adds more features.

"[Steam OS] will be downloadable by individual users and commercial OEMs," Valve wrote on its community site. "(But unless you're an intrepid Linux hacker already, we're going to recommend that you wait until later in 2014 to try it out.) We'll post info soon about that."

Industrial units: In a surprise U-turn, govt resumes gas supply

Earlier, SNGPL stopped providing natural gas to all industrial units including captive power plants and compressed natural gas (CNG) stations. DESIGN: TALHA AHMED KHAN

ISLAMABAD: 

Caving in to the demand from the industrialists of Punjab – the voter base of the ruling party – the federal government has decided to resume gas supply to industrial units less than 48 hours after its suspension amid widening gap between demand and supply due to drop in temperature.

The decision was taken here on Thursday in a meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and attended by Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif and Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The meeting had been called in the backdrop of acute gas shortage in the country after a sudden surge in demand.

“It should be ensured that natural gas is provided to the industry so that it remains unaffected as it will protect the interest of employees working in the industrial sector,” said a brief statement issued by the finance ministry.

Meeting participants also agreed that the ministries of finance, petroleum and water and power would continue to maintain close coordination and monitor the situation.

“The industrial sector will get gas for two days a week,” said Dar while talking to The Express Tribune.

However, it was not immediately clear from where the government would arrange supplies at a time of soaring demand.

Speaking at a press conference, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi revealed that gas demand stood at 6 billion cubic feet per day while supplies were only 4 billion cubic feet, showing a gap of 2 billion cubic feet.

He said supplies in Punjab were not even sufficient to meet the demand from domestic consumers and the government could not cut off households for the sake of any other sector.

Earlier, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) stopped providing natural gas to all industrial units including captive power plants and compressed natural gas (CNG) stations.

SNGPL took the step without seeking the prime minister’s approval, though a gas load management plan had been sent to him for his nod.

The absence of gas infuriated the industrialists, who hit out at the PML-N government, terming the step anti-industry that would leave 700,000 people jobless.

First, they convinced Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who in return asked the federal government to resume gas supply, according to officials.

It is not for the first time that the government has backed down. Recently, the finance minister admitted that they had accepted 26 demands of the industrialists, mainly pertaining to tax relief.

Gas shortages in Punjab have become severe after the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which ensures preferential treatment to the gas producing provinces.

“Provinces where well head of natural gas is situated should have precedence over other parts of Pakistan in meeting the requirements from that well head subject to commitments and obligations as on the commencing day,” the constitution says.

As the industries have started receiving gas, power plants and CNG stations are still encountering problems. Gas supply to these sectors will remain suspended for three months and will be restored for only one day a week in March and April.

In limbo: Iran takes back pipeline financing deal

Pakistan would also start offshore drilling by March next year. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: 

Iran has backed out of the $500-million financing deal committed for the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project due to constraints following possible sanctions by the United States (US), bringing the process of awarding the contract to Tadbir, an Iranian energy firm, to a halt.

While addressing a press conference, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the project has not progressed due to the sanctions.

Abbasi said that the Iranian oil minister, during his visit to Tehran, had stated that the country was being unable to provide financing, which they had previously offered in two tranches of $250 million each, to lay Pakistan’s portion of the gas pipeline.

“However, we are committed and will make the IP gas pipeline,” Abbasi said, adding that the Iranian side said that they were ready to provide gas to the pipeline, once completed. He said that Iran had laid part of the pipeline by investing $2 billion to transport gas to Pakistan.

He added that the Pakistani side had informed the Iran that US sanctions had affected the IP gas pipeline project and no financier or contractor was ready to participate in the project.

“The compressor equipment required is provided by only two companies, and would not be available due to sanctions against Iran,” he said, adding that the issue would be resolved if US sanctions are lifted. He said that several projects in Iran were also facing sanction threats and some relaxations had been given to Iran.

Abassi said that working groups of two countries had been set up, which would meet next week to re-establish the project by proposing different parameters, adding that the groups would finalise these within two months.

He said that the project cost, if the contract was awarded to the Iranian firm was higher, but Iran had said that Pakistan was not bound to award the contract to the Iranian firm. “We can award it to anyone,” Abassi reiterated.

Speaking about the import of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG), he said that Qatar had asked Pakistan to give confirmation regarding the LNG-terminal and whether the government was going to award the contract to Engro Vopak Terminal Limited.

“Pakistan has designated Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Qatar had designated Qatar Gas, and the two sides would meet to discuss pricing and other issues,” he said, adding that Qatar needed to assess Pakistan’s financial position to pay the gas price and the potential of LNG in Pakistan. He said that the US had committed LNG supply to India, Japan and China till 2018 and, therefore, had no supply for Pakistan till that time.

He said that government was ready to give 390 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas to the CNG industry and they could also import themselves. The government would facilitate the CNG industry and had asked it to negotiate the LNG price, Abassi added.

“The government will compensate for Unaccounted for Gas (UFG), while transporting LNG to the CNG industry by gas utilities,” he said.

He maintained that the government was also working on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project to bridge gas shortfalls in the country, while the first supply of imported LNG would be available in November 2014.

The minister also said that Pakistan will commence off-shore drilling by March 2014.

Take-off: Younger generation takes over Shaheen Air’s command

The airline is aiming to expand the fleet to 25 aircraft in coming months, making it the largest ever private carrier in the country. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: Speculation related to the fate of Shaheen Air International (SAI), after its founder Khalid M Sehbai passed away earlier this year, was put to rest on Wednesday evening when his sons formally came forward to take over the management of the company.

SAI Chairman Kashif Sehbai (34) and his younger brother Ehsan Khalid Sehbai (31) as CEO announced they will continue to pursue the expansion policy of their father.

“Shaheen has no other intention but to grow,” said Kashif, speaking at a welcoming ceremony organised by Bukhari Group Chairman Rafiq Khan Bukhari. “We have relocated here (from Canada) to try and consolidate the business.”

Since Khalid M Sehbai bought a majority stake in the private carrier, which was once run by the air force, it has seen many ups and downs, even coming close to suspending operations.

Following his death in July, the market was ripe with rumours that his family will sell the stake to new investors, possibly to the Tabbani Group which used to own Aero Asia.

However, in the last few years the airline has emerged as the fastest growing in the country with a fleet of 18 aircraft and threatens to take more market share from the crisis-hit Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

For the first time since starting operations in 1993, Shaheen crossed the million-customer mark in fiscal year 2012-13 as it carried 1.061 million passengers between Pakistani cities and foreign destinations, according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data.

It saw phenomenal growth in its share. Compared to 2011-12, Shaheen transported 43.8% more international travellers in 2012-13 whereas there was only a marginal increase of 3% in the overall number of passengers travelling abroad. In 2007-08, Shaheen carried just 280,615 passengers on international routes.

Altogether, the international traffic from Pakistan was 9.5 million in 2012-13 against 9.2 million a year before.

“We are well versed with the airline’s affairs. We were never blind to what was happening in the airline,” assured Kashif.

The airline is aiming to expand the fleet to 25 aircraft in coming months, making it the largest ever private carrier in the country and just few aircraft short of PIA.