LAHORE-The
3G technology, besides helping increase the GDP of Pakistan, encouraging
infrastructure investments, will also help reducing fraud and economic
leakage in financial sector and improve farm production in the
agriculture sector. The evolution of technology has made life easier for
customer base. The launch of 3G services is great news as it will not only
improve the general standard of life and the quality of the way business is
done but will also help boost the economy.
These views were expressed by the
Ufone CCO Asher Yaqub Khan in an interview with The Nation. Following are
details of the extracts of the talks with him.
Q: How 3G could be utilized for information?
AYK: Users can use 3G for watching TV
on their handsets, downloading and streaming videos at high speed, sharing
clips as well as enriched social media experience.
Q: How do you see loadshedding
will affect the quality of 3G service on networks of telcos?
AYK: Loadshedding will not affect the
quality of 3G service, in fact it will provide relief to our customers by
facilitating them to use internet and watch their favorite programs or chat
with their friends. The beauty of having 3G technology is that you can enjoy services on
your phone even when there is no electricity provided you have your phone fully
charged of course!
Q: Will a large section of
customers’ base, out of 132m, be able to afford the rates of 3G?
AYK: At Ufone, customers are our top
priority and we will ensure that the transition will be as smooth as possible
to provide the best packages. Even if you look at our history, we have been
known to provide world class service at affordable rates and this will be the
case with 3G too.
Q: Do we see price hikes across
the band or the model will continue to be price-centric?
AYK: we will keep the tariffs as
simple and customer friendly as possible. At Ufone, as we have always stressed,
it is always about you. We do not believe in exploiting our customers. The
approach will remain the same in future as well and we will continue delivering
affordable services to our customer base that by the way, has been great to us
in return as well.
Q: What are the challenges that
are expected to create impediments in the fastest deployment of 3G networks?
AYK: One major hold up point is that
the technology is only supported on handsets that are 3G compatible. So only
users who have a 3G handset will be able to experience the technology.
Customer awareness of how to use
services is another issue. We are working on building awareness for the
technology. Setting up the technology is one thing but making customers aware
about it and then selling it is another.
Q: What are your demands from the
government related tax rationalization on mobile phone services as the telecom
sector in Pakistan is made to suffer from discriminate and highest tax regime?
AYK: This needs to be rationalized.
Telecoms tax burden in Pakistan is amongst highest in the world and that
effects all efforts of increasing teledensity. If we understand and acknowledge
the sea change that access to telecoms can bring in our economy, I am sure we
will appreciate the need for reduction of taxes here.
Q: What are some of the
challenges in minimizing costs?
AYK: Increased taxes being levied by
the government, indirect taxes, cost of infrastructure, power crisis, security
issues, network shutdown, license cost, regulatory barrier on commercial
activity as well as right of way the main challenge in minimizing costs.
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