MyAdhan Blog

Link: Jordanians Said Using SMS Messages, E-Mail to Complain About Rising Prices

Jordanians have been recently exchanging SMS messages on their mobile phones to express their displeasure and hardship as a result of the raise of fuel prices and the consequent rise in the standards of living. They have also been sending e-mail messages to vent their feelings and protest. While hundreds of thousands of Jordanians have exchanged these messages, the opposition parties have failed to assemble a few dozen people to stage sit-ins to protest the rising prices. Most probably, Jordanians have been going through a stage of “horror” for more than a month due to the rise in standards of living as a result of raising fuel prices and the impact of the decline in the US economy on the local currency, which is pegged to the dollar. They found that expressing their displeasure over what is happening through SMS messages is less costly, from the security and social aspects, than participating in sit-ins and marches to express protests. In their text messages, Jordanians refer to oil and gas as precious commodities, saying that getting these is an unattainable dream. They also tell jokes about the decisions related to raising prices, while speaking about the future in a way that reflects the great frustration they are experiencing. One of the text messages says the following: “discoveries…the stone age: discovery of fire; iron age, discovery of iron; modern age, discovery of oil; the golden [dhahabi, also the name of the current prime minister] age (a reference to the government of Nadir al-Dhahabi), oil is on fire and we are again Ala al-Hadidah [on iron]. Ala al-Hadidah is a slang Jordanian expression meaning very poor. Another message quotes from a tradition by the Prophet, God’s peace and blessings be upon him, in which he asks people not to overspend, to speak about the rise of fuel prices. The message says “do not overspend in the use of three items: gas, kerosene, and electricity. Narrated by a Muslim who is feeling very cold,” in a reference to the cold that is hitting Jordanian homes because of their inability to get fuel for their heaters.

Link: Introducing Competition in the Palestinian Telecommunications Sector

The recently published World Bank Telecommunications Sector Report, entitled “Introducing Competition in the Palestinian Telecommunications Sector,” highlights key issues in the Palestinian telecommunications sector, and suggests possible recommendations for policy and regulatory reform. The report was prepared in close consultation and cooperation with all stakeholders, taking into account disparate points of view. Its recommendations are in line with visions and policy directions of the Palestinian Authority, with the goal of benefiting Palestinian people by reducing prices and improving quality and reliability of services. The report endorses and supports Palestine’s own policy of introduction of competition, as formulated by MTIT. The policies of favoring competition in this industry have proven effective across the world, including in post war, distressed and low income environments. The Palestinian telecommunications sector is characterized by the presence of a private regulated monopoly, unauthorized competition, and overall weak governance and regulation. Increasing competition and efficiency in the telecommunications sector will have far reaching effects throughout on the Palestinian economy. It will reduce the cost of doing business in all sectors and help raise government tax revenues. In addition, by developing the capacity to regulate the largest monopoly in WBG and spur competition in the telecommunications market, the PA will develop its ability to provide a better regulatory environment for the entire economy.

Link: Vodafone to Sell Shares in Qatar Subsidiary This Year

Another Link: Vodafone’s Qatari unit set for flotation

Related Link: Vodafone pushes ahead with plan to start mobile operations in Qatar this year

Vodafone Group Plc will sell shares in its Qatar subsidiary, the Financial Times reported, citing company sources it didn’t identify. Vodafone may sell about 20 percent of Vodafone Qatar in an initial public offering before the year’s end, the newspaper reported on its Web site today. Vodafone didn’t estimate how much a share sale might raise, the paper said. Qatar, the last Arab nation to open its telecommunications market to competition, has 1.4 mobile customers and is expected to double its population in 15 years as it builds up a financial- services centre expected to attract expatriates, the paper said. Vodafone may become a minority shareholder while retaining the largest stake after the share sale in Vodafone Qatar. It currently holds 51 percent of the rights to become the country’s second mobile-phone operator, with the balance held by Qatar Foundation, a non-profit-making body founded by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the country’s ruler, the paper said.

Link: Karachi University students to get results via SMS

Students of the University of Karachi (KU) will now be able to obtain their results via short-message service (SMS), announced KU Controller of Examinations Prof. Maqsood Hussain Saturday. Keyframe Interactive is providing the service that will allow students to get their results at a rate of Rs 14 per SMS. According to a university release, students have to type KU, Exam Name and Seat Number and send it to 78601 from any mobile number to utilize the service.

Link: UAE eyes SMS storm warnings

UAE residents could soon receive advance warning of adverse weather conditions by text message, an official said on Saturday. Authorities are considering a range of options, including SMS, aimed at reducing the impact of bad weather on the public, although a decision has not yet been finalised, a source from the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) told UAE daily Gulf News. “One of the objectives of the NCMS is to issue weather forecasts and early warnings to help people avoid any risks that might be associated with extraordinary weather phenomena such as cyclones, severe windstorms, heavy rain, fog or dust storms,” said NCMS Executive Director Abdullah Ahmad Al Mandoos.

Link: Pakistani arrested over Sharlinie SMS prank

Police have arrested a Pakistani who allegedly demanded RM25,000 from Sharlinie Mohd Nashar’s family for her safe return. The suspect, in his 20s, was picked up by policemen at his rented residence in Kajang on Saturday afternoon. He had allegedly sent a text message to Sharlinie’s family last Friday. It is learnt that the text message was simple, stating that Sharlinie was being held in Sabah and if they wanted her back safely, they had to pay RM25,000 and they were told not to inform the police. However, shortly after receiving the text message, Sharlinie’s family alerted the police and the task force responsible for locating her whereabouts swung into action. Police managed to locate the suspect and a team was sent to apprehend him. It is understood that the suspect entered the country legally and is involved in the information technology industry. He has been remanded until Mar 26 to facilitate investigations. Selangor CID chief SAC II Mazlan Mansor confirmed the arrest and warned pranksters not to have fun at other people’s expense as police would come down hard on them. The suspect is being investigated under Section 363 and 507 of the Penal Code for kidnapping and criminal intimidation. This is not the first time that pranksters and opportunists have attempted to take advantage of those whose children have been abducted. In Jan 10, a 27-year-old Indonesian woman sent a threatening text message to Mohd Nashar saying his daughter had been abducted out of revenge and would be released in several days. The woman, who works as a maid in Johor, was picked up by police and brought to Selangor where she was charged with criminal intimidation. She was later sentenced to seven months jail after she pleaded guilty. A 16-year-old student was picked up by police at his home in Bagan Serai on Jan 15 for attempting to extort money from Sharlinie’s parents. The student was arrested after police followed up on several calls received by the missing girl’s family. It was reported that the teenager had made calls for several days before his arrest. He allegedly demanded that Sharlinie’s parents pay RM5,000 for news on the girl. He had also asked the parents to reload RM200 credit into his prepaid cell phone line.

Link: Techno-savvy Iraqis surf the cyber waves

Saddam Hussein deemed Iraqis could live without modern technology such as mobile phones and the Internet. Now that his regime has been swept away, they are finding they just can’t get enough of it. “The Internet is indispensable for us,” said a Baghdad mobile phone vendor, who gave his name only as Sajjad. “I download songs, pictures of actresses and video clips,” added the 25-year-old salesman, who admitted that he then loads these, with a few modifications, into the phones he sells. “My clients ask for a lot for songs, pictures and weird and funny video clips which I usually download from YouTube.com,” said Sajjad. “Some of my clients have no money to buy credit so they cannot speak on their phones. But their handsets are filled with video clips, songs and pictures.” Another mobile phone dealer, Ali Adel, 31, said trade in cellphones had become brisk business since Saddam was toppled in the US-led invasion five years ago. “Second-hand phones are especially popular and we make most of our money from them,” he added. Prior to the invasion, no mobile phone network existed in Iraq and even private satellite phones were banned. Since March 2003, however, there has been an explosion in telephony, with three mobile networks and dozens of Internet service providers operating. This month, wireless fixed voice and data operator Itisaluna began rolling out Internet and modern telephony systems into homes across the war-battered country, with customers paying for the services using scratch cards priced at five, 10, 20 and 30 dollars. With Itisaluna and other providers bringing Internet into the home, Iraq’s cyberface has changed dramatically. “In the days of the former regime, there were only a few Internet cafes in hotels,” said the owner of “Centre Baghdad” cybercafe, who would be named only as Ali. “All of them were subject to monitoring and some websites were blocked,” he added. Iraqis recall the days during Saddam’s rule when their emails would be sent to a central monitoring unit which would decide whether it could be onpassed to the intended recipient.

Link: Malaysia: Residents see red over telco tower

A telecommunication tower built beside a mosque and “disguised” to look like one of the mosque’s minarets is not fooling villagers staying along Jalan Madrasah in Kampung Manjoi here. The residents are unhappy about the 30m-high tower, erected just across the street from their homes, as they claimed that it had been built without their consultation. Computer technician Hasnul Tahar Abdul Wahid, 41, who spoke for over 40 families in the area, claimed that workers had set up the tower without approval from the Ipoh city council. “In fact, they finished erecting the main structure within 24 hours on New Year’s Eve. The distance from the tower to my house - the nearest - is only 13m,” he said on Sunday. Following complaints, Hasnul Tahar said the city council issued a stop-work order in January to the contractor and the committee of Masjid Ghufran to cease operations until they met certain conditions. “But work still continued. Earlier this week, we even saw them installing more telecommunication equipment at the tower summit,” he claimed. His neighbours, he said, harboured fears that the resulting radiation might harm their health. Winds strong enough to blow off zinc roofs have also been known to afflict the neighbourhood, and there were worries that falling debris from the tower might injure children and other residents, he added. “They are only trying to trick us by making the tower look like a mosque minaret,” scoffed Hasnul Tahar. On Feb 28, he and four other residents raised the matter with Datuk Bandar Datuk Mohamad Rafiai Moktar, who confirmed that the council had not approved the project. Datuk Mohamad Rafiai said the council had only received notice that the contractor was going to build a mosque minaret and not a telco tower. “If they want to build a telco tower, they need to get another permit. I have asked the mosque committee to submit their technical plans to us for study first,” said Mohamad Rafiai. According to the stop-work order, offenders who erect any building without permission from their local council can face a maximum RM50,000 fine or three years’ jail or both under the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974.

Link: Pakistan: Telenor charges Rs2,500 for a single SMS

Strange as it may appear, it is a fact that the Telenor billing department in Lahore has sent an itemised bill to a subscriber, S Imran Ahmed, charging him Rs2,500 for a single SMS sent from his mobile phone. The number at which the SMS was sent is 92344701, according to the bill carrying invoice number 53567796-004 dated March 14, 2008.Talking to The News, the aggrieved subscriber said he does not recognise the number at which this SMS was sent. He said the company has also applied 15 per cent sales tax and 11.5 per cent withholding tax on this amount, pushing the price charged for this SMS above Rs3,000. Making matters worse, the company blocked all outgoing calls from his cell number as the payable amount exceeded the maximum allowed limit due to the exorbitant overcharging. Imran stated it is bizarre for the company to send such a ridiculous bill and not to rectify the problem even after a lapse of so many days. He said that there should be no issues in rectifying the problem as the highest rate for a SMS is Rs5 for any message sent to an international mobile number. “May be this SMS has landed at some other planet, constellation or galaxy,” he adds. Telenor customer services people have expressed their inability to remove restrictions on outgoing calls from the subscriber’s cell number till the billing department issues a corrected bill. This may take several days. Till this happens, Imran will have to suffer unjustly for the mistake. Fahad Raza, Telenor’s customers services representative in Lahore tells The News that it’s true that the said subscriber has been charged Rs2500 for a single SMS. However, he said that it happened due to some computer error as Telenor is extensively testing a new service that will be launched soon. He also confirmed that the request to rectify this error has been forwarded by the subscriber more than once. Fahad sympathises with the subscriber and hopes his bill will be corrected and outgoing call facility restored in a day or two.

Link: Bangladesh: AKTEL cautions subscribers from fraudulent phone calls

Aktel has cautioned their valued customers of the current fraudulent phone calls made by unscrupulous personnel. The company said: It has been observed recently that certain quarters have been involved in misleading and deceiving Aktel’s valued customers by offering special rewards, bonus talk time and other lucrative prizes, etc through phone calls and SMS. This group is pretending to be AKTEL staff. These irresponsible personnel would call Aktel subscribers and will request for their PIN number, credit card information, bank account number and even to deposit certain amount of money in the bank. Little do they know that by conducting this unauthorised act they are fraudulently making monetary gains, which is punishable under the provision of the Telecommunication Act 2001. All AKTEL subscribers and our valued patrons are kindly requested to be aware of this false phone calls and SMS and not to fall into this deceitful trap. AKTEL urges all their valued customers to refrain from giving any confidential information to unknown callers. For more information on Aktel, please visit our nearest AKTEL Customer Care Centre or call 123 AKTEL help lines.