Mobilink reduces Call-rates with manifold Incentives in Pakistan
By Raza Mumtaz - Pakistan Times Executive Editor

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s most favorite, much-admired and apex cellular company, Mobilink GSM, gave yet another pleasant surprise to its’ millions of customers Thursday, March-17 by reducing the out-going call rates to a sizeable, and in fact to generous extent.

The top mobile network brought down the index of the Jazz Prepaid outgoing call rate to Rs. 3.50 from Rs. 4.75 per minute, which was effective, until now.

Yet another magnificent feature, beamed to the Mobilink clients via instantaneous SMS, to facilitate every-one using the marvelous mobile phone service, beginning with the easy digits of 0300, was that the new rates will not only be applicable on calls made on Mobilink-to-Mobilink connections but the newest facility shall also be valid for a link from Mobilink to any other mobile phone network as well as onto the landline phones of Pak Telecom, the PTCL.

Likewise, the elegant, efficient and excellent Mobilink GSM announced attractive reduction in the rates of Short Messaging Service [SMS] for its clients, transmitted to Mobilink connections. It shall, from now-on will be Re. 1.00 only in place of the previous charges of Rs. 2.00.

With this incentive, Mobilink has become the first most-modern cellular company with the lowest tariff, as compared to others like Ufone, Paktel, Instaphone and the newly-launched Telenor.

Clientage-wise with Mobilink stands, atop, as the other mobile phone operators in Pakistan are:

Mobilink: 64 per cent market share and approximately 5.6 million customers;

UFone: 23 per cent market share and approximately 2 million customers;

Paktel: 7 per cent market share and approximately 646,000 customers;

Instaphone: 6 per cent market share and approximately 519,000 customers, while a new company Telenor, with comparatively higher call-rates plus related service charges, began its’ service on March-16 is yet to be assessed in the cellular market of Pakistan. The sixth mobile service, Warid, is in the offing and is likely to set off its service next month.

Amid immense popularity for mobile phones among the people of Pakistan, the new-comers shall have to work extremely hard, yet analysts are of the view that it would be a complex task for any company to compete with Mobilink, which has established itself with sound basis, explicitly because of Mobilink’s flawless and friendly service, which has of-late been upgraded to a splendid technical echelon.
Perspective

Mobilink GSM [PMCL], a subsidiary of Orascom Telecom,is the market leader in providing state-of-the-art communications solutions in Pakistan.

‘We can proudly boast of being the first cellular service provider in Pakistan to operate on a 100% digital GSM technology’ said a spokesman of the company, while speaking to Pakistan’s first independent daily E-newspaper ‘Pakistan Times’ on Thursday.

‘We offer tariff plans that are exclusively designed to cater to the communication needs of a diverse group of people, taking into account occasional users to businessmen. To achieve this objective, we offer both postpaid and the prepaid [JAZZ] solutions to our customers’, he remarked.

In addition to providing advanced voice communication services, we also offer a number of value added services to our valued subscribers.

Keeping in mind our customers' convenience, we have also bundled mobile handsets, sold either independently or bundled in Get Set Go Pack.

Mobilink GSM started operations in the year 1994, from then on it has shown enormous growth. At the time when it entered the market it was a small player in the cellular market of Pakistan it is now the market leader both in terms of growth as well as having the largest subscriber base in Pakistan.

In continuation with our efforts to make the top of the line products available to our valued customers, we have launched the latest and most anticipated product in Motorola's current line up. The product is Razor V3, besides having a very sleek design, it has all the premium hi-end set features like the Digital VGA camera and integrated Blue tooth.

Power Tools in Urdu

Continuing with our tradition of launching innovative yet consumer relevant services to add to our current portfolio, we are proud to announce the launch of Power Tools in Urdu.

This service will enable our customers to avail the benefits of their favorite power tools, only this time in their own language i.e. Urdu. The Urdu Power Tools menu is the first step in introducing more services in our local language.

International Roaming Offer on Hajj

In continuation to provide seamless International Roaming services to our valued customers, we have launched a new international roaming offer on the Holy occasion of Hajj, effective from Monday, 13th of December 2004. The concept behind this offer is to facilitate a broader segment of pilgrims going for Hajj.

The new facility is available not only for Mobilink's Indigo customers but also for Jazz and Call & Control customers. It is yet another incentive for new customers to get connected to Mobilink.

International SMS

Now share your feelings with more than 100 million subscribers in over 200 countries via Pakistan’s favorite cellular service's 600 network partners, adds the spokesman.

Touch someone far away with words; express yourself fully with Mobilink's International SMS. Give meanings to your simple words, by sending them across to your loved ones.

Jazz-Aur Sunao

Effective December 1st, 2004, Jazz tariffs were reduced from Rs. 5.75 per minute to Rs. 4.75 per minute on all calls from Jazz to any other Mobilink numbers.

Yet this has now been further reduced to Rs. 3.5 per minute, and above all to any cellular network and even the landline phone numbers, with a singular objective to facilitate the clientele of Mobilink.

This tariff reduction will serve as an unparalleled advantage to millions of Jazz subscribers, who now shall have to pay less to call within, as well as outside, the Mobilink family, 24 hours a day.

International Roaming Services with USA Cingular Genesis

International Roaming with USA Cingular Genesis was commenced on Friday, November 19th, 2004 at 1100 hrs GMT [1600 hrs Pakistan Standard Time].

Free Ownership Transfer

Apart from many other privileges to its consumers, Mobilink extends Free Ownership Transfer facility, which is to stay intact till further intimation.

Tax Exemption Certificate

PMCL has been issued tax exemption from deduction of tax at source on account of payment received from mobile phone bills. This exemption is valid until 30.06.2005, unless revoked or cancelled earlier.

Mobilink-Citibank Joint Promotion

The spokesman said; We have taken another initiative to promote Mobilink indigo by joining hands with Citibank.

Citibank, is the leading credit card issuer in the country with over 160,000 credit card customers whereas Mobilink Indigo has the largest Postpaid base in Pakistan. Following are the details of the promotion:

We now offer Free Indigo and Call & Control connections to all Citibank credit card members, which entitles them to the following;

A free Indigo [any package] or Call & Control connection (i.e. with zero govt. activation tax) Option to avail security deposit waiver by signing up for direct-debit. This option requires that the connection be purchased in the name of the credit card holder.

Option to activate IR free of cost [Waiver of Rs.500.00]
This offer is Valid at all CS centers and Franchisees nationwide.

Documentation required to avail the this offer is;

Citibank Mailer specifying the offer along with credit card.
Latest credit card statement [required only if availing direct debit service].

Routine documentation is required for new connection/direct debit.

Hand set Kiosk inside Mobilink Service Centre

As another initiative in providing the best and complete service solutions to our valued customer, we are pleased to announce that, a “Hand set Kiosk” has been set up at Mobilink Service Centre at Awami Markaz in Karachi. This kiosk has been set up in collaboration with Mobile Zone. After test running this kiosk at Awami, we will be setting up such booths in other service centers as well.

From now on our customers will have the added convenience of purchasing quality hand sets of leading manufacturers such as Nokia, Samsung or Sony Ericsson right from our Service Center. On every purchase the customers would get some free gifts to add more value to their purchase. These will include the following:

1. Game pack CDs by Sony Ericsson
2. Nokia life style CDs
3. Nokia wall paper CDs
4. Duffle bags

As further value addition, some free accessories such as Fast chargers, Hands free kits and Car stands would also be given on sale of hand sets from the kiosk, the Mobilink spokesman said.

Opening of the Peshawar Customer Services Centre

In line with our commitment for providing quality Customer Services to our valuable Customers we are proud to announce the opening of the Peshawar Customer Services Centre, which stood set off on Monday 12th April 2004.

Welcome to the New Mobilink: As we stand at the threshold of a new era of Communication in Pakistan, Mobilink GSM is proud to share its renewed values and its new identity.

Mobilink GSM: Reshaping Communication

As Mobilink continues to grow, it is no longer just a cellular company but the preferred choice of customers for their communication needs. Our new logo the Mobilink World encompasses people’s hopes, their wishes and their dreams.

Through our untiring efforts we commit to bringing these to reality through our state-of-the-art systems. We bring people together, the spokesman of the fabulous Mobilink remarked.●