Triple play made its way to Pakistan. Triple Play service is a marketing term for the 3 services: high-speed Internet, Video (TV, Video on Demand) and telephone service – all over a single broadband connection. Wateen, PTCL and Nayatel are a few examples for which services are already or soon to be available in some parts of Lahore and Islamabad. The important question is if these services will be affordable and reliable?
Wateen’s triple play offering was recently unveiled with its services for DHA Lahore, scheduled for commercial launch in January 2007. With all the digging work going on in DHA, it will be a relief for the public. According to the press release by Wateen:
This project will provide DHA residents access to a breadth and depth of 21st century telecommunication and media services through fiber optic and wireless WiMAX networks. Services provided will include innovative telephony calling plans for local, nationwide and international routes, video conferencing/video telephony, true broadband internet (both fixed and wireless), DVD quality TV viewing and Value Added Services such as security & surveillance and interactive gaming.
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) was awarded the country’s first IPTV operating licence in November 2006 and will be an major competitor. PTCL has yet to announce a timetable for rollout of the service. “We have some exciting plans that we will be announcing soon,” was all PTCL CEO Mohammad Bamakhrama would tell local press. According to discussion forums, PTCL will use Alcatel IPTV solution which is based on partnership with Microsoft.
Alcatel (NYSE:ALA) also helped Naya Tel of Pakistan to supply the region’s first fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) solution to deliver a high bandwidth triple play (voice, video and data) services to over 30,000 subscribers in the capital city of Islamabad. More on this here. Sample rates for Nayatel’s Internet service are:
Now that we have these services available to select few, let’s monitor their success rate in 2007. Price is the main factor here and the one-time cost of the equipment (i.e. ONT) is likely to be the hurdle. If companies can asborb the equipment price in exchange for a contract, it can speed up adoption.
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December 23, 2006 at 9:27 am
IHateCaps
We’re being sold a steaming pile of poo. Why do they put a cap on the monthly up/down? In this day and age when countries are moving to high definition, we’re still being sold bull crap with a “light speed tag of 256kbps” What makes them think that a dvd quality movie is less than 1 gig? If thats light speed, i wonder what snail speed is? Less than 1kpbs?
Worst of all, Im going to be moving to Lahore soon and where i am right now (holland), im sitting on an 18000kbps line. Im paying monthly 50Euros for it. In pak, im willing to pay maybe around 3000 but is this the fastest they can go for home networking and then put a cap on the traffc? Utter bull.
Also there are no one time costs where i am. Competition is so high that they are even delivering the hardware for free and servicing it for free if there is a fault with the modem.
A quote from Nayatel:
“This “First Mile” or “Last Mile” is the bottleneck that needs to be address to enable customers to take advantage of services of 20th century and beyond.”
http://www.nayatel.com/WhyFiberToHome.html
—- Yes you idiots, you are living in the 20th century while the rest of the world will be on Mars by the time you finish installing your cables.
December 23, 2006 at 1:21 pm
Adnan Siddiqi
Yes you idiots, you are living in the 20th century while the rest of the world will be on Mars by the time you finish installing your cable
ROTFL!
I do agree with you. MULTINET Pakistan offering 256kbps DSL @999/mo. I was very happy untill i was told that max data transfer rate is upto 2GB only. Duh A person like me who ’s main work is IT related and uses Youtube and download softwares can’t be benefited with such lame offers. I am sure most of the DSL users would be the people who don’t even know the difference between notepad and an email and they get subcribed for sake of exhibition only.
December 26, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Babar Bhatti
In Pakistan, companies think they can charge anything they like and they usually get away with it. Look at PTCL broadband rates … its absolutely nonsense. Samething with the broadband companies – once they start their service they want to rip off everyone. And you know what, there are many people with that kind of money to waste.
March 8, 2007 at 7:03 am
AFNAN
its funny that ptcl going mad too much rates for home user ……
we peoples r always think backward although the company logo shows for future
March 14, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Next Generation Networks in Pakistan « State of Telecom Industry in Pakistan
[...] in Pakistan. As a case study, lets take a look at Wateen’s network which is poised for triple play in Pakistan. Wateen’s website provides the following information about their NGN and other [...]
June 10, 2007 at 5:26 am
Rohit
PTCL announced 8 working days time for dsl installation. I ordered 11 days before; now when I call for status update; once they ask me to call another number. I called that number and found that I was talking to someone in Muslim commercial bank
next time they gave me another number to ask for update; when I called the operator said ‘your request is not reached here; call again the helpline. I called several times again to the 0800 helpline and they updated me that there is no request as such from me!!! I gave them my order ID (provided earlier by ptcl) they always check their system and then they ask me to submit my request again, and of course, it will take 8 day cycle again.
PTCL DSL – Practically bullshit
June 18, 2007 at 6:48 am
rafay
wateen dha lahore service nothing but crap. the service frequetly gets interrupted and response is simply unprofessional. if this is the start then God help dha residents
June 18, 2007 at 11:45 am
Babar Bhatti
Yes, I’m hearing the same thing from many others about wateen and ptcl: their service is horrible. These companies forget the most important part of the business: service and customers!
June 19, 2007 at 11:34 am
Tauseef
1 thing you guyz forget , From Pakistan 99% data go outside and in Asia Bandwidth is more costly as compare to Europe or US thats why they have put CAP ON bandwidth. (but still is good , in Pakistan bandwidth cost reduce more then 100% in last few yeas and it still going down)
If you are IT related guy then why not get Un-Capped connection , i m using more then 60GB month and i have 512K connection in just Rs 9000 , with some search you can find low rates here too.
You can find Multinet Shared 256k in just Rs 1900
Why you guyz always compare every thing with Europe or US with blind Eyes
Tell me in Europe or US can you get 1 Time Food in just 50 cent or 1 Dollar ? no but here in Karachi in 1 dollar 2 pplz easily take 1 time food.
They are better in Technology they already put billions of dollars in Technology thats why they have less costly technology , Out country based on farming thats why we less costly food and they have to import from other countries.
There is many issues in Pakistan but we are improving ,
Comparison is good and we have to grow but its don’t mean we start compare Apple with orange.
Regards
July 18, 2007 at 4:53 am
Fargham
They still have to do alot, Support services are pathetic.
September 12, 2007 at 9:34 am
Fahd
Hey whts a shared 256k. i’ve ordered for a ptcl broad band but the use of my sucky land line makes me feel confused on whether it’d be able to handle the high speed internet as i can hardly hear the other person on phone due to the distortions and all.
The rates seem really good, 256 for 1199. Free modem and installition. but im confused..
any ideas/suggestions?
September 23, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Mohsin
wat abt WOL HOME DSL, they are now offering 256 kbps at rs. 950/month….but they require modem installation charges i.e rs.3000,
the only thing thats bothering me is that they offer only 2 GB download per month…….isnt it?
so now guys what do u think which one is better…..PTCL or WOL
December 12, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Riz
AOA .. I am using a local internet cable provider ( through LAN ). I am not sure which service is he using but when I browse I get IP similar to 116.71.179.67
ip2location.com says its “PTCL Triple play”
Just want to know has this service been started? If yes, is there any link where I can find its tariff and other details?
Thanks
Riz
- http://www.PDFonFly.com
May 14, 2008 at 10:14 am
imran
i want free call facility to any number in pakistan
September 16, 2008 at 4:38 am
Muneeb
Yes Riz, the services is working perfectly fine here in Islamabad, I’m looking forward get IPTV at my work place.
-Muneeb
http://www.thelandofpure.com