Payment gateways play a significant role in the eCommerce industry in Pakistan. Businesses often face the problem of finding the best payment gateway for their stores when they have to sell their products or services online.

We are here to help you shortlist a potential payment partner by giving you a list of the best payment gateway in Pakistan.

Payment Gateways

Before we list the payment gateways, it is necessary to know what an online payment gateway is and how it works. Simply put, a payment gateway is a system through which payments (usually online) are managed and their details transferred to the concerned banks.

Usually, when you buy things online, you give in your credit or debit card details on a special payment portal that opens after you opt to pay. This secured portal is the front face of the payment gateway. A payment gateway works as a liaison between a buyer, seller, and the seller’s bank.

As technology has expanded, so have security concerns about financial data security. With online commerce growing in popularity, no one wants to have their financial data at risk. This has increased the focus on having an effective payment processing system that secures both the buyer and seller from financial crime.

The primary purpose of payment gateways is to ensure security and facilitate smooth and low cost digital transactions. With the growth of eCommerce, the demand for accessible, safe, and secure transaction processing is a growing focal point for Pakistani consumers and entrepreneurs. E-commerce stores, online retailers, online booking, and reservations providers for travel sites are all examples of businesses that need to accept online payments from their clients.

Payment Gateways managed by Banks in Pakistan

Since payment gateways are the digital versions of banking services, several banks provide online payment processing services. Since payment gateways can be taken as the digitization of a bank’s key business, it makes sense for banks to specialize in this segment.

At present, three banks are offering online payment gateway services. These are HBL, MCB and UBL.

Sadia Zaheer

Sadia Zaheer holds a Masters in Business Administration from IBA, Karachi. After working in several financial institutions in Client Management, Corporate Lending, Islamic Banking and Product Management she jumped careers to pursue a career in writing.
She is a Finance, Business and HR Development writer with four years of experience. She reads a lot and takes care of her multiple cats to remain calm.

The post The best payment gateways for e-commerce businesses in Pakistan appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

You wonder where all the money vanishes from your pocket each month? The solution to the problem is simple; install a budget tracking mobile application.

With an efficient app, you won’t need to worry about keeping a track of your money anymore. It can help you both in keeping a track of where you have spent the money or you want to keep a check on your taxes you need to pay or even if you are looking to make a road map of your financial activities ahead, you can have it all with the amazing mobile finance management applications.

Here is a list of the top most appreciated personal finance management tools that can stay with you in your smartphone and help you save a considerable amount of money by the end of each month.

1-    Home Budget with Sync: (iOS, Android)

Every opportunity in our life does not come for free and this app is one such golden opportunity. You will need to invest some amount in order to save other. It is a comprehensive expense management and budgeting application that you can buy from Apple App store. This app offers a family sharing feature and allows the users to set their budget and synchronize or share the budget information with many different devices. You can share it with your family members so that you all can keep a check on the expenditures and make a joint effort in saving the money.

This application allows the users to make a budget and manage the income, enlist as well as manage the categories of expenses with the passage of time. Plus you can also track the record of what purchase you have made and from which location. It will help you learn your spending habits and alter your way of earning. This is of great importance for those who are really looking to make some changes in their financial conditions. This app can help every single member of the family to save money on their individual behalf. If you are looking for an easy coordination with your family members, on the matter of budget management of your home expenditures, it is a good option to consider.

2-    Wally (iOS, Android):

Wally brings all the information that one needs to check or track the expenses they have made and to quickly take a control on them. The user of this app can also set a clear target of their spending, income and the budget they must follow to meet their financial goals. You can keep the check of your expenses right in front of your eyes, on the home screen of your phone. Other features included in this app are; location tools, and social media to help you record how much you had spent and with whom and where you did that. With the Wally  app, you can also have a detailed infographic of your spending.

3-    Wallet (iOS, Android):

Here comes another offer to you if you are looking for an amazing app on your smartphone to help you deal with your expenses and keep a check on your budget goals. It is an amazing and neat finance tool that helps the user with a lot of outclass features.  The best part is that it supports different currencies.

Thus, if you are a tourist or have to visit some country other than Pakistan, you may keep a check on your expenses using the currency of the specific region you are staying in. The automatic synchronization with your bank account helps this app to give you a detail of the expenses and balance of your spending. With this app, you have the option to import entries manually thus you can never miss even a minor expense detail that is done by a currency note.

You can also label the transactions as per your ease to help you in tracking the spending later. The financial insight and predictions that are given with an easy visualization are of great help for the user to plan their finances ahead.

This app is free but you may need a subscription of almost PKR 1500 to unlock the features like bank syncing and other widgets like reports and charts etc.

4- The Honeyfi (iOS, Android):

Yet another amazing application that is free and is entirely built around the household and budgeting needs of a common person.

The user can set up an entire household budget by using this app, with easy to do steps and keep a check on your expenses. This app helps you tag transactions, formulate categories, add comments and manage your personal finances. This app also offers automated recommendations about the budget and offers you the insight that may help you as well as your partner to manage the attitude of spending and formula and execute the financial plan together.

5 –    Pocket Guard (iOS, Android)

Pocket Guard is a free mobile application and is an amazing bank tracking as well as budget management app that you can keep on your smartphone. This app can help you keep a record of how much is left in your account and how much you can afford to spend in one day.

This app also helps you to crunch the numbers and find ways for saving money and enhancing the financial health of the user. It may includes negotiations to lower the  bills and getting higher interest on saving account etc.

Another plus point is that this app can sort your purchases, subscriptions, bills and other payments and automatically and keeps a record of your previous spending. It can also give you the rough estimate of how much you must spend on your account, without taking any risk or getting into debt.

The Bonus: Wela: (iOS)

This app is free but can be used only on iOS supporting appliances. It takes the all in one idea with it when we speak about finance management. It also helps the user to link the cards and bank account with the application and to have a quick overview of the financial situation and get some amazing financial advice from the app.

The user of this app can monitor their income and can formulate different categories where they must or might need to make some spending on the earned amount. This app is also helpful in having an overview of the associated investment and their net worth. It is also supported by the AI Chabot that helps the user to save and manage money with the help of expert advice based on your specific case and your personalized goals related to money. However, this service can be used if you have purchased the premium account.

Khurram Zahid

The post 5 Excellent Mobile Apps To Start Tracking Your Finances Today appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

The ride hailing has become a popular trend in Pakistan as well. Most of the population prefers to use the Uber/Careem services rather than any conventional mean of public transportation which has been operational in Pakistan since long.

Starting with a few, currently there are a number of new ride sharing companies that are successful are prevailing in Pakistan and surely, they are giving a tough competition to each other.

Also read: Top 10 Budget Cars in Pakistan You Can Afford

In the past few years, Uber has revamped a high-quality ridesharing and car-hiring services around the globe. It has also expanded tremendously in different countries of the world, among which the most popular is the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Speaking specifically about Pakistan, we can say that Uber is facing tough competition and major competitor is Careem. Careem is headquartered in Dubai and the company entered in Pakistani market before the Uber did. Despite the fact that Uber was second to reach Pakistani market, it is giving a tough competition to Careem but Careem does not seem to be giving up on the fight to become number one.

Here, the most common question is how Uber is piling up to Careem, and what are the major issues that Uber is facing while expanding its work in the MENA region? Here are some of the common challenges that Uber is dealing with in the rise of becoming the number one.

The Payment System

Careem is definitely a step ahead of the payment methods offered by Uber in Pakistan and this convenience in payment is also a reason many Careem users prefer to use it over the Uber. The security of payment, the ease of the customer and a lot of other benefits is why Careem is the preferred choice for the users.

Also read: Top 5 New Car Care Tips You Should Never Forget

While on the other hand, where the American Uber drivers completely refuse to take the cash, the policies are a bit tailored in the MENA region. However, the Careem has a clearly robust and simple to deal with a payment system that can be managed both on account and the cash payment at the same time. This is one of the core reasons for why it is more appreciated by the users. Thus Uber needs to adjust its policies according to the market requirements specifically that of MENA and Pakistani market if it is really striving to become a preferred choice for the users.

The Pick-up Time

The minimum pickup time is the core concern of most of the ride hailing service users. People tend to prefer a short time to meet their drivers at the given pickup point. The reason why Uber has longer pickup time is that there are lesser drivers with Uber and thus lesser availability of rides and more time required to reach the given destination. On the other hand with more drivers and cars on the road, Careem is efficient in reaching the given pickup point. Careem users count it as one of the major reason for preferring Careem over Uber.

However, in some parts of the country, there are customers who complain about the delay in the pickup time. Analysing the situation overall, we can suggest that both Uber and Careem must pay attention to the bulk availability of the services, at least in the major cities of the country to where the demand is higher for services.

Lack of Trust in Services

Since Uber started its operations in Pakistan, they were charged with some major accusations like having a fleet of rental cars and sending all units to pick the riders etc. Apparently, there is nothing serious or illegal about it. But in some cases, the customers reported some poor customer experience and overworked staff. Some drivers were reported to be working more than 18 hours a day and a tired driver is more risk to the passenger.

Despite the fact that Uber took some serious actions on the matter and upgraded its services comprehensively, the situation left a bad impact on the consumers. While on the other hand, Careem has issues of its own as in one case the driver troubled the female passenger.

Also read: Car Insurance in Pakistan: An Easy to Use Guide for First Time Buyers

For such issues, the experts suggest that it is not the fault of the companies and their rules and regulations rather this should be referred to an individual entity. Despite so much ease, such incidents do make a customer think again if they must consider such services or not.

Surge Rate and Low Cost

Uber is the one that has higher surge prices. However, it also has the lower overall cost. While on the other hand, Careem offers really reasonable surge rates to its customers. The surge prices of Uber can go more than 4X in the nights or on special/emergency situations etc. while in case of Careem it remains around 2x standard prices. This means that Careem is much cheaper as compared to the Uber in surge rates. However, at time when there is an increase in rates the rides with Uber costs much lesser than the Careem and the reason for so is the promo codes that the Uber user gets.

New entrants, more choices for user. List of some other ride hailing players in Pakistan

Despite of these two major competitors in the market, there is a list of other ride service providers in Pakistan. Sprouting at the moment, the companies are still not even known to many. Here is the list of the companies that are offering riding services in Pakistan:

• Paxi

An exclusive ride hailing service drive by female, make us believe that females are not behind the men anymore. This amazing taxi cab services is successfully operational in Pakistan featuring the young, energetic and self sufficient women of Pakistan.

• Gaari Pakistan

The company is working with a focus to facilitate the young generation of pakistan, specifically the students, young professionals and that of the blue collar employees operational in any part of Pakistan. The mobile application for this service is easily available on Android and iOS and you can download the application, and book your ride with any pickup point as per your ease and comfort. You can also use a free Wi-Fi while your journey that is available in all the cars owned working for the company.

• ATaxi

You will not be able to find it with the name A-Taxi rather you will need to search with the name Taxi 7×24. This app offers services just same as that of Uber or Careem however there is one issue with the mobile application, it is a bit confusing for the beginners. Thus the customers suggest to upgrade the application so that it can be more user friendly.

• mLift

Came up with an aim to give a tough competition to Uber and Careem, this service is a bit different than the two. You do not need an internet connection to hire a ride. Rather you will need to dial 7555 and according to your location the nearby driver will reach you at your given pickup point.

• Shahi Sawari

For those who are looking for an economical ride in Pakistan the Shahi Sawari is the best option. It is basically a rickshaw hailing app that can be used by any person with its easy to use interface. The services keep offering promotional packages and other perks to its loyal customers. The only reason we don’t know much about them is that the company is not investing much into the marketing and promotional activities.

Conclusion

Overall we can say that Uber is a premium cab service but many think that Careem is offering much better service as compared to the Uber. However, they both need to eliminate any major or minor level corruption as they are becoming a benchmark to other sprouting companies in the Pakistani market. They must specifically focus on better pickup time, more security to the customer, high-quality fleet and professional drivers with competitive rates to work on.

Khurram Zahid

The post Careem VS Uber? And Some Other Ride Hailing Players in Pakistan appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

However, one of the latest modifications in our way of living is done by the introduction of digital currency. This digital currency is normally named as the cryptocurrency. And here is a guide to how does cryptocurrency work and how to invest in it from Pakistan.

What is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrencies in other words known as virtual currencies are very famous these days. These are the currencies or money that we cannot touch or carry with us physically like we do as of our Pakistani currency notes or coins.

Bitcoin or Ethereum the most appreciated investments these days. More and more people are investing in it. These cryptographic coins can be exchanged, sold or purchased and are unquestionable. They are also a secure form of investment and no one can rob them from you while you are walking at night in the streets of Karachi. Plus you can use it in and from anywhere in the world.

Difference between Fiat and Crypto

However, here an important thing to keep in mind is that there is a difference between the Crypto and Fiat. Fiat money is actually the currency that is declared as a legal tender by the government however it is not supported by any kind of physical commodity. The value of the Fiat drives from the connection between the demand and supply rather than the value of the materials of which the money is made of.

While on the other hand a crypto is not backed by the central government or any banking authority. It is decentralized as well as global and works more in the form of a bank credit card. Another point is that crypto is represented digitally and is controlled by an algorithm that deals with the management of the supply of the currency. Also, this currency is not tax bound and you do not need to pay any taxes if your own any amount of cryptocurrency.

Related Read:  New Entrepreneur in Pakistan? 5 Things you should be Doing Right Now

The advocates of cryptocurrency are seeing some amazing future of the currency and are also expecting that it will replace the Euro and Dollar in coming days.

Cryptocurrency Mining and how it Works?

The traditional money we use is created by the central bank and then circulated to all other parts of the country and the world. The same way Bitcoins are mined by the BitCoin Miners.

Bitcoin miners are the people who deal with some extra tasks other than buying and selling of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. These miners manage the order of the transactions and include them in the Bitcoin block they hunt. This arrangement helps the user to use a single Bitcoin again and again.

Bitcoin mining demands some high-level professional skills with specific hardware and cheap electricity and big data centres. To be a minor one needs to be highly dedicated and spend time in dealing with the matters efficiently and expertise in data management.

Cryptocurrency Market in Pakistan- An Overview

Although appreciated for a long time; the Bitcoin has gained a huge value since 2011. For those who understand the potential of the investment, today is a perfect day to make an investment.

The crypto-currency is nothing like a normal investment. The instabilities in the cryptocurrency market are far much different than other markets or even in the stock exchange. It can also be unregulated and there is a risk that it might get outlawed for some time. So better is to invest from the amount that is kept on a side in the name of saving.

There are three many reasons you must invest in the crypto-currency. These are all followed; because;

1.  You want to keep a safe end to your net worth, at the time when the value of Dollar falls (that is believed by many to fall this way or that, sooner or later).
2. You are an advocate and supporter of the social vision being this currency. This vision says of having hard and free money for the world.
3. You are fond of technology and understand the pattern it works with.

Top platforms to invest in Pakistan

For those who are interested in investing in Bitcoin in Pakistan, the good news is that there are a lot of opportunities to invest and earn in Bitcoin in Pakistan. Here are the two most appreciated methods to invest in Bitcoin in Pakistan.

UrduBit:

It is a Bitcoin exchange that is completely functional and is a comprehensive marketplace to buy and sell Bitcoins instantly. The platform is focused more toward serving the customers who are in Pakistan but anyone from anywhere can sign up and trade Bitcoins from the platform.

Related Read:  Want to Study Abroad? These are 5 Popular Countries for Pakistani Students

If you are making an account on the UrduBit, you will need to deposit Pak rupee and withdraw in Pak rupee into any of your local bank accounts. You will also need to verify your account for which you will need to submit the utility bills and a picture of your with your CNIC.

Due to Know Your Customer and the Anti-Money Laundering Laws, it is important to confirm your identity on UrduBit. If you do not confirm your identity, you can still trade, buy or sell the Bitcoins but you will not be able to withdraw money from any local bank.

The LocalBitcoins.com

This platform works like a classified web portal. There are a number of people on the platform who are buying and selling Bitcoin in Pakistan. The website offers some filter setting to set your personal setting to see advertisements for a specific area only. If you do not set a specific area for advertisement you will see traders from all over Pakistan. On the Bitcoin exchange, the trades can be done fast but on any classified website like LocalBitcoin.com trades are to be done manually. For this reason, it takes some time.

On such websites first you need to talk to the seller, confirm the price and then transfer the amount, once you have transferred the amount successfully, you will then get the Bitcoin to your address.

At LocalBitoins.com every seller has different requirements so better is to check their demands carefully. Also, different sellers have different payment options as some deal in cash while some prefer to use Easy Paisa. Some may ask you to send the amount to their bank accounts. You can use money transfer services like a western union or skrill to transfer the payments as demanded by the seller.

Building your profile in Pakistan

Building your cryptocurrency profile is an easy thing to deal with. You need to create your account on one of the most appreciated websites. It will allow you to process the buying and selling of Bitcoins in Pakistan and around the globe.

However, before you proceed to buy or selling any cryptocurrency, you need to verify the identity that is mostly done with the CNIC of you claiming that you are a Pakistani citizen.

Once you are done with the verification process, you can proceed as an active user in the cryptocurrency market.  However, to stay secure and make sure that your money is secure as well, you need to check all the details about the service providers.

It is also a must to know your seller and their preferences before making a deal. Remember, every seller can deal with a limited amount, check for the limit of your seller. By checking their limit to do business will help you understand if they are able to fulfill your request or not.

To make sure that you are safe or not, look if they have a good feedback from other clients. Check reviews of people who have worked with them in the past. If the reviews are good you can trust the dealing and business sense of the person.

Related Read:  Top 10 Budget Cars in Pakistan You Can Afford

The Bitcoin market is witnessing some major ups and downs with each passing day. Only a few people in Pakistan have an exposure and understanding to what the market is, how it works, and what potential does it hold. If you are looking to earn yourself some amazing opportunities, and proceed with a safer Bitcoin buying and selling, you need to consult the professionals only and find what tips and tricks they hold for you. Explore amazing future for you by investing in Bitcoin today.

Khurram Zahid

The post How Does Cryptocurrency Work and How to invest in it from Pakistan? (A Simple Guide) appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Google also makes a ton of useful apps and recently it has launched Google Trips, a personal trip planner that lets you make the most use of your time and lets you enjoy more of your vacation or adventure while removing the hassle of making extensive plans as most research studies show that the most stressful aspect of travelling is the planning phase.

Let’s talk about how Google Trips works and what it has to offer? It works as a personal trip guide and breaks down your trip into various categories such as day plans, reservations, food and drink, things to do, getting around etc. The whole app seamlessly works offline as you can download trips for each destination you’re planning to visit thus saving you from costly roaming data charges in the process. Google has brought together the most popular sights, attractions and interesting local offerings into one place from 200 top cities in the world under its day plans category. You can choose from multiple day plans for each city.

The trip also does intelligent planning. Obviously not everyone has similar interests or time to take the whole day trips hence you can choose specific places that you might have already in mind and then Google Trips will plan your itinerary around your selected places and time slot. You can also tap on the “Magic Wand” button for more options to nearby sights.  You can keep tapping to get more options from the said button.

While travelling, keeping track of your hotel, restaurant, car and flight reservations can also be a quite tedious thing to manage. If you use Gmail, all your travel reservations are gathered automatically into the app and are organized as individual trips so you don’t have to go through the hassle of digging up into your inbox and finding the relevant emails. Your pickup, drop off, flight and hotel details are all shown under the “Reservations” tile in the Google Trips application.

Vacations are a chance to recharge and experience new places and cultures while having fun and adventure with your loved ones. For your next trip, let the good folks at Google help you see all the sights you want to see, without all the work. Google Trips is available now on Android/iOS and has you covered from departure to return.

Khurram Zahid

The post Meet Google Trips: Google’s Personal Trip Planning App appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

However apart from all of this, Google had two new announcements related to applications in general as well. The search giant announced two new kinds of applications namely Family Library and Instant Apps. These are for the Android platform. Let’s get to know what these are all about!

Family Library:
This is basically an app sharing feature. For example if you download a paid app on your device, you’ll be able to share it with upto 6 members of your family on various devices without having to pay for the same application multiple times. Google is going to enable this feature for all applications after 2nd July and it’s actively asking developers to enable the Family Library feature for past purchases as well but also warns that this decision will not be reversible. However it is unclear at this moment how Google will verify the family members on each account. Apple has an approach where it lets one family member be the organizer and other family members can make purchases on their behalf and charged under a single credit card. Right now it’s the same way how you share a Google Play Music subscription.

Instant Apps:
The other project that’s becoming a reality is known as instant apps. In a nutshell it means running an app without actually having to install it first. The basic concept behind this is that you get a link for the app and it loads only the relevant parts of the app according to your request or need. This will be done on the fly so there won’t be a lot of waiting time included. If you like the app then there will be a button from where you can actually download the full app itself. This can really come in handy if you wish to try out an app before actually buying it but it depends upon Google and the developers on how this functionality will actually be enabled for existing or new apps in the Play Store. Android Instant Apps will be supported on OS versions going back all the way to Jelly Bean, so this functionality will be accessible to over a billion Android users. The new feature will be out for consumers to play with “later this year”, Google says. In the meantime, developers can start working on making their apps compatible. Google has partnered with a small number companies to “help refine the experience”, including BuzzFeed, B&H Photo, Medium, Hotel Tonight, Zumper, and Disney.

Khurram Zahid

The post Google Brings Instant Apps and Family Library For Android Users! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Allo:
Google’s new smart messaging app is called Allo that uses your phonebook to find other contacts that are also on Allo. It’s an approach similar to WhatsApp, Viber and many other messaging applications. It lets you use emoji, ink, stickers and Whisper Shout, which lets you send text messages in an enlarged font to resemble a virtual shout in conversations! It also has Smart Reply feature built into it that learns how you usually respond to messages and can predict replies for messages from your contacts. Smart Reply even has the ability to analyze photos and suggest suitable replies for you to send e.g if you’re sent a picture of a cake, the suggested reply might be “tasty”, “I love cake” or “Happy Birthday” etc. The more you use the app, the more personalized it will become and learn your conversational traits. Allo even integrates Google Now within the app so you can search for sports scores or restaurants or virtually anything. Additionally it also comes with a personal assistant in the form of an AI chat bot that can help you with various requests regarding flight times, tv shows and the likes. Since AI and privacy don’t sound too good together, Google has integrated an incognito mode with end to end encryption to protect your privacy.

Duo:
This is a fast one-to-one video calling application like Facetime. Duo is also made for both iOS and Android platforms. Like Allo, Duo is also based upon your phone number so you can connect with your friends who already have it up and running on their devices.  It also comes with a new feature comically named “knock, knock” that lets the recipient stream the caller’s feed before actually having accepted the call. The video quality is up to 720p HD and the application will automatically adjust the video quality depending on the strength of your WiFi/mobile data connection. It also promises seamless transition from WiFi to cellular data and vice versa.

Both of these applications will be made available for download this summer on iOS and Android platforms.

Khurram Zahid

The post Google Launches New Messaging And Video Calling Apps! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

TPL Maps plans to aid users in Pakistan to reach their desired destinations using the intelligent search option which boasts over 1.35 million Points of Interest all over Pakistan. TPL Maps has over 800,000 unique house Big Pharma Spends on Share Buybacks, but R&D? Not So Much (Published 2017) buy anadrol 50 online best anabolic steroid manufacturer, best anabolic steroids for runners – портал александра эрцгама addresses scattered over a road network of over 280,000km in over 500 different cities of Pakistan.

TPL Maps also has over 55,000 2D models of POIs along with 1500 3D models which will make it easier for users to identify their desired destination in an even easier way and reach there in the shortest time possible.

Expressing his vision about TPL Maps and the partnership, Ali Jameel, CEO TPL Trakker said:

“We have developed Pakistan’s first comprehensive digital mapping solution via Pakistani talent and resources because we believe a localize, in depth mapping solution for Pakistan will define the future of digital payments, ecommerce, 3G/ 4G and social networking activities. TPL Maps, equipped with smart features, will offer services that will change the future of consumer behavior, navigation, distribution process management, advertising and many other areas alongside navigation and maps related services. Partnering with Telenor is a natural fit and we are pleased to have signed this MoU today, two digitally driven Companies are collaborating to bring a fantastic offer.”

Irfan Wahab Khan, Deputy CEO & CMO Telenor Pakistan, speaking on the occasion said:

“Being an innovation-driven telecom company, we are pleased to have entered this promotional collaboration with Pakistan’s major tracking service provider. The need for a bespoke mapping solution like TPL Maps was long due in Pakistan where smartphone and internet penetration continues to grow but even the most popular mapping solutions fail to deliver when it comes to turn-by-turn navigation and real-time traffic updates. TPL Maps is a major breakthrough and Telenor Pakistan is delighted to be a part of the development.”

We must also mention here that Google also in the recent past has launched live traffic updates and turn-by-turn navigation that also works for free and crowd sources traffic data. You can read about Google’s offering here.

The TPL Maps app is live now on Telenor’s App Store as well as Google Play. We’ve listed the links below and you can try these apps. Do let us know about your usage experience in the comments section below. For iOS users, the app will be available in the near future!

Telenor Apps: https://apps.telenor.com.pk/#/download/1079

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tpl.tplmaps&hl=en

Khurram Zahid

The post TPL Trakker And Telenor Launch TPL Maps! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Lack of Proper Infrastructure:
First of all let’s talk about infrastructure. This is probably the Achilles heel of PTCL. They claim to be offering their services across Pakistan but the fact is that they have obsolete and outdated infrastructure and haven’t tried on improving and refining it with the latest technology advances. Even in major cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, PTCL services have been downright poor which is a surprise given the amount of customers and revenue they can generate if they give consistent services.

Lack of Investment in Future Technologies:
In wired connectivity PTCL is behind its competitors by still giving DSL broadband via copper cable whereas other competitors like StormFiber, Optix Fiber and Satcomm have already begun successful rollout of Fiber Optics based internet. Whereas other Broadband providers are taking the market by storm and getting a huge chunk of getting a rising number of broadband users onboard, the biggest telecom operator is  biting the dust and literally pays no heed to the need of the consumers and time both.

Then there also comes the issue of scalability I.e the telephone exchanges lack the capacity to handle new connections. Not just that, there are not enough feasibility checks before installing a new connection to ensure that the speeds commited will be delivered.

Trying to Do Too Much at One Time:
The situation is similar when it comes to  wireless technologies. PTCL  offers numerous wireless Mobile Broadband devices such as Evo Wingle and Charji Evo that boast of speeds between 9Mbps to 36Mbps however consumers are getting  speeds that are nowhere near even the promised speeds by the telecom operator. The underlying reason for this is inferior technology such as EV-DO which is  based on CDMA networks whereas every other ISP/Telco is offering services using 3G/4G networks which offer much better speeds and coverage. This is false advertising and the claims are too good to be true. PTCL is busy offering humongous packages ranging from 20-100Mbps however they are unable to give satisfactory speeds to even 2,4 or 8Mbps users.

Customer Service Issues:
In the end let’s talk a little about Customer Services. This is the backbone of any telecom operator as they handle queries and complains by new and existing customers. However due to the lacking quality of services, the customer services and support department are always overburdened with calls with the users complaining about lack of speeds. Obviously the customer support representatives are short on time and are thus forced to give unsatisfactory and pre-written replies that only aggravates the consumer further and thus a customer thinks of switching the ISP.

We believe that PTCL can surely make things better if they do a self-assessment and prioritize resolution of issues to retain existing customers instead of generating new business. Based on our limited understanding, we propose possible solutions to these variety of issues
1)  Discontinue or limit higher speed packages to specific areas in major cities only and  start giving consistent services to 2-8Mbps subscribers.

2) Initiate a roll out of Fiber Optics based internet services as soon as possible in major cities of Pakistan and communicate the rollout plans  to your existing customers.
3) Upgrade the infrastructure where the number of active consumers is the highest to the latest technology along with increasing network capability to offer better quality of services and improved coverage.

4) Offer promotions/packages that are backed by consistent and reliable quality of services that are not just for short term financial gains.
5) Coordinate with the CSR department to know of the complains being faced by customers and setting up technical support in such a way that addresses such qualms in real-time or as soon as possible basis.

5) Put such SOPs in place that once a customer lodges a complain against the service, it reaches the desired department and is effectively resolved by the respective technical and support staff.

Final Word:
In lieu of the above mentioned issues PTCL should now seriously consider and improve at the earliest because it’s high time PTCL got its act right and upped its game and really showed its competitors that it’s Pakistan’s largest telecom operator having the most coverage but at the same time offering consistent and satisfactory speeds to its consumers as well. We do hope that the word is spread and someone at PTCL with the right authority and capability takes notice of these shortcomings and strives to improve on the brand name and bring back loyal customers as well as attract new customers towards choosing PTCL as their telecom and internet services provider.

Khurram Zahid

The post It’s High Time PTCL Got Its Act Together! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

The chip-and-PIN ATM card technology is not really new anymore as it has been in use in the UK since 2003 and recently the US has been adopting it. It has many advantages over the older magnetic stripe such as it being more secure and it’s not damaged by magnetic fields. Hackers are always out and about trying to crack security systems but it’s easier said than done hence it has been in use since a long time and only now and it has been compromised as well and now they can hack the system and steal your cash. It’s not as easy as on a magnetic stripe card but it’s still very much possible with the right technique and tools. So far theoretically it was impossible because the security protocols encrypted data much more securely as compared to a magnetic stripe card which holds all the data on the magnetic stripe on the back of the card.

US adopted this new system because it would improve the security for the customers, merchants and financial institutions. This is true, but the problem is that when the market pushes in one direction, in this case the adoption of the chip-and-PIN technology, crooks exploit to ways to compromise it.

A new “shimmer” was found, that can be inserted directly in the mouth of the ATM card receptacle, between the chip of the user’s card and the chip reader in the ATM, making possible to record the data from the card while the ATM is reading it. It is fast as it works on dip readers as well (the kind of card reader that requires you to briefly insert your card and then quickly remove it) The device is inserted from the outside of the ATM and no access is required to the ATM internals. Together with a hidden camera and/or a fake PIN keyboard, this can be a deadly combo to steal money.

Using X-Ray scan and other microscopic scans, the researchers figured out that the criminals actually inserted a second chip onto stolen chip-and-PIN cards, enabling them to duplicate the PIN verification on many registers’ point-of-sale (POS) terminal.

The fake chip, known as a FUNcard, enabled the thieves to carry out a Man In The Middle attack, which involves intercepting communications on the point-of-sale (POS) terminal. When a shopper inserts his or her card into a POS terminal, the terminal automatically tries to verify its authenticity. In this case, the FUNcard is waiting with its own, fake “Yes” signal when the authenticity check arrived.The attacker intercepts the PIN query and replies that it’s correct, whatever the code is.

Until 2011, the concept of spoofing the PIN on a chip-and-PIN card was largely theoretical. A group of Cambridge University researchers discovered similar flaws, but this crime ring appears to have been the first time the trick has been practically implemented. Malicious software used on ATMs in Russia and Europe has also broken through chip-and-PIN safeguards, allowing thieves to drain ATMs of cash in at least one case as reported by several news outlets.

We think this was coming, as we mentioned earlier than any man-made technology has the risk of being reverse-engineered, manipulated or hacked in some way sooner or later. We hope that the companies responsible for ATM security protocols devise better safeguards and close any loopholes to avoid huge monetary losses in the future.

It is also pertinent to mention here that this new technology is now also being introduced in the Pakistani market. Banks like UBL, HBL and Faysal Bank are now offering these new chip based cards. However chip-and-PIN technology might totally not be implemented in its true form because the banks have still not implemented the PIN codes and customers still have to manually sign their receipts. The Government  is considering a regulation to enforce banks to move from magnetic stripe to Chip-and-PIN within 3 years however this might get delayed as we don’t have any data for ATM fraud yet because no bank publishes it as well as the fact that Chip-and-PIN cards are more expensive than the current magnetic stripe ones. Even though this newer technology has been compromised we feel that it should be definitely implemented in Pakistan soon.

Khurram Zahid

The post Hackers Crack Chip-and-PIN for Real! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.