Mobilink & Pakistan Railways to introduce Automated Public Information System

ISLAMABAD: June 11, 2008 - Mobilink, the country’s market leader in cellular services with more than 31 million customers and part of Orascom Telecom, today announced the launch of the Pakistan Railways Automated Public Information System (APIS) at a press conference in Islamabad.

Mobilink will equip 160 APIS systems at 30 railway stations nationwide which will display the Arrival & Departure timings of all Up & Down trains including the status of delayed trains; approximately 80 million passengers who travel by trains are expected to benefit from this service. The new technology products will be provided to Pakistan Railways free of cost by Mobilink, with the Mobilink- UTNT consortium providing training to the railway staff. The service will be further enhanced as the data will also be available on cell phones through SMS/IVR service around the clock.

Bilal Munir Sheikh, Vice President Marketing, Mobilink stated at the press conference “The railway system is an integral lifeline of Pakistan and to support the railways by installing new technology products like the automated public information system will not only help millions of passengers at the railway stations across the country; but is part of our commitment to the people of Pakistan to bring relevant Value Added Services.” He also said, “This is a Mobilink-UTNT consortium design which will help in displaying timely and accurate information of train arrivals and departures not only on railway platforms but also on mobile phones.”

Mr. M. Kashif Murtaza, Secretary and Chairman, Pakistan Railways commented, “We acknowledge the role of Mobilink for providing us this facility free-of-cost and appreciate their national spirit, commitment and delivery of the automated communication system that will improve our services significantly for the benefit of passengers and their families. The railway platform is a very busy place where time is of essence and these technology systems will keep everyone updated.”

The L.E.D based information boards will be installed at 30 railways stations to display updated Arrival-Departure timings of trains mainly from railway station entry points. The technologically advanced display systems and interactive message centers will be online on UCN (UTNT’s global communication network design) and will be operated from a central location in Lahore. For ultimate authenticity and accuracy of the Arrival & Departure Data for Trains, the system will be operated by the Railways’ Train Monitoring system as well as through GPS technology for error free data directly from locomotives. Additionally, UTNT will also provide the interactive message systems, which will be controlled by UTNT and operated by designated Railway staff.

In 2007, the Railway authorities received tenders from 6 different companies to provide these services; with the Mobilink-UTNT consortium being the only group to offer the system free of cost as a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. The Mobilink-UTNT consortium will provide the necessary solution at designated railway stations which will be funded entirely by Mobilink for a period of 3 years.