No difference in monthly charges as they seem similar to what other mobile operators are offering, (Read our earlier compilation of BlackBerry rates and handsets http://review.com.pk/2009/08/blackberry-in-pakistan/).

For rates of handset please read on

Zong is offering two handsets the BlackBerry Bold 9000 and Curve 8900. Also another interesting thing is that Zong is launching an installment program for owning these handset, which is as follows. Also its only being offered for postpaid customers at the moment. The installment plan is pretty useless as is apparent from the calculations, an 8900 Curve will cost you a whooping !! 72 thousand in 2 years as against the regular price of 40,000, similarly a 9000 Bold will cost almost double of its regular 45k price.

Picture from Flickr user Abunet

After capturing a lot of prepaid market Zong has introduced the much awaited postpaid packages. Its not that previously they had no postpaid packages but they did not have packages with different rates for different usage patterns.

Are the packages worth buying check the details after the link

Looks good and tempting don’t they but before you plan to take the plunge do consider these extra costs and notices
first up are the interconnect charges

So what does this mean. it means though in the first table it looks tempting that you can call any network at the same charges you can call Zong numbers but when you add up the interconnect charges the picture is not so good. For example for the 300 Package if you dial a non Zong number you get 0.45+0.5 that comes to a whooping 0.95 per 30 second and for a minute a roughly about 1.9 Rs per minute (WITHOUT TAXES). So the picture does not remain pretty, Other operators packages are still competitive.

and don’t forget to read these smaller details which usually come to hurt you later

• 30 Sec billing
• Air-time rate for both On-Net & off-Net calls are same
• Off-Net Calls i.e. Calls to other mobile operators & PTCL will be subjected to Interconnect charges given above
• Free minutes will be calculated on per minutes basis
• We will offer 5 FnF (on-net only) numbers on 100, 300 & 600 package
• FnF addition charges will be Rs 15 for each addition
• For FnF Addition / Modification dial 1313 from your Mobile
• Spouse number will only be applicable on Rs 1200 price plan with zero charges
• Spouse number can be added / changed once in a month
• Free minutes calculation for Rs 1200 price plan will be exclusive of Spouse number as the charging on Spouse number will be zero
• Free Minutes on 1200 package are exclusive of Spouse number
• Spouse number can be added by calling our help line or visit our Customer services centre
• Rs 2000 LR package will have 6800 free minutes in total, 6000 minutes will be On-Net with a daily cap of 200 Minutes (Fair usage policy)
• The first 200 minutes of the day will be charged at Rs 0 after which charging will be done at On-Net Airtime rates i.e. 0.1 per 30 sec

the most hilarous will be claiming that airtime for on and off-net are same. If you are charging interconnect then the addup is not the same (Wish i could say it sarcastically like they do in their adds )