1.3 billion SMSs say ‘Eid Mubarak’

By Romail Kenneth
Wednesday, October 17, 2007

KARACHI: Pakistani mobile-phone users have sent almost 1.3 billion short messages (SMSs) to their near and dear ones this Eid.

According to a conservative estimate, Pakistani mobile-phone users availed the SMS service to greet their loved ones on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, sources in the sector revealed.

SMS is a cost effective way to greet people on any special occasion and according to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), till the month of August there were 68,004,091 million mobile-phone users all over Pakistan who have used this service.

While in the month of September it is expected that cellular mobile subscribers have reached up to 72 to 73 million as during the month of Ramazan a large number of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) have been sold out, sources added.

Few years back printed Eid cards were used for greetings which was later substituted by the electronic Eid cards, but now SMS is considered as the most inexpensive way to greet people.

Now with the help of mobile phones equipped with the latest technology, a mobile user can greet all his friends and family members by clicking a button. Apart from this, cell phone subscribers also get irritated as their mobile services were continuously disrupting. It was really hard on the eve of Eid till the Eid morning when almost every one wants to wish their family and friends by calling them up or sending SMS to them and find network busy.

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