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Du introduces Unlimited BlackBerry for UAE subscribers (UAE)

  • August 11th, 2008
  • 2:02 pm

Du, has introduced a new promotion called Unlimited Blackberry for its subscribers in UAE. The new and existing BlackBerry subscribers can now benefit from no activation or monthly fees for unlimited service until 5 November, 2008, all they have to do is just register themselves.

Post promotional period, subscribers will have to pay AED 130 for the ‘Unlimited National’ data plan per month and AED 260 per month for the ‘Unlimited International’ data plan per month to have access to email, messaging and internet.

For companies, du provides Blackberry Enterprise solutions that enables wireless enterprise applications and connectivity to back-end systems. In addition, du’s Blackberry Internet Service is more suited to individual users who need wireless access to communications and information.

   

BlackBerry Du to be launched soon for the prepaid and corporate subscribers - CEO (UAE)

  • August 6th, 2008
  • 6:41 am

Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC, or Du, Chief Executive Osman Sultan revealed, that the company will be launching Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) BlackBerry in the Persian Gulf state after recieving goverment’s approval.

“Everybody knows BlackBerry and it was necessary for us to expand it to our entire customer base including prepaid customers,” Osman Sultan reported.

Earlier it was only Etisalat, that was the sole operator to provide BlackBerry in the UAE, which was launched 2 years ago.

Along with targeting the prepaid subscriber, it will also facilitate the corporate subscribers.

This launch indicates a cut throat competition among the two operators to win the licence to market Apple iPhone.

“Apple will make the decision with the regulators, we want to offer our services to our customers through any devise they wish it to be a BlackBerry interface, Microsoft Windows mobile, or Apple’s iPhone,” he said.

   

Du to sustain its position until 2012 (UAE)

  • July 29th, 2008
  • 1:00 pm

Inspite of calls for more competition, it will be four years before the United Arab Emirates gets another mobile operator. TRA declined to comment, the watchdog’s director general has previously said it was standard procedure to give a new entrant such as Du a two or three-year grace period to gain market share and become sustainable before adding a third competitor.

According to the statistics, the country’s wireless market is currently divided between Etisalat and Du claimed 77.7% and 22.3% market shares respectively at the end of March 2008.

Data Roaming services for Customers of Celtel Nigeria in US,UK,Ghana and others

  • July 29th, 2008
  • 9:18 am

Data Roaming services by Celtel Nigeria in many hot spots of the world including the United States of America, United Kingdom, Ghana, and Kenya.

Others include South Africa, the United Arab Emirate, Sri Lanka, and Gabon, Senegal and Kuwait. Customers of Celtel can now do data roaming on a number of mobile networks in several countries of the world such as Cingular in the USA, Cincinnati Bell Wireless, USA, Orange in the United Kingdom, DU of UAE, Vodacom in South Africa, Tigo (Millicom) of Ghana, Celtel Gabon, Celtel Uganda and Celtel Kenya.

UIR service in 30 states (Riyadh)

  • July 29th, 2008
  • 6:48 am

Unified international roaming (UIR) service in 30 countries around the globe which will charge only SR1 per minute for receiving calls and SR1.50 for outgoing calls within the countries and to the Kingdom.

Saudi Telecom Co. (STC), the region’s largest telecommunications company has launched this service. This move by STC comes following complaints by clients who have used the roaming facility during their travels and were shocked by the high bills. “Excellence in customer service is our No. 1 priority,” said Al-Daweesh (STC President and CEO). “By enhancing our efficiency, we continue to maintain our leading market position and generate additional growth internationally by strategically planned developments, such as the UIR Network, to fulfill STC’s personal communications potential to the maximum extent by providing the best service with the least cost.”

Data Roaming in UK, USA, Kenya for Celtel Nigeria customers

  • July 23rd, 2008
  • 1:53 pm

Celtel Nigeria LogoCeltel Nigeria is now offering DATA ROAMING SERVICES to its customers in many hot spots of the world including the United States of America, United Kingdom, Ghana, and Kenya.

Others includes South Africa, the United Arab Emirate, Sri Lanka, and Gabon, Senegal and Kuwait. Customers of Celtel can now do data roaming on a number of mobile networks in several countries of the world such as Cingular in the USA, Cincinnati Bell Wireless, USA, Orange in the United Kingdom, DU of UAE, Vodacom in South Africa, Tigo (Millicom) of Ghana, Celtel Gabon, Celtel Uganda and Celtel Kenya.

According to Celtel’s Chief Marketing Officer, Norman Moyo, the commencement of GPRS (General Packet for Radio Services) roaming opens Celtel customers to new realm of opportunities and possibilities even while away from their offices and home.

Virtual mobile ‘no threat’ say etisalat and du

  • May 27th, 2008
  • 7:18 am

The top executives of the two telecommunication providers in the United Arab Emirates say they have nothing to fear from the introduction of competition from new mobile operators in the future.

The chairman of etisalat and the chief executive of du were speaking on the sidelines of the Middle East Communications Exhibition and Conference (MECOM 2008) which was officially opened yesterday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre by HE Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority and CEO of Mubadala Development Company.

Both were responding to questions about Mobile Virtual Network Operators, which provide services to their customers over the existing infrastructure of licensed operators. They have dramatically changed the telecom landscape in Europe, the US and parts of Asia, bringing down the cost of calls.

The head of the UAE Telecommunications Authority, also speaking on the sidelines of MECOM yesterday, said it was premature to discuss their immediate introduction but mobile virtual network operations would be examined “down the road.”

Their introduction into the UAE would be seen as “an opportunity and not a threat” by Mohammad Hassan Omran, Chairman of etisalat. “I think it will happen with all the alliances and partnerships taking place and there will not always be the need for new networks to be established – we can provide them,” he said. Asked if etisalat would consider becoming a virtual operator in overseas markets, he added: “I would love to.”

Osman Sultan, CEO of du, agreed mobile virtual networks were “not a threat in a mature market” such as the UAE and it was “natural that these things should happen.”

With 6,500,000 customers, etisalat is the UAE’s biggest telecom provider and is expanding dramatically internationally with ventures and partnerships in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Du, with two million customers, is concentrating on the domestic market.

Mohamed N. Al Ghanim, Director General of the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, said it was premature to discuss the early entry of virtual mobile operators. “Competition has only just started and we are looking at the market,” he added. “We will look into it down the road. First we will have to see if the market will be able to absorb another mobile operator, or a virtual mobile operator. It is a question of timing. We must do things in stages, just as in Europe and the rest of the world.”

Virtual mobile network operators don’t own infrastructure but buy bulk time at a discounted rate from licensed mobile network operators and resell to customers with additional services. There are now more than 300 such operators across the world and in some countries they outnumber licensed operators.  The first country in the Middle East to establish a legal framework for virtual mobile is Jordan.

MECOM 2008, which continues until Wednesday 28 May 2008, is being held under the patronage of HH General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

MECOM, with more than international and regional exhibitors, is the region’s premier dedicated event for the telecommunications industry showcasing the best in hardware, software and services. MECOM is officially supported by the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and Dubai Internet City. ICT Industry Partner for the event is Dubai Internet City. Platinum sponsors are etisalat, the UAE Information and Communication Technology Fund and du. Gold sponsors are Ericsson, Blackberry, EMS and the Abu Dhabi Media Company.

   

 

 

Du’s subscriber base keeps on growing (UAE)

  • September 17th, 2007
  • 3:22 pm

UAE second national operator Du has reached the 850,000 mark for mobile subscriptions, seven months after it launched services, CEO Osman Sultan told the Gitex Technology Conference in Dubai. Du competes with incumbent Etisalat,had close to six million subscribers at the end of June 2007. Wireless penetration in the UAE was around 120% at the end of 2006, before Du even started offering services, demonstrating the enormous appetite for mobile services in the wealthy Gulf state. On average, Du has signed up 4,000 new mobile customers a day since its launch in February 2007.

   

du goes with Nokia for mobile e-mail (United Arab Emirates)

  • August 22nd, 2007
  • 3:21 pm

UAE telco du has selected Nokia’s Intellisync mobile e-mail solution to offer wireless e-mail services to both private and business users. du, which launched its mobile services in February, claimed more than 500,000 subscribers by the end of June, while market leader Etisalat had just under six million customers at the same date.

   

 

du reports increased net loss despite strong revenue growth

  • August 1st, 2007
  • 3:24 pm

Second national operator du reports that for the second quarter of 2007 revenue grew 184% year-on-year, boosted by a doubling in size of its wireless subscriber base to more than 500,000 users and increased fixed line telephony sales. Revenue came in at AED302.3 million (USD82.3 million) for the three-month period, while net loss widened to AED280.8 million from AED215.84 for the corresponding period last year. In the six months to end-June capital expenditure reached AED899 million as the rollout of the cellco’s GSM and W-CDMA networks continued. Chairman Ahmed bin Byat stated: ‘du has now firmly established itself as a telecom provider in the UAE,’ before adding, ‘we achieved these results despite being a new entrant to a market with unprecedented penetration. We are moving forward with full force, and as promised, we are continuing our dedication to our customers, strategic partners and shareholders.’