Among its four core prepaid and monthly services, two are aimed specifically at the business world. Further products will be launched in the second half of the year, say du officials.
du CEO Osman Sultan says the 0.5 fils per second rate for calls to mobiles and landlines is the main feature separating it from rival etisalat, which charges an initial rate of 50 fils per minute for similar calls, but plans to switch to a per second scheme.
“This new billing concept will allow a precise charging methods for mobile calls and has set us apart in a changing UAE telecom market,” said Sultan.
Other highlights include the Me&Mine package, which allows discounted calls to two specified numbers, as well as payment and recharge options using the handset and a portal on du Sims offering features such as news and sport, games and ringtones.
In addition to the Pay As You Go and Monthly Plan packages, du unveiled its pre-paid Business Pay As You Go Plus and the post-paid Business Mobile Connect services.
Dedicated managers
The packages offer an International Preferred Destination service, where calls to a specified country are discounted by 10 per cent, and the Business Calling Circle, which knocks 25 per cent off calls within a specified company or group of business people.
du says it will provide dedicated account managers who will offer enterprises solutions to tele-communication problems, as well as a du business helpdesk.
“We understand the importance of businesses and their specific telecom needs,” said Sultan. Starting from Sunday, customers who have booked their numbers with du can pay online and confirm their numbers.
As soon as the Sim cards are delivered, which Sultan said could take “a few weeks” due to expected logistical problems, customers will be able to activate their accounts. Another option from February 25 onwards is to collect Sim cards from du distribution channels, including nine dedicated shops and 90 authorised dealers.
Sultan also said customers should expect “a few months” of coverage problems, but said the company would monitor and fix technical glitches. du’s coverage will initially cover 85 per cent of the UAE.
du officials are targeting a 30 per cent market share in three years of operation and say the company will become profitable by the end of the decade.
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du
Calls to all national
mobiles and landlines 0.5 fils per second
National SMS 18 fils per message
International SMS 60 fils per message
Multi Media Message (MMS) 45 fils per 50kb message
Video Calls 1 fils per second
Monthly Plan
Monthly Fee Dh30
Calls to all national
mobiles and landlines 0.5 fils per second
National SMS 18 fils per message
International SMS 60 fils per message
Multi Media Message (MMS) 45 fils per 50kb message
Video Calls 1 fils per second
Business
Tariff
Monthly Fee Dh20
National Calls
(all mobile & landlines) 0.5 fils/second
Video calls (within du) 1 fils/second
National SMS 18 fils/message*
International SMS 60 fils/message*
Data usage 1 fils/KB
Extra Benefits
Preferred Destination 10 per cent discount
Business Calling Circle 25 per cent discount
Tariff
Activation Fee Dh155
Yearly renewal fee Dh100
Initial Credit Dh10
National Calls
(all mobile & landlines) 0.5 fils/second
Video calls (within du) 1 fils/second
National SMS 18 fils/message*
International SMS 60 fils/message*
Data usage 1 fils/KB
Hey,
thats soooooooo cool, open your shops du-guys, I wanna change ASAP
Dubai: For the first time in the UAE’s mobile phone sector consumers have a point of price differentiation, following the announcement of new telecom operator du’s products and prices on Tuesday.
The highlight of du’s offer is a 0.5 fils per second charge for calls to all national mobiles and landlines (and the majority of international calls) – a fee that makes brief calls cheaper and could cut chunks out of phone bills, says du.
Today’s announcement precedes the nationwide launch of mobile services next Sunday (February 11) when du customers will be able to purchase online the numbers they have reserved – just a day before the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority’s (TRA) Monday deadline for the service to start.
However anticipated logistical difficulties mean customers could face a wait of “a few weeks” before they receive their Sim card, admitted du CEO, Osman Sultan. The company also warned customers to expect teething troubles over network coverage and service quality.
He added that customers should expect “a few months” of coverage problems, but said the company would constantly monitor and attempt to rectify technical problems.
Rates
The new per second rates for local and international calls, which will be revealed to the public through a national advertising campaign beginning on February 8, compares to rivals etisalat’s 50 fils per 30 seconds charge for similar calls, although etisalat has signalled its intention to employ a similar per second scheme.
Sultan also outlined du’s main packages – Monthly Plan and Pay as you Go, as well as two packages aimed at enterprises – Business Connect and Business Pay As You Go Plus.
Further segmented packages will follow after “three to four months”, he said
Included in the Pay As You Go and Monthly Plan packages are the Me&Mine National and International packages, where discounts are offered on selected numbers.
A similar offer exists with the business packages where charges are reduced on calls to certain international destination or within a specific company.
Highlights:
du’s coverage will initialy cover 85 per cent the UAE.
More than 500,000 people have booked numbers.
It has been almost a year since du first announced its intention to inject competition into the mobile phones sector.
The new telecoms operator has targeted a 30 per cent market share of the mobile phone market in its first three years of operations.
The company is expected to become profitable by the end of the decade.
When I leave this country, I will find some old mobile phone and stick my sim card in. I will then go and plug it in the wall of some quiet office somewhere, under a desk or behind a chair.
I will then dial a sex line in North Korea, and walk away and leave it.
Hopefully it won’t be discovered for decades.