du launches ’Elite Plan’: A postpaid plan offering a world of mobile privileges for elite individuals’ needs

Offering significant innovation, personalisation and convenience to its customers, du – the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider announced today the launch of its ‘Elite Plan’ for individual mobile users. ‘Elite Plan’, motto of which is “smart people. Smart choices” , is designed as the smart choice for high-end individuals by offering a choice of special numbers, the benefits of a prepaid account on a postpaid plan and monthly rewards and up to 75% rewards on international calls depending on the monthly volume of international calls.

Elite ambassadors for the new du plan include Indian movie mega star Sharukh Khan, the creator of the region’s beloved animated housewives, Freej – Mohammed Saeed Hareb, leading Emirati jewellery designer Azza Al Qubaisi and famous Lebanese TV presenter George Kurdahi.

In an endeavor to become UAE’s preferred brand – du will soon announce its latest collaboration that promises to “Surprise” discerning customers across the country.

Osman Sultan, CEO of du said: “Elite Plan is du’s first personalized, postpaid mobile package where choices, benefits and rewards are not the exception but the rule! It is built around the premise that smart people make smart choices, and is in a league of its own by offering all the distinct benefits sought after by discerning individuals. Elite Plan is a unique package that combines a reward plan on international calling, where one can get up to 75% reward on international calls, with the added convenience of having a prepaid account on a postpaid plan. Moreover, it offers a superior choice of personal numbers, monthly rewards and attractive roaming rates; all in one enhanced user experience from du.”

What is the *dial feature?
* dial (star dial feature) is a first in the region and a unique feature for du Elite Plan customers. It offers the convenience of a prepaid account on a postpaid plan, which gives the user the opportunity to avail the benefits of a prepaid plan such as the three recharge options with more time, more credit and more international.

For call charges to be deducted from the prepaid account, du customers need to prefix * before entering the number they wish to dial. Calls made using the * dial feature do not reflect in the monthly bill.

International Roaming
du customers can stay in touch across 5 continents with its extensive International Roaming footprint. Customers can roam with over 360 leading telecom operators spread over 132 countries enjoying a full range of services such as making and receiving calls, sending and receiving SMS, accessing high speed mobile internet, and much more at attractive rates while travelling abroad. Customers roaming within the GCC can enjoy incoming call rates of only AED 1.25 while roaming.

du subscribers can also access mobile internet and Blackberry email service in over 230 mobile networks worldwide. In addition, du has tied up with over 75 network providers in 47 countries to provide 3G (voice and data) roaming services, making du’s 3G international roaming coverage the biggest in the UAE. du customers with 3G phones can access high speed internet and other 3G services while roaming in these networks.

MyFamily
Creating MyFamily from an Elite Plan line enables customers to enjoy its numerous privileges, such as:
• 50% discount on national calls within MyFamily
• Sponsored calls – letting du lines within MyFamily call the family head for free while the family head will be charged for the calls
• get one bill for all MyFamily members, with the concenience of adding up to 14 UAE mobile numbers (du or non du) to MyFamily.

Special numbers and monthly commitment:
Whether a new or an existing du customer, customers can choose their very own number with Elite Plan. These special numbers are free. Customers have to commit to a minimum monthly spending amount according to the preferred number category as indicated below:

If the usage charges are equal to or higher than the minimum monthly commitment amount, customers only pay their total usage charges.
If the usage charges are lower, only monthly committed amount is paid.
The monthly commitment does not cover SMS sent to premium numbers or short codes and calls made while roaming abroad.

• Choice of special numbers: Gold, Silver and Bronze
• Monthly rewards comprising of 55 national calls, 55 national SMS and 5 MB of data usage
• International calling rewards: Up to 75% rewards on international calls
• *dial feature (star dial feature): Benefit of a prepaid account on a postpaid plan
• MyFamily: 50% further discounts on all national calls within MyFamily
• Pay by the Second: where all outgoing Voice and Video calls made from the UAE will be charged by the second and not rounded up to the next minute. This means that customers pay only for what they actually use.
• Attractive roaming rates and extensive footprint
• Free credit back: Pay AED 125 and get back AED 124 in credit
• An enhanced customer experience including Elite hotline

For more information on du’s Elite Plan, which will be presented in du’s new black palette packaging, call the du customer care line on 155 from a du mobile line or 055 5678155 from any other line. To subscribe, visit any one of the over 30 du shops and kiosks around the UAE, one of the over 85 premium dealer outlets, or purchase online by logging on to http://shop.du.ae

Customers will need to present the following to subscribe to the Elite Plan:
UAE Nationals: Passport/National ID/ UAE driving license.
Residents: Passport with a valid residency visa (visa not required for GCC nationals) and one of the following: Utility bill with physical address, tenancy/ ownership documents, or a salary certificate outlining a minimum salary of AED 2,500.

Dubai International Financial Centre Gets Full-Service Immigration Office for Convenience of Member Firms

A VIP delegation from the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Administration (DNRA), paid an official visit to the full-service immigration office at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), which caters to the needs of the growing DIFC community.Marwan Lootah, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at the DIFC Authority, welcomed the top-level delegation, which was led by Lt. Col. Awad Alowaim, Assitant Director for Management and Finance.

Members of the high-ranking DNRA delegation included Lt. Col. Khalifa Matar Mubarak, Assistant Director for External Centres Sector, as well as Khalid Adullkarim, Director of Finance and Investment; and 1st. Lieutenant Salem Bin Ali Head of Naturalization & Residency – DIFC.

Marwan Lootah, DIFC Authority Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, said: “We have created a lifestyle option at the DIFC, making it a preferred destination to live and work in for the global financial industry.

“Today, the DIFC is ranked the world’s fastest growing international financial hub. We have 20 of the world’s top 25 banks and 6 of the world’s 10 largest asset managers. Attracting top institutions from across the world has been helped in a major way by the ease of doing business from the DIFC. The partnership with the DRNA has brought another added convenience to the DIFC Community,” Lootah added.

LT. Col. Awadh Al Owaim Director of General Dep. Of Human Resourses & Finance at Department of Naturalization & Residency– Dubai (DNRD) said, "This visit comes in line with strengthening the strategic partnership and finding ways for collaboration with DIFC. He stressed the Department’s efforts to expand its corporate and community relations to execute one of the strategic plan goals that the Department pursues and to reinforce the integral and strong role between DNRD and its major strategic partners so they can achieve security system for the community in the Emirate of Dubai.

Lt. Col. Khalifa Matar Mubarak Asst Manager of External Centres Sections praised the efforts of staff in specialised areas at DIFC and pledged to overcome any obstacles facing them. He asserted his endeavour to enhance DNRD work at DIFC through creating a distinguished work environment to raise the performance level and support the sense of professional dedication of staff.This strengthens DNRD role, according to Balqoubaa, and its responsibilities in community through its contribution to the development of its political systems and internal communications and sustainability of the high quality and excellence in achievement.