du greets its customers on ’Vishu’ with recharge and win contest

Greeting its customers on the occasion of Vishu, the south Indian harvest festival, du, the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider today announced a recharge and win contest for Pay as you Go® customers to win tickets to a show organized by Asianet featuring performance by leading film stars from Kerala in India. By simply using the ‘more international’ option on AED 100 or AED 200 WoW recharge card and sending recharge card number by SMS to 6961 , du customers have a chance to win tickets to the show, scheduled on 10 April.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “Our heartiest greetings go to our customers on the joyous occasion of Vishu. By simply using their du recharge cards and the more international option, not only will they make lot of savings on international calls, they also have an opportunity to celebrate this festival with their loved ones and their favourite film stars, presented in association with our partner Asianet. We hope our customers appreciate our gesture and make full use of the opportunity.”

du is partnering Asianet in presenting the marathon 5-hour long event on 10 April that will have performances by well-known film stars such as Navya Nair, Biju Narayan, Unni Menon and many more. The event is scheduled to be staged at Sheikh Rashid Auditorium in Dubai from7:30 pm onwards. The recorded programme will be also telecast on Asianet TV channel on 14 April, the day of Vishu festival at 8:30 pm.

‘more international’ from du enables customers to get extra credit of upto 60% for international calls. On AED 100 denomination recharge card, du customers get a credit worth AED 150, valid for 20 days. On AED 200 denomination recharge card, du customers get a credit worth AED 320, valid for 30 days.

Each SMS sent by du customers to participate in the contest will cost AED 3 and the winners will be notified by Asianet.

du has strong presence at Terminal 3, Dubai International Airport with shop and payphones

To facilitate easier communication for passengers in transit at the new Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport, du, the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider, has announced the availability of a du shop in the arrivals section in addition to payphones at convenient locations throughout the airport. With du payphones, the calls will be charged by the second, which means paying only for actual talk time.

du offers 2G and 3G mobile coverage in Terminal 3 and the additional presence of du shop and payphones will further facilitate communication needs of customers.

Making the announcement, Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “Increasing customer convenience has always been our priority. By ensuring easy access to the du shop and kiosk, we are enabling customers to get connected as soon as they arrive. Our payphones will also enable them to keep in touch with family, friends and colleagues conveniently.”

du payphones can be used to make national, international or mobile voice calls. To use a du payphone, customers will need to purchase an AED 30 denomination prepaid card and insert it in the telephone. Prepaid cards are available at duty free shops and at the du shop located at the airport terminal.

The du payphones can also be used to call emergency numbers. There are separate speed dial keys for contacting the Police, ambulance services and information desk. Calls can also be made to access du directory services by dialing the speed dial ‘du Directory’ on the payphone.

du improves its presence at Manar Mall, Ras Al Khaimah

In a move to provide easier access to du’s portfolio of products and services to customers in Ras Al Khaimah, du, the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider, today announced the expansion of the size of its kiosk at Manar Mall, a prominent shopping destination in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, to almost double. Local dignitary Sheikh Mohammed Bin Kayed Al Qassimi, Vice Chairman of the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Department, Board Member of the Union University and President of the Ras Al Khaimah Club presided over the opening of the expanded kiosk, along with representatives from du’s senior management.

The du kiosk at Manar Mall is conveniently located on ground floor and will sell du Pay as you Go® SIM cards, Elite Plan lines, WoW recharge cards, du Call Select (fixed line service), as well as provide bill payment services for both individual and business customers.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “The expanded du kiosk at Manar Mall will open new doors for our customers in Ras Al Khaimah, by providing easier access to our products and services. It demonstrates our commitment to strengthening our presence around the UAE, by being a visible force in a wide variety of locations, to facilitate service convenience for all of our customers.”

du’s wide range of products and services for individual and business customers are available through du’s retail network, currently numbering 31 du shops and kiosks, located in strategic locations across the UAE. Customers can also purchase du’s products and services at more than 3000 authorised dealers or online at its e-shop www.du.ae/en/where-to-buy/eshop.html

du hosts Wireless Broadband Alliance Roundtable Conference

du, the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider, announced today that it is hosting the 15th Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) Roundtable Conference in Dubai from 20th – 23rd April; the first time that such a high-level meeting of leading WBA global telecom operators is held in the Middle East.

The conference consists of four separate sessions across the four days – including the WBA Summit 2009, the WBA-WFA Joint Cooperation Workshop and Networking Dinner, and 1- on-1 Meetings, concluding with the WBA Members Conference. Souhail Haddaji, Vice President, Marketing Fixed Products at du will be delivering a speech titled ‘Overview of Recent Wi-Fi Developments’ on 20th April 2009.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “We are committed to actively engaging with experts and industry partners from across the globe, to enable us to continually deliver an improved service and experience to our users; not just in the UAE, but whenever they travel abroad. Hosting this forum will bring us a variety of significant opportunities for future partnerships with global telecom leaders, for the future benefit of all du customers.”

du, which is the only WBA member from the Middle East region, intends to use the forum to accelerate the establishment of wireless broadband roaming relationships with other leading WBA partners from around the world.

In forging successful alliances, du users will be able to enjoy a unified wireless broadband experience – as if they are connecting to their home operator when they travel abroad and connect to WBA member networks.

The event will also be a significant opportunity for du to increase visibility of its variety of broadband services – for enterprise and domestic use, in both local and regional markets.

WBA meetings are considered as the definitive occasion for telecom providers to discuss opportunities for driving wireless broadband services adoption; in a forum that allows industry leaders and partners to proactively engage with each other.

The WBA was founded in 2003 by a group of leading telecom operators including BT, Korea Telecom, Maxis, NTT Communications, StarHub and T-Mobile USA as the original founding members. WBA now has 40 of the leading wireless broadband operators and vendors as members across Asia Pacific, Americas and Europe as of December 2008.

The objectives of the WBA are to facilitate global wireless broadband roaming between member operators across networks, technologies and devices, and to increase wireless broadband adoption by fostering collaboration between members.

du Elite Plan and Premier Plan come to life with interactive UAE-wide roadshows

du, the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider today announced that it is holding UAE-wide roadshows for its customers following the recent launch of Elite Plan and Premier Plan. The month-long roadshows cover prominent locations across the UAE and include interactive activities and experiences inspired by du’s brand ambassadors for Elite Plan, Indian movie superstar Shahrukh Khan, the creator of the region’s beloved animated series Freej – Mohammed Saeed Hareb, and leading Emirati jewellery designer Azza Al Qubaisi, while experiencing the world of unique benefits that du’s new Elite and Premier plans have to offer.

Among the exciting and fun-filled activities lined-up include a photo opportunity with life-like virtual Shahrukh Khan, an interactive experience with Freej where people get to record their voices on a Freej video clip. The road show is also displaying intricate works of leading Emirati jewellery designer Azza Al Qubaisi. Customers can get first-hand information about Elite Plan and Premier Plan and purchase on the spot through the stands on various locations by providing requisite documentation.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said; “Our philosophy is also about empowering users with the best tools, services and experiences in mobility, and we decided that there was no better way to make this a reality than by becoming mobile ourselves and taking the Elite and Premier Plans directly to consumers. By doing it we are enabling customers across the country to experience the benefits of the plans in an innovative and interactive format.”

With an eye on offering freedom, value, flexibility and control to its business customers, du’s ‘Premier Plan’ is a feature-rich monthly mobile plan for business customers designed to offer multiple privileges such as the option to switch between business and personal wallet (postpaid and prepaid respectively), pick special numbers and flexible corporate rate plans.

Offering significant innovation, personalisation and convenience to its customers, du’s ‘Elite Plan’ is designed as the smart choice for high-end individuals. The plan offers monthly rewards comprising of 55 national calls, 55 national SMS and 5 MB of data usage, up to 75% bonus on international calls, *dial feature (star dial feature which gives the first of its kind benefit of a prepaid account on a post paid plan) and a choice of special Gold, Silver and Bronze numbers.

Benefiting from attractive roaming rates and extensive footprint, Elite Plan and Premier Plan users 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.

Elite Plan & Premier Plan 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

All this is on top of a 50% further discounts on all national calls within “MyFamily” plan as well as the exclusive feature of 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.

To purchase Elite Plan, customers pay AED 125 and get back AED 124 in credit. The following will need to be presented upon purchase:

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, a salary certificate or payslip outlining a minimum salary of AED 2,500.

To purchase Premier Plan, customers pay AED 55 only. The following documents need to be presented upon purchase:
• Copy of trade license
• Copy of passport or UAE driving license (authorisation letter is required in case applicant is not the owner)

du Elite Plan and Premier Plan Roadshow Schedule

Location Date Time
Mall of the Emirates – North Galleria, Dubai 24 April – 9 May 10am – 10pm
BurJuman Centre, 1st Floor, Next to Virgin, Dubai 14 May – 23 May 10am – 10pm
Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi 6 May – 16 May 10am – 10pm
Festival City, Atrium Ground Floor, Dubai 23 April – 2 May 10am – 10pm
The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residences, Dubai 23 April – 9 May 12pm – 10pm
Wafi Shopping Mall, First Floor, Next to Paris Gallery, Dubai 2 May – 9 May 10am – 10pm
Dubai Airport Expo , East Hall, Dubai 29 April – 2 May 5pm – 12am on 29th April / 10am – 12am on other days
Uptown Mirdif, Next to Spinneys, Dubai 8 May – 14 May 12pm – 10pm

For further details on du’s Elite and Premier roadshows, or to purchase either of the plans, visit any of the 30 du Shops located in strategic locations across the UAE and partner outlets such as Axiom, FONO, One Mobile, Jumbo, Eros, Jacky’s, Emirates Computers and Plug-Ins or at www.du.ae.

du announces lucky winner of Andrea Bocelli AED 10,000 raffle

du, the UAE’s integrated telecom services provider, announced today the lucky winner of the grand AED 10,000 raffle prize, from the entries made to the draw during the Andrea Bocelli concert in Abu Dhabi.

Australian national Ranjith Powell was selected as the winner after entering the draw at Italian operatic pop tenor and classical singer Andrea Bocelli’s concert, held live at Emirates Palace on 27 March.

People were entered into the draw via an on-the-spot activity at the Emirates Palace venue, which asked people at random if they wished to participate in the du ‘Smart People’ activity. Those that agreed were photographed, and their image uploaded to the www.smartpeople.ae website. All those that were photographed were entered into the raffle, with an equal chance to win the AED 10,000 grand prize.

Powell, who has lived in Dubai for two years and subscribes to du services including TV, landline, internet and mobile, explained how he came to enter the competition. He said; “My friends had invited me to the concert and even though we were running late, I noticed the du raffle promotion and decided to enter, despite my friends telling me there was no point! When I found out I had won, they couldn’t believe it and said that it was meant to be! I am absolutely thrilled to have won this fantastic prize thanks to du, especially after having such a great evening at the concert. With the money I’m going to buy gold and jewellery for my mother. Thank you du!”

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “The Smart People activity was a fun and experiential way to connect with customers and present to them our new Elite and Premiere Plans in a unique way and part of a teaser campaign towards the launch of those products. We then added the element of excitement by offering all participants the chance of winning a cash prize. We congratulate Ranjith on his good luck and are happy that the activity was such an astounding success, enjoyed by all of those that took part.”

The Andrea Bocelli event, sponsored by du, formed part of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival, in conjunction with Flash and LiveNation. du remains committed to bringing the best in entertainment to the UAE by sponsoring a number of diverse music concerts, and to bringing du to life for customers through competitions and other experiences.

du launches More Talk, More Music offer on all its SIM packs

Innovating on its value proposition for mobile content, du has announced the launch of yet another ‘first in the region’ proposition – a limited edition ‘More Talk, More Music’ promotional offer with all its SIM packs.

On purchasing a new du Pay as you Go ® line for just AED 55, customers will receive AED 54 worth of free talktime as well as AED 56 worth of entertainment content.

This can then be used for downloading the month’s top Islamic and music content by way of full track music download, ringtones and videos; from a choice of popular content genres – Arabic, International, Bollywood, Malayalam and Tagalog.

The AED 54 worth of free talktime is given in the form of AED 21 on the first call and AED 11 per month over the next three months.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said; “For the first time in the region, a telecom operator is actually attempting to give free Mobile content along with every SIM pack. The More Talk, More Music promotion reiterates our commitment to offer an unparalleled user experience. Not only will a new du customers get free talktime when they purchase a new Pay as you Go® line, they also enjoy free entertainment content for their mobile made possible by our exclusive partnerships, such as the ones with Al Majd for Islamic content beside Rotana and Hungama for other content; allowing them to enjoy life even more, while on the move.”

A similar offer can also be enjoyed by those who purchase the new Elite Plan or Visitor Mobile Line. On purchasing the Elite Plan for AED 125, Elite Plan users will receive AED 124 worth of free talktime and AED 126 worth of entertainment content or in purchasing the Visitor Mobile Line for AED 49, customers will receive AED 48 worth of free talktime and AED 56 worth of entertainment content.

For customers who have handsets that do not support the download of such content, they would be given AED 56 worth of monotunes which can be enjoyed on their current handsets

Furthermore, all existing du mobile customers can purchase the entertainment content worth AED56 for a one time discounted charge of AED 6. To buy such content, du customers can SMS 1 to 1234 for further instructions in Arabic or SMS 2 to 1234 for instructions in English.

This offer is only available for a limited period only while the free entertainment content would have to be used by 30 September, 2009. For more information on how to benefit from the offer or to purchase it, visit www.du.ae, or visit any one of the authorised du dealers.

Benefits at a glance:
1. Pay as you Go® gives AED 54 worth of free credit over three months and AED 56 free entertainment content credit to be used by 30 September 2009.
2. Visitor Mobile Line gives AED 48 free credit over two months and AED 56 free content credit to be used by 30 September 2009.
3. Elite Plan gives AED 124 free credit over four months and AED 126 free entertainment content credit to be used by 30 September 2009.

Free entertainment content given as:
- Full music tracks, ring tones, and videos
- Music content will be the top content for the month – featuring the best in Arabic, Bollywood, International, Islamic, Malayalam, and Tagalog content.

du launches national 800 toll-free service for businesses with the power of per second billing

In a move to enable the UAE’s businesses to better serve their customers, du, the UAE’s integrated telecom services provider announced today the launch of its national 800 service with per second billing. The unique service provides businesses with a number that can be easily remembered by customers, and which charges all incoming customer calls at per second rates.

Businesses can select a phoneword that most closely matches their business activity and use it as a customer number for example 800-my business. The choice of the name means that it is a much easy-to-remember prompt for customers, and removes the need to memorise a certain number; as well as providing increased visibility to the brand by making the name easily recognisable and distinguishable over that of competitors.

As part of the national 800 service, businesses will be offered significant cost savings on their bills, by only paying by the second for incoming calls.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “du is at the cutting edge of providing telephony services and solutions that fit the needs of the region’s businesses. 800 services is a key business tool that not only provides added convenience to customers, employees and suppliers; but it serves to raise the profile of a business’ brand. Combined with the power of per second billing, we are confident our new service will give our businesses a truly exceptional competitive advantage. We encourage customers to visit their nearest du shop or find out more information through the website at www.du.ae.”

du inaugurates three new outlets in UAE Capital Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Municipality, Abu Dhabi Mall and Carrefour

du, the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider, recently opened three new outlets in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, providing customers easier access to du’s portfolio of products and services. While new du shops have been opened at Abu Dhabi Mall and Airport Road Carrefour in Abu Dhabi, an existing service facility was expanded to create a du kiosk at the Abu Dhabi Municipality.

The new du kiosk in the Abu Dhabi Municipality is conveniently located in the customer service area, and its opening was inaugurated by Hamad Salem Lekhrebani Al Nuaimi, Executive Director of Commercial Affairs Sector, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (DEP), Maher Murad, VP Sales, du and Ahmed Abu Rahima, VP Government Relations, du.

Each of the new du outlets will sell du Pay as you Go® SIM cards, Elite Plan Monthly Plan lines, WoW recharge cards, du Call Select (fixed line service), and will offer bill payment services for both individual and business customers. In addition, the du shop located in Abu Dhabi Mall will offer a wide range of mobile handsets for sale.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “The opening of three new outlets in the capital strengthens our presence in the UAE; through shops and kiosks which are within easy and convenient reach of the local community. These three new outlets will open new doors for residents and visitors in Abu Dhabi and we look forward to welcoming both new and existing du customers.”

du’s wide range of products and services for individual and business customers are available through du’s retail network, currently numbering 30 du shops and kiosks, located in strategic locations across the UAE. Customers can also purchase du’s products and services at more than 3000 authorised dealers or online at its e-shop www.du.ae/en/where-to-buy/eshop.html

du begins summer celebrations as gold sponsor of Al Ain Mall ’Travel Season’ campaign

In a move to reach-out to customers in Al Ain, du, the UAE’s integrated telecom services provider, is joining in Al Ain Mall’s celebrations for the summer, as gold sponsor of its ‘Travel Season’ campaign. Shoppers who spend AED 200 or more in du shop or any of the mall’s other outlets, will receive a raffle coupon which entitles them to enter a raffle draw and win various prizes, with the chance to win the grand prize – a car.

The campaign, which lasts till 15 June, includes a variety of activities. The Travel Season campaign will also feature a wide variety of live music and entertainment, including acrobatic shows onstage in the heart of the mall. Apart from the grand prize of a car, shoppers can also win other prizes from du, worth up to AED 550.

During the promotional campaign, all shoppers are invited to the du shop, located on the mall’s first floor, to find out about du’s wide variety of products and services and ongoing promotions, while winners of the weekly raffle can visit the shop to claim their special du prize.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “In sponsoring events such as Al Ain Mall’s Travel Season campaign, we are fulfilling our vision to reach out- and get closer to customers in the UAE. Participating in the campaign is an excellent way for us to gain momentum for the start of the summer season, and raise awareness about the fantastic products and services that du provides to customers.”