|
Dubai: du said it will allow new customers to register for mobile numbers starting on November 26, but details about pricing and its launch may have to wait until January.
CEO Osman Sultan said du, the UAE's new telecom operator, will launch a number booking campaign from November 26 to December 14, with full confirmation of the registered numbers coming on December 28.
Following this initiative, Sultan said he would have more details to announce on pricing, as well as du being able to measure demand and thus a probable launch date.
He said it was possible that pricing schemes and a launch date could be announced in January. "After the registration campaign, we will be revealing full pricing offers," Sultan said. Last week, du said it would charge customers by the second, instead of in 30 second increments like etisalat.
Under a campaign beginning next week entitled "055 my number," etisalat customers wishing to switch to du may carry over their seven digit number at a cost of Dh100. However, etisalat customers must change to du's 055 prefix, which was announced at a du press conference during Gitex.
The registration fee won't be charged until December 28, when the booked numbers are confirmed. After this, du will begin delivering its SIM cards. New customised numbers may cost Dh2,000.
With the confirmation date coming in the last days of 2006, it appears du's operational launch could begin in early 2007, meaning du would likely miss its target of offering service by year-end.
du created its number booking campaign after learning customers would have to wait until the end of 2007 to take their entire 10-digit number to du due to technical difficulties.
|
