UAE’s 2nd operator Du Telecom’s total active mobile customers jumped to 2.9 million, up from 1.8 million a year ago. The quarter saw an additional 156,000 mobile subscribers despite the econ-omic conditions casting a shadow over the industry.
Revenue generated from mobile customers, its main source, grew by 11 per cent to Dh882 million from the first quarter.
A few months ago, it launched a post-paid-based package that offers special rewards and services.
It is striking that du’s fixed and especially its mobile subscription numbers have continued to grow in the second quarter despite the economic downturn and in contrast to etisalat’s performance over the same period.
In the second quarter, competitor etisalat saw its mobile subscriber base fall by almost 40,000, and its fixed lines dropped by 30,000.
The only subscriber growth it saw was for internet connections, which grew by 77,000 due to its access to almost the whole country. Meanwhile, du’s internet services are restricted mainly to free zone areas.
Additionally, du continues to target new entrants into the market with its competitive pricing strategy.
Du’s mobile services tend to be priced more competitively – it offers lower connection fees and per-second charging, for example – and the most obvious conclusion is that those features are proving more attractive to the market at present.
Source : Gulf News
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