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Etisalat cuts prices for calls abroad
By WAM and staff reporter on Wednesday, February 07, 2007
UAE telecom operator, Etisalat, is introducing a discount service for customers calling abroad.
The Global Friend & Family package, which will be live by the end of this month, will enable all Etisalat fixed line and mobile customers to select three international numbers, and they will be able to call these numbers at a 20 per cent discount at any time.
This discount will be applicable on call costs at both peak and off-peak rates.
A monthly rental of AED 20 will apply for this service when it launches towards the end of February.
The Global Friend & Family package, which will be live by the end of this month, will enable all Etisalat fixed line and mobile customers to select three international numbers, and they will be able to call these numbers at a 20 per cent discount at any time.
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A monthly rental of AED 20 will apply for this service when it launches towards the end of February.
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User Comments (13 comments) 
Posted by Anil Kumar, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 17 June 2008 at 13:56 UAE time
Etisalat Customer service remains pathetic, I usually wait 10 minutes listening that my call will answered shortly. What I do not understand is when to activate it is so easy why not to deactivate. Just do not subscribe to this it has got rental of AED 20 and then you can call within that amount anyway.
Posted by Zeena, Dubai, UAE on 16 June 2008 at 16:42 UAE time
Hi, please don't activate this service in your mobile, because customer service staff will call u & activate this service very easily. But while canceling this service they require the registration name, id , PO box . If u know it then fine...if u forget then u have to visit Etisalat office personally to deactivate this service. Why don't they tell us in advance about the cancellation procedure as well?? Not a good service at all......
Posted by Timmy, abu dhabi, uae on 19 February 2007 at 15:03 UAE time
well, the only way to prices coming down is by having more companies that offer the same services otherwise keep dreaming..
Posted by Nishant, Dubai, UAE on 12 February 2007 at 08:02 UAE time
This promotion is not worth as its shown. Need more competition in this market, etisalat's monopoly has ended but need another 2 players in this market for proper competition. As everyone else pointed out that etisalat's services are overpriced, I dont mind paying but I should get the value for what I pay.
Posted by asim riaz, dubai, uae on 12 February 2007 at 07:34 UAE time
While agreeing with most of the comments,i strongly beleive that Etisalat desperately needs professionals who are capable of understanding market dynamics and customers needs.Only this will enable to stay afloat in todays competitive world
Posted by ASHWIN.LALWANI., DUBAI, INDIA on 11 February 2007 at 20:42 UAE time
Etisalat is still the one of the most expensive telephone service provider in the world. In All other countries the international and mobile charges are cheap at this side of the world, only with etisalat due to monopoly, charges are more .
In today's world if you reduce costs you will rein in more customers making more calls thus the average profits increase seeing the large customer calls, made.It is high time etisalat reduces the international call rates and mobile charges also.In India we just pay a fraction of the charges what we pay here , but still the company's that provide the telephone services make more profits because the usage is much more.
Posted by Krassimir Deliradev, Abu Dhabi, UAE on 10 February 2007 at 18:09 UAE time
What a pathetic attempt to appear competitive! Can Etisalat justify the monthly rental charge of 20 Dhs? When will they be really concerned with improving the value for money of their much overpriced service?
Posted by Ghulam Sajjad, Sharjah, UAE on 10 February 2007 at 16:16 UAE time
Well, i agree with most of the comments above, it serves no purpose, Etisalat is charging still too much for abroad comapare to other countries like from pakistan, we pay just RS. 100 (6 Dhs.) for 30 minutes for a call to UK, this money doesn't last more than 3 minutes when you call UK from here, that not fair at all
Posted by ikan adik, Dubai on 10 February 2007 at 10:57 UAE time
Elsewhere in the world, when they launch the same sort of campaign, there's NO other charges, but then again, its Dubai and then again, its Etisalat. Anything can happen. The revenue goal line will never end.
Posted by Johnson on 8 February 2007 at 13:15 UAE time
I was pleased to read the caption 'Etisalat cuts prices for calls abroad' However, the pleasure was short lived to reckon that it will be limited to 3 numbers only. There was another setback waiting when i further read that there will be a monthly charge of AED. 20/- Its like killing me softly?.
Posted by Xen Chia, Dubai, UAE on 8 February 2007 at 11:18 UAE time
Looks like Etisalat's response to cut prices was nothing more than a desperate attempt to protect customers like me running to du. Unfortunately they are not sincere in giving value. The Etisalat's offer give discounted IDD rates, but collect it back by charging me the Dh20 monthly fee. Unsurprisingly, they took so long to realise that they have not been giving customers value and now frantically copying du's every step of the way - first they announced plans to launch bill by the seconds, and now the rate cuts in IDD. What's next? I thank du for competing with Etisalat and bringing real value for customers. I am definietly switching to du.
Posted by gopalakrishnan, dubai, uae on 8 February 2007 at 08:36 UAE time
It is a wounderful step.But my humble submission is , to diversify the benifit to the low income group , the rent of dhs 20 per month for service charges is not a well come step.It is requested that even if this is inevetable,please charge this to the custemer who got a bill above dhs 200/300 so that you get a wide and broad base of users making use of this offer from the govt. Thanking you,Regards
Posted by Amitabh Khanna on 7 February 2007 at 22:45 UAE time
The Etisalat offer on international calling is a very poor attempt to preempt Du's plans. More over it smacks of "extracting more while giving back little". How can it justify the monthly rental. It is a sad way to recoup the potential revenue loss that will be inevitable. It appears that the monopoly is still dreaming of making money hand over fist. Why are they clutching straws. Let them compete with better service and promote usage by really giving the users something they will notice.
There are many innovative ways to promote equitable competition. Wake up Etisalat!