MUSCAT, 20 March 2005 — Oman Telecommunications Company (Oman Mobile), the sultanate’s pioneer mobile telecom operator, yesterday unveiled 13 new “exciting offers’’ to cope with the liberalization and deregulation going on in the country.
‘’We cherish the competitive environment”, declared Dr. Amer Awadh Al-Rowas, Oman Mobile managing director, while recounting new and old steps taken this past year since the inception of the new company to offer quality service to the public.
Only last week Nawras, a joint venture among Qatar’s Qtel, Denmark’s TDC and Omani partners, launched its much-awaited mobile products with a media blitz to lend a new edge to the telecom industry’s ongoing privatization drive.
“We wholeheartedly welcome Nawras, as we believe that competition will bring the best out of us”, asserted Al-Rowas as he announced cuts in tariffs and other facilities for mobile telephone users whose number is growing by the day.” But we don’t believe in price war.’’
He announced a 25 percent cut in the GSM monthly subscription to 3 Omani rials. Subscribers can also say goodbye to distance based billing.
‘’From now onward, they can call anywhere in Oman with a new pricing plan which is cheaper and simpler - the peak price offer being 49 baizas per minute and off-peak prices 39 baizas per minute.’’
Also, Oman Mobile, a 100 percent Omani-owned company, has waived the 5-rial subscription fee and introduced roaming facilities where subscribers can receive calls and SMS in 76 countries.
The call tariff for pre-paid Hayyak subscribers has been reduced to 55 baizas for the peak period and 45 baizas for off-peak hours.
He also announced a new Hayyak 1.5 rial top-up voucher suitable for students and low budget subscribers, which will soon be available in Oman.
