[October 04, 2012] Manufacturers look up to UAE as a launch pad: Du Tweet Oct 05, 2012 (Khaleej Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The tech-conscious and fast-paced lifestyle of the UAE--s populace makes it a market of choice to launch the latest in technology, a top official of the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company said. The telco, popularly known as du -- which is, for the first time, the official telecommunications partner of Gitex Shopper -- has continued to prop up its services and offers to help not only achieve its business goals, but also to provide the best possible experience to its cus. "A lot of handset manufacturers are now concentrating on the UAE to be the first market to launch their new products," Yasser Al Yousuf, director of du's Premium Personal Market Commercial, told during the event at the Dubai World Trade Centre, or DWTC. "They see the growing demand for it in the UAE... so we are working hand-in-hand with them to bring all the latest models here." Du, according to Al Yousuf, now has a market share of 47 per cent, or over six million subscribers, in its mobile business, and said that the telco is definitely on the right track to grow this further and sustain its good business. "Keeping our current customers by pleasing them with our services will help us in this drive," he said, adding that du is making all efforts in order to help UAE consumers learn the latest in telecommunication innovations. At Gitex Shopper, Al Yousuf said that du is concentrating on offering the best deals on mobile and data packages. While the company has enjoyed continued success at the event throughout the years, he said the return to the DWTC has only made consumer response better. "It's definitely better as more people are coming in, with majority of them looking for data solutions... Gitex Shopper is a great way for us to present our latest products, as well as interact closely with our partners to achieve our sales target." "Because of the improved facilities, you won't even feel the crowd even if a lot of people are coming in." Al Yousuf assured the kind of service awaiting customers at du's stand: "We have an experienced team, the right one to help clients. Aside from that, management is also here to provide extra support." He said it is important to adapt to the fast-paced changes in the telecommunication industry, as the requirements of consumers vary with current trends or what is new in the market. With du's offers -- a lot of which are exclusive at Gitex Shopper -- Al Yousuf said the telco has been receiving a lot of positive feedback, most especially on the value-for-money angle. Du launched its new nano SIM card at Gitex Shopper, which will fully support any device that would require it, one of which is Apple's iPhone 5. When asked how soon du would have the handset on its product line-up, he said that this is currently in the "development stage" and that as soon as the iPhone 5 is officially launched in the UAE, du will be ready with their offers. Al Yousuf also gave an assurance on du's 4G network: "We would like to say that our network is already tested and certified to support the iPhone 5." He also pointed out that du is working even more with its partners with regards to near field communication, or NFC, which is integrated into a number of handsets. A phone with NFC capability allows it to establish contact with another device. Al Yousuf said that du is helping expand NFC usage, and that there are "a lot of projects" going on to incorporate NFC into payment transactions. "NFC will transform your phone into your wallet... this is the future; your phone will be your life," he said. Among du's offers at Gitex Shopper are free data bundles with its Elite and Emirati Plans. It is also offering long term evolution, or LTE, support via an LTE Internet key for only Dh99. Purchases on a Samsung Galaxy Note II will also come with an offer of 2GB of data per month for 12 months for only Dh100. ___ (c)2012 the Khaleej Times (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) Visit the Khaleej Times (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) at www.khaleejtimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]