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Discuss this article (14 Comments)Telecom rivals battle for BlackBerry customers amid spyware scandal
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Sunday, 26 July 2009
BLACKBERRY BATTLE: Rival telecom firms Etisalat and du are vying for customers. (Getty Images)
Both Etisalat and du have launched special offers within days of each other as the battle for customers intensifies in the wake of the controversy surrounding alleged spyware software Etisalat issued to its BlackBerry subscribers.
More than half of Etisalat’s BlackBerry customers are planning to ditch the UAE telecoms provider following the spyware scandal, according to an online poll conducted by Arabian Business last week.
Etisalat is facing fierce criticism after allegations it deliberately infected BlackBerry customers’ handsets with surveillance software to check on peoples’ emails and texts.
On Saturday, rival telecoms operator du launched a credit back offer of AED904 ($246) for new or existing customers of its BlackBerry service.
A day later on Sunday, Etisalat announced a special promotion, giving subscribers to its More Rewards programme AED24 free talk-time in the form of bonus points.
Some 36 percent of BlackBerry users who took part in the Arabian Business poll said they will cancel their Etisalat contract “immediately” and switch to du.
“We continue to receive new enquires about our BlackBerry offering but it would be impossible to attribute these enquires to any one reason in particular,” said Saugat Chatterjee, PR manager for brand and communications at du.
Chatterjee denied du’s latest offer was timed to coincide with the fallout from the spyware controversy but was, instead, an announcement as part of planned commercial offers for customers.
Tell us what you think about the Etisalat spyware scandal? Which service provider would you choose to go with? Post your comments below.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
The Truth about this mess... for an CIO's point of view
Posted by JADed, Abu Dhabi, UAE on Saturday 1 August 2009 at 10:31 UAE time
Having lived here for decades, what Etisalat says is true.. They are not spying on you. They are a business. They are not the montior. That is TRA's job. As a business they are protecting thier turf, that is to make more money to the billions that they already make. They do this by blocking Skype, VPN sites and Proxies. Sykpe 4.x is so wonderful that receiver of the call will not know that you are calling over the internet. So this is why..
Most of the new mobiles have 3G connectivity. You have now numerous new software for mobiles that do VoIP from your mobile with 3G. On a wifi connection, they can block you from their data services. But on the BlackBerry the internet is open. The service is provided under a secure connection by RIM. Etislat can't touch it without cracking the BB code. Try www.skype.com on your BB.
Need I say more?
Posted by JADed, Abu Dhabi, UAE on Saturday 1 August 2009 at 10:31 UAE time
Having lived here for decades, what Etisalat says is true.. They are not spying on you. They are a business. They are not the montior. That is TRA's job. As a business they are protecting thier turf, that is to make more money to the billions that they already make. They do this by blocking Skype, VPN sites and Proxies. Sykpe 4.x is so wonderful that receiver of the call will not know that you are calling over the internet. So this is why..
Most of the new mobiles have 3G connectivity. You have now numerous new software for mobiles that do VoIP from your mobile with 3G. On a wifi connection, they can block you from their data services. But on the BlackBerry the internet is open. The service is provided under a secure connection by RIM. Etislat can't touch it without cracking the BB code. Try www.skype.com on your BB.
Need I say more?
What about Du?
Posted by Ali, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 28 July 2009 at 14:42 UAE time
Du and Etisalat are owned by the same entity, the UAE Government. So I find it hard to believe that while Etisilat are trying to spy on people, that Du have not done the same.
Perhaps Du are ALREADY doing this and just have better software.
Why has nobody from Du come forward to assured us that theyare not spying on our calls, emails and texts?
Posted by Ali, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 28 July 2009 at 14:42 UAE time
Du and Etisalat are owned by the same entity, the UAE Government. So I find it hard to believe that while Etisilat are trying to spy on people, that Du have not done the same.
Perhaps Du are ALREADY doing this and just have better software.
Why has nobody from Du come forward to assured us that theyare not spying on our calls, emails and texts?
No surprises
Posted by Doug, Dubai on Monday 27 July 2009 at 15:27 UAE time
Why is anyone surprised? Take a look at the Etisalat web services site. The option to set up mobile pay has been 'under maintenance' for over a year and you can't use international credit cards.
The whole company is staffed by people who don't really have a clue and there's no incentive for them to get one.
Posted by Doug, Dubai on Monday 27 July 2009 at 15:27 UAE time
Why is anyone surprised? Take a look at the Etisalat web services site. The option to set up mobile pay has been 'under maintenance' for over a year and you can't use international credit cards.
The whole company is staffed by people who don't really have a clue and there's no incentive for them to get one.
Competition in the UAE??
Posted by Khalid, Khobar, Saudi Arabia on Monday 27 July 2009 at 11:47 UAE time
I don't get your comments or your actions, why do you think moving to Du you will be better off or under a different treatment?? Du and Etisalat are owned by the same entity, the UAE Government! There's no choice my friends.. Etisalat just made a stupid slip-up which easily Du would've done anyway (being the same decision-makers). Besides, if there was true transparency, a company can sue Etisalat/Government in some international court for breach of their contractual terms, confidentiality rules, and international law.
But trust me, UAE will just hide this nicely under the rug :)
Posted by Khalid, Khobar, Saudi Arabia on Monday 27 July 2009 at 11:47 UAE time
I don't get your comments or your actions, why do you think moving to Du you will be better off or under a different treatment?? Du and Etisalat are owned by the same entity, the UAE Government! There's no choice my friends.. Etisalat just made a stupid slip-up which easily Du would've done anyway (being the same decision-makers). Besides, if there was true transparency, a company can sue Etisalat/Government in some international court for breach of their contractual terms, confidentiality rules, and international law.
But trust me, UAE will just hide this nicely under the rug :)
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