Few think customers will benefit from internet choice

Only 11.3 percent of people think Dubai customers will see the financial benefit of being allowed to choose their internet provider by 2010, according to the latest Arabian Business poll.

The online survey found the smallest amount of respondents thought that du and Etisalat would undercut each other to attract more customers.

On the other hand, 39.6 percent of people said the two Dubai-based telcom firms would keep their prices the same, so customers would see no benefits.

At the moment it depends on what area of Dubai a person lives in as to which service provider they can use. For example, in Discovery Gardens, residents have to subscribe to du for telephone and internet services.

However, Osman Sultan, du CEO, speaking at this weeks GITEX, said the opening up competition on fixed internet access was the "the next big thing".

He was reluctant to give an exact date on when this might happen, but said that it could be as soon as next year.

"I don't have full visibility, but what I can tell you is we will see something happening in 2010, for sure," he said.

The AB poll found that 17.1 percent of people supported the move, saying that at the moment the biggest problem was the lack of choice.

While 32 percent said it would be a good start, but added that there needed to be another service provider in the market before any real price reductions would be seen.

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