will you leave Qtel for Voda..?

offers and rational ones too. The current offers are not good enough to go for them. But for sure the approach of Qtel employees have changed during the last one year. They are very friendly these days.

But there are some old Qtel guys who were shifted to ICT for the licensing department who still behave as if they are above the customers. Even Voda can't do anything about it

What is likely to happen, as in other countries, is that each company will come up with deals that obscure just how much you are paying for your calls.

It's happening with the Sharhy service, where you pay xxQAR per month and you get some free texts and included calls etc.

Each company will probably offer similar, but not identical, packages of plans that consist of a minimum monthly spend with included services and costs for additional services.

The end result will be that you won't be able to walk into a QTel shop and a Vodafone shop and say 'how much is line rental, how much is it to send a text, how much is it to call per second'.

Yes, but many (I'd say more than half) don't, especially in Qatar due to poor quality of connection.

tallg, many businesses I know use VOIP, some have been using it for years.

Really? You mean I can keep my mobile number unchanged and switch my service to Vodaphone?

You wont need to leave your number, you can port your number over to Vodafone and keep it.

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Mr. Q's Blog - A Qatari's view on Qatar.

I think loyalty should not come into it. Its business. If the new company provides a better / cheaper service they DESERVE your business. Thats what makes the capitalist system work !

However, I have lived in 2 other countries where the market was de-regulated and found no need to change providers. The incumbent company (Qtel in this case) will improve their act, - I have no doubt.

As to learning a new phone number, - who needs to? Does anyone use anything other than speed dialling / stored numbers ?

I'll just get another phone! And later on, if one really is dependable enough, take out the less needed one!

"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"

Q tel squeezed lot of money from us. Now lets stop this!

There will be a healthy competition. I will choose the right one when Vodaphone will be established fully.

Yes bleu, in business definitely, and in personal when you're not at your computer.

I beleive so. especially in business.

Kwan: Are there people who still use a regular phone for international calls?

Voda will have an edge with all their worldwide marketing skills. Whereas Qtel will just come up with some look good schemes with lot of catches..this is my opinion. But for sure the telecom rates will come down. and one immediate effect will be felt on the iternational calling charges. you can't offer the current rates in this age of VOIP..

Vodafone will get landline and internet licenses...

After they stabilize their service levels, I'll be comparing them. I care more about the internet, and would probably switch to vodafone if they gave a much faster connection (16Mbps or something like verizon's fios Fastest fiber to the home - Download up to 50 Mbps / Upload up to 20 Mbps @$139.95/mo.)

Thanks humzafar.

even if Qtel lowers its price by 95% i would still throw it in the scrap and go for vodafone...basically coz i cannot forgot the 35 years Qtel has looted me with its monopolistic prices and dead features then....

cheers..rayes

Qtel will probably lower their prices making me stick by them.

NOT at this moment... I'm still happy with Qtel

No Tg, they had got the landline license also.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=241868&version=1&template_id=48&parent_id=28

OH...not even in their future strategy? Just Mobile?

firingflower - Vodafone only have a mobile license, not internet or landline.

I might shift to vodafone, but if i were to do so, i'd have to reprint my business cards, stationary etc.. but over all i might wait for a little while if i were to do so, I want to see what offers and rates Vodafone comes up with and would love to hear reviews of people who are using it. Cheers...

I hope Voda can offer cheaper prices and better internet stability and high online speed.

The price war is already taking place. What else do you call Qtel offering 10% free as I described above?

Price war wont take place as it's governed by Telecom requlatary

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but still holding a DU number, being a regular visitor to UAE. The main issue with DU is poor connectivity once you are out of Dubai, it really sucks

I've had no problems with Qtel in the 2 and a half years I've been a customer, so unless Vodafone is significantly cheaper I'll have no reason to change.

Plus Qtel are already rolling out the special offers (10% extra when you buy QR100 Hala) so I'm already benefiting.

Vodafone wont be available til July/August anyway, so you've got a while to wait.

That's funny, my husband and I were just having this same discussion last night. If Voda is better, then heck yeah I am signing up with them!

Motherhood...The hardest job you'll ever love! : )

the coverage will be the same unlike Du in UAE. Voda and qtel will compete in terms of pricing and new features.

I think now their service is very good !

Etisalat (Govt owned- same as QTEL) they offered same ETISALAT numbers to customers who were willing to keep both mobile numbers .. I had du and Etisalat same numbers but their codes were different:

du: 055 - 1234567

Etisalat : 050 - 1234567

so if this is the case then sure du will come up with code dialing numbers.. then I will keep both numbers or else i will use the number service which is cheaper for me.

Etisalat in UAE.....It is very difficult for the French telecomm co (DU). to survive with local infrastructure even after 2 years in UAE, the service of DU is terrible due to network sharing and connectivity issues.

Lets hope for the best and will see how Vodafone compete and survive.

I'm staying put! When Mobily started up in KSA, their service was swamped whilst Al Jawal improved due to less subscribers. I think the same will happen here.

i will leave Qtel for anything better...

but they are not new to this business and they have experience from different markets.

No loyalty issue here, but there are no guarantees that vodafone's service will be any better, they're a new company here, and they will share QTel's infrastructure.

Absolutely. Can't wait to be rid of QTel. Hope that they get the chance to bid for landline and internet services too.

please remember any service will be better than Qtel for sure, thats why I aksed about the loyalty part.

You can keep the mobile number if you move to vodafone, I will need to see their prices, and whatever QTel does before changing providers.

Voda numbers are starting with 7, so close numbers will be difficult to get. and I am not sure whether they will allow you to select the numbers.

I agree with Victor

check the offers, if very lucrative then go for a better number, close to the existing one and pick up Vodafone!