Dubai: Imagine a world without your mobile phone or answering a question without having the internet to help you answer it.
The UAE would be a different place without the services of etisalat and du, but Gulf News readers feel that the service providers need to lower their rates to keep customers happy.
Hemant Mundhra, a group finance manager, feels that the telecom providers have not gone the extra mile to help their customers save money.
He said: "The services and offers are not necessarily benefiting my wallet. I still spend a lot of money paying my telephone bills."
Mundhra, an Indian, felt cheated when he subscribed to a country plan, which would've saved him 40 per cent on international calls to India, but charges him extra when calling other countries.
He said: "The service provider added the last statement at the end of the offer."
Mundhra added that since their services have improved, they should also lower their rates to attract more consumers.
Nilmereneaus Maratas, a Filipino structural engineer, has been using the mobile and internet services ever since he arrived in Dubai four years ago.
He said: "I have never experienced any problems with my mobile phone reception. I think the quality and reception have improved."
Although Maratas had noticed more promotions being offered, especially after du came into the market, he feels that international call rates are still expensive.
He said: "This country has many expatriates whose families live overseas, so it is necessary to have cheap international call rates."
Maratas added that it would encourage more people to make calls, therefore increasing the telecom providers' revenue.
Nikhat Alam, a field coordinator in an insurance company, on the other hand had noticed a decrease in her telephone bill when calling her family in the UK.
Reception
She also said that the mobile phone reception had improved.
However, the internet services were a different story, as Alam, a Bangladeshi, spent more than one hour on the phone with multiple etisalat customer service agents while trying to fix her internet connection issue.
Alam, a Dubai resident, said: "They [etisalat] have come a long way in terms of technology. However, their staff needs to be more knowledgeable about the products and services they are dealing with."
