Mobile entrant Du signs interconnection deal with Etisalat

The UAE’s new national telecoms operator Du has signed an interconnect agreement with the country’s national fixed line operator Etisalat – almost a year after the pair first began talks on the process. Commenting on the agreement, Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer of Du, said: ‘The interconnection agreement marks an important milestone for the UAE’s telecom industry. It is a necessary pre-condition for the launch of our mobile services. In addition, one of the most significant outcomes of this agreement is that it will allow Du to offer fixed line calling services across the UAE in a phased manner during 2007. This agreement, which is based on the sound regulatory principles that have been adopted in the UAE, will go a long way in ensuring a healthy and dynamically competitive environment for end-users, considering the fact that Du is entering a telecom market that is one of the most penetrated in the world.’