Du and Vodafone sign partnership deal

Du, the United Arab Emirate’s second largest cellco by subscribers, has inked an agreement with the UK’s Vodafone, allowing exclusive access to Vodafone’s products and services. The partnership will be implemented in various phases in the coming months, providing Du customers with improved voice and data roaming access in 67 countries. In turn, Vodafone will be able to utilise its partner’s 3G network in the UAE, offering customers extended coverage within the country. The partnership will also help increase Vodafone’s brand recognition by extending its product range to a growing market in the Middle East. CEO of Du, Osman Sultan, said, ‘This alliance will bring substantial benefits to our customers and shareholders, becoming a catalyst for expanding our service portfolio and improving our operational efficiency.’ According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database, Du increased its wireless market share from 22.76% at the end of September 2008 to 26% by the end of the year, at which point it claimed a subscriber base of 3.05 million, up from 2.07 million a year earlier.