Third MVNO arrives in Oman

The Times of Oman writes that the country’s third mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) has launched services in Oman. Halafoni, which targets the youth market with its pre-paid SIM packages, is a joint venture between radio stations Hala FM and Hi FM, and Connect Arabia, the company behind fellow Omani MVNO FRiENDi Mobile. ‘Halafoni is a totally new concept in the Sultanate,’ said Eleanor Azar, CMO of Connect Arabia, adding, ‘Our pre-paid SIM card has all of the standard functions you would expect like SMS and international roaming but what makes us different is that our product is centered on the needs and aspirations of the young and trend-setting crowd.’ The Halafoni starter pack, dubbed ‘Easy Kool’, is priced at OMR3 (USD7.81) and includes 50 free minutes and 50 free SMS for the first two months of subscription. It also offers 50 free ‘download points’, allowing users to download extras such as ringtones and wallpapers.