I landed at Dubai airport, and before I left the airport premises I had my own UAE number and SIMcard with Blackberry connectivity. Getting local mobile connectivity in Dubai is quick and hassle free.
There are only two telecom service providers in the UAE: Etisalat and Du (Yes, 'Du' is the name of a telecom service provider!). You can check out their plans and features at www.etisalat.ae and www.du.ae before flying. However, this may not be necessary as their outlets have well-trained customer service persons (usually of Indian origin so if you are Indian / Paki, you get all your information in Hindi!) .
As you land, collect your luggage and move out, you will see an area which has various stores (mostly hotel booking centers). You will be able to see Etisalat and Du stores in this same area. You can visit both the stores and find a plan to your liking. Obviously, on a non-resident visa you can avail only prepaid plans.
Du plans are usually cheaper than Etisalat and are recommended by Dubai residents. However, if you want to use Blackberry in Dubai as a tourist or business traveller, then Etisalat is your only option as Du does not have prepaid Blackberry services in UAE.
To register, you only need to show your passport, fill in a form, and pay the activation fees. The SIMcard takes a few minutes to activate and register and Voila! You are connected.
Also, if you take the Blackberry prepaid plan in Dubai and intend to use the internet, don't go for the AED 49 social networking plan as you won't be able to use data packages (internet on mobile) with this plan. Etisalat does not allow upgrading the plan, so if you purchase the social networking-only plan and later want to use the internet on your BB, you will have to cancel the social networking plan and buy a new package, and you will lose your AED 49. Not a good idea, is it?
And yes, ask all your questions to the customer care rep at the store. You want to avoid calling their helpline, as it takes atleast 20-30 minutes of waiting before you will be able to connect with a human being on the Etisalat mobile helpline!
I really liked the speed and ease with which the entire SIMcard acquisition and activation happened. And I thought everything in Dubai must be a piece of cake. Well, I later realized that this only meant I still had a lot to discover !
There are only two telecom service providers in the UAE: Etisalat and Du (Yes, 'Du' is the name of a telecom service provider!). You can check out their plans and features at www.etisalat.ae and www.du.ae before flying. However, this may not be necessary as their outlets have well-trained customer service persons (usually of Indian origin so if you are Indian / Paki, you get all your information in Hindi!) .
As you land, collect your luggage and move out, you will see an area which has various stores (mostly hotel booking centers). You will be able to see Etisalat and Du stores in this same area. You can visit both the stores and find a plan to your liking. Obviously, on a non-resident visa you can avail only prepaid plans.
Du plans are usually cheaper than Etisalat and are recommended by Dubai residents. However, if you want to use Blackberry in Dubai as a tourist or business traveller, then Etisalat is your only option as Du does not have prepaid Blackberry services in UAE.
To register, you only need to show your passport, fill in a form, and pay the activation fees. The SIMcard takes a few minutes to activate and register and Voila! You are connected.
Also, if you take the Blackberry prepaid plan in Dubai and intend to use the internet, don't go for the AED 49 social networking plan as you won't be able to use data packages (internet on mobile) with this plan. Etisalat does not allow upgrading the plan, so if you purchase the social networking-only plan and later want to use the internet on your BB, you will have to cancel the social networking plan and buy a new package, and you will lose your AED 49. Not a good idea, is it?
And yes, ask all your questions to the customer care rep at the store. You want to avoid calling their helpline, as it takes atleast 20-30 minutes of waiting before you will be able to connect with a human being on the Etisalat mobile helpline!
I really liked the speed and ease with which the entire SIMcard acquisition and activation happened. And I thought everything in Dubai must be a piece of cake. Well, I later realized that this only meant I still had a lot to discover !
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