A Telecom Giant in the UAE: The Story of du

Emirati Integrated Telecommunications Company P.J.S.C., dually branded commercially as du was established in February 2007, six months after liberalizing the telecommunications market of the UAE. Until that time, the country could receive services only from a single telecom player. In that regard, du came in to offer customers yet another alternative and thus drive an effective competition in the industry, to finally benefit the consumer with improved services and higher choice.

Du is a public joint stock company incorporated in Dubai through Ministerial Resolution No. 479 of 2005. The ordinary shares of du are listed on the Dubai Financial Market, and the operations of du fall under the purview of the Securities and Commodities Authority of the UAE as well as the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority. By the first half of 2023, du had increased its mobile customer base to 8 million subscribers and reached over 559,000 broadband customers. Such growth mirrors du’s commitment to quality service provision and its role as a prime player within the UAE’s telecom sector.

du is owned jointly by public and institutional shareholders. The Emirates Investment Authority, EIA holds a 50.12% stake; Mamoura Diversified Global Holding, formerly known as Mubadala Development Company, owns 10.06%. The Emirates Communications & Technology Company LLC, ECT holds the remaining 19.7%. Lastly, public shareholders hold 20.12% of its shares. This rich ownership base means the company always remains highly capitalized and better-placed for long-term success. On governance, du complies with regulatory frameworks set by authorities in the UAE. It also received a number of accolades for its Emiratisation move and for two consecutive years, that is, 2018 and 2019, it won the Emiratization Award under MOHRE.

The services provided by du in telecommunication range from individual level to corporate and even government level. Among these services include cellular and fixed telephony, broadband internet, and IPTV services. The widespread spectrum stands out in a market where connectivity is the objective. For personal users, du’s options include Postpaid and Prepaid. Under Postpaid, customers pay monthly, whereas in Prepaid, they make an advance payment. This is very convenient for both Postpaid and Prepaid for the varying tastes of personal users. Besides, the company offers Closed Business User Group free calling and preferred international destinations as corporate-specific services.

du is the leader in the IoT space, allows users to remotely control and monitor conditions for devices, and generate real-time analytics. The multi-tenant platform from the company is designed to support operations that are as flexible as the cloud or on-premise and offers seamless integration so that businesses can automate the complexity of their day-to-day business operations.

du has been a leading pioneer in the UAE’s 5G revolution, becoming the first operator in the country to launch its 5G network-which it launched in 2019. It was also the first time an operator would provide preregistered customers with 5G-enabled devices and demonstrate the region’s very first video call over 5G. In 2020, the company took another step forward with the commissioning of the first millimetre Wave 5G at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. du has further expanded its 5G infrastructure, bringing its customers faster and more reliable connectivity as part of the journey to being a leading global hub for digital innovation and smart city technologies.

du is not only a telco company but also leads the CSR and Emiratisation processes. As of 2023, 40.3% of the workforce in du were UAE nationals, and 50% of the total workforce comprised women. The company has come up with an initiative called the Masar Graduate Trainee Programme to enable the young Emirati talent with professional growth. In line with this promise, du has had a number of leadership and succession programs aimed at developing Emiratis to take future roles within the organization.

There have been complaints against du based on a lack of competition in the UAE’s telecom sector. As there is only du and Etisalat in the market, the choice is limited, and divesture of services geographically between du and Etisalat limits consumers’ options. Another requirement for du to abide by the guidelines of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority is to block certain internet content.

Within a little over a decade, du has become one of the strongest players in the UAE in terms of telecom providers. Its focus on innovation, customer satisfaction, and corporate social responsibility will make du integral to shaping the UAE into a digital society. Its aggressive plans for expanding 5G and commitment to Emiratization will continue to shape the future of connectivity in the UAE.