If you are moving to the United Arab Emirates, you might be wondering how to keep in touch with friends and family back home. For a brief visit, your current mobile phone can be put on international roaming, but in the long run, this can get quite expensive. You may wish to switch to a local SIM card in the UAE or, even better, get a landline.
The good news is that the UAE has a fast and reliable telecommunications network. The government authority overseeing telecommunications in the country is the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, or TRA.
In 2023, the UAE ranked 9th in the Telecommunication Infrastructure Index (TII). The country also ranked first place in the Arab world and 12th place internationally in the Online Service Index (OSI). 5G, or fifth generation, is also available in the country and was part of TRA's roadmap for 2016–2020.
The phone network in the UAE
With the increasing demand for digital lifestyle products, telecommunications in the UAE is only getting better. There are currently two landline providers: Etisalat and Du. The United Arab Emirates has 1.9 million landlines with only two service providers, Etisalat and Du. Etisalat has its headquarters in Abu Dhabi and was established four decades ago as the UAE's first telecommunications service provider. For a long time, it was a state monopoly until Du was introduced in 2006. Both companies have a set of optical fiber services, including a digital network. This is due to the rapid growth of the use of mobile phones in the country in the past few years. The cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the most affected by this growth. Furthermore, according to Etisalat, Abu Dhabi has the highest speed fiber optic on the planet.
Getting a landline in the UAE
It is an easy process to obtain a landline. You will need to contact the provider of your choice (either Etisalat or Du). Visit their store and bring along your passport with your residency visa, rental agreement (or proof of ownership if you own property), and a letter from your employer that states your income. It will then take a maximum of two days for a phone line to be installed at your residence.
Good to know:
Phone calls on landlines within the different emirates are free of charge.
Making phone calls in the UAE
To call from abroad, you need to dial the UAE's international country code, which is 971, and then the area code, followed by your correspondent's number. The area codes for the different emirates are as follows:
- Abu Dhabi – 2;
- Al-Ain – 3;
- Dubai – 4;
- Sharjah, Umm-al-Quwain, Ajman – 6;
- Ras Al Khaimah – 7;
- Fujairah – 9.
If you are calling within one of the Emirates in the UAE to a local number, add a 0 in front of the area code. If you are in Dubai, for instance, and wish to call a local number within Dubai, simply dial the local number.
Important:
To call a mobile phone in the UAE from abroad, drop the 0 at the beginning of the prefix. Currently, mobile phone numbers in the UAE have prefixes such as 050, 055, and 056 if you are making a domestic call to a mobile number, dial with the 0.
Mobile phones in the UAE
The UAE uses the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) — which is the mobile communications protocol used in most of the world. So, to connect to most mobile networks in the UAE, your mobile phone will need to be GSM compatible. If it is — and if your phone is not locked with a specific carrier — you should be able to easily use it in the UAE by simply popping in a new SIM card.
As we've mentioned earlier, there are two main network providers in the UAE: Du (based in Dubai) and Etisalat (based in Abu Dhabi). Recently, both providers have launched virtual mobile networks: Virgin Mobile UAE (by Du) and Swyp (by Etisalat). Virtual networks let you sign up for a mobile service online: with everything from registering a SIM card to choosing a number done via the app.
You can choose between prepaid and postpaid plans, depending on what your preference is. Prepaid SIM cards can be topped up as needed, and cost between AED 35 to AED 50 depending on the provider and added benefits you opt for. Postpaid plans are paid at the end of each month, and cost between AED 125 to AED 650 depending on the amount of data and minutes you choose. It's important to note that most postpaid plans come with a 12-month commitment, and you will need to have a valid Emirates ID in order to apply for one.
The standard rates for making calls in the UAE are AED 0.38 per minute for local calls and AED 0.63 per minute for international calls. Different providers tend to offer packages that allow for more flexible local and international calling.
Useful links:
Laws regulating the telecommunications sector in the UAE - TRA
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