Life on the Spot » vodafone

Vodafone CEO, Grahame Maher dies

xtian001 — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:16:49 +0000

http://www.vodafone.com.qa/go/pressrelease/announcement

02 November, 2010: Vodafone Qatar sadly announces the passing of its Chief Executive Officer, Grahame Maher.

The whole Vodafone family including its Board of Directors and employees extend their condolences to his wife Jenny Maher, to his daughters Jessica and Kate, and to his wider family.

Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Board of Directors, John Tombleson will step in as Acting Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Qatar.

Grahame came to Qatar in 2008 to set-up Vodafone Qatar with the purpose of making a world of difference for all the people in Qatar.

Grahame himself made a difference to the lives of everyone he touched. He was a great CEO, coach, mentor, and friend. We will all sorely miss his inspiration and vision, his passion and energy, and his love for all the people he worked with.

Condolences will be held at the W Hotel on 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th November from 6 pm to 9 pm.

iPhone 4 in Qatar through Vodafone? How Much?

xtian001 — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 17:59:27 +0000

As per the Tweet of VodafoneQatar:

iPhone 4 coming soon to Vodafone!! Quantities are limited so pre-register now to be the first in line. More: http://bit.ly/ayy39E

I think the main question is how much are they going to charge people. Currently, the iPhone 4 16gb at Carrefour costs QR4000. The same iPhone in Canada would cost you about QR2532. That’s almost twice the price! Unless Vodafone comes up with a price nearer to those in Canada, Singapore or even the UK, people would have second thoughts buying the new iPhone 4. I believe that when they “launched” the iPhone 3GS last year, the 16GB was QR3600. Again, the 32GB iPhone 3GS was only selling for 3000QR in Hongkong. So I have doubts if Vodafone would bring the prices closer to what they really should be. For those who are saving money and planning, cross your fingers…

Vodafone 1st 1000 Customers Beach Party

xtian001 — Sat, 08 May 2010 18:26:15 +0000

Party for the 1st 1000 Vodafone Customers at the Marriott Beach in Ras Abu Aboud! Free flowing drinks, games and food galore.

Vodafone 1st 1000 Beach Party

8-digit Phone numbers in Qatar by July

xtian001 — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 03:21:46 +0000

Starting July 28 this year, all mobile and fixed telephone numbers from both Qtel and Vodafone will have eight digits, the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQatar) announced yesterday.

IctQatar officials decided to expand the phone numbering system from seven to eight digits to prepare the telecommunications industry early since they projected that Qatar’s population will double by 2015 and subsequently businesses will also expand with the existing numbering system no longer meeting the demand.

The change to eight digit numbers will happen automatically and seamlessly on July 28, for all customers — whether Qtel or Vodafone — with no interruption of service on both networks. For both fixed and mobile users, the first digit of the number will be repeated, so that numbers that begin with 3 will now start with 33, those starting with 7 will now be 77. The only affected numbers will be those starting with 3,4,5,6 and 7. All emergency telephone numbers within Qatar, including 999 and 112, will not be affected by the change. Numbers used for SMS, toll free and paging services, as well as short codes, and the numbers owned by the Ministry of Interior will also remain the same. These begin with 1, 2, 8 and 9. For a period of three months after July 28, people who dial the current seven digit numbers will receive an automated recorded message asking them to dial again with the correct new eight digit number.

The country code will not be affected by the change. International callers will simply have to dial the first digit of the subscriber’s phone number twice after the 974 country code.

Prepaid Blackberry Service for Hala from Qtel

xtian001 — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:45:56 +0000

Qtel today continued to extend the evolution of BlackBerry in Qatar with the launch of a Hala plan, enabling people to have prepaid Blackberry services for the first time.

As part of a special promotion to celebrate this important new launch, Qtel is offering a fantastic low activation fee of just QR100 and free rental of a BlackBerry handset for two months.

Qtel has provided BlackBerry services for more than two years for Qatar, supported by the most reliable network and some of the fastest Internet options. The launch of the Hala option for BlackBerry provides more choice and flexibility in the market, so that people can opt to use their BlackBerry whenever they need it.

In particular, Qtel’s research shows that young people who want to deploy BlackBerry solutions for social networking and chatting showed particular interest in a Hala option.

Dr. Nasser Marafih, CEO, Qtel, said: “Qtel has blazed a trail for BlackBerry services in the region building upon our advanced Internet infrastructure. We are now pleased to provide a prepaid Hala option for everyone in Qatar, to offer the widest access alongside the most reliable service.”

To use the on-demand Blackberry service, customers with existing BlackBerry handsets can simply send an SMS activation message to 92550. New customers who want to access an advanced BlackBerry model for the first time can simply drop-in to a Qtel Shop.

For the first eight weeks, customers can enjoy browsing, chatting and sending emails with BlackBerry for no rental fee, and will be charged the low rental price of QR35 a week after that. Customers can top-up their service using standard Hala scratch cards and e-vouchers, and – so long as they maintain a balance of QR100 or more – can have full access to the huge range of options provided by BlackBerry.

The high level performance, functionality and features of BlackBerry work best with Qtel’s advanced 3G HSPA network, and businesses and consumers across Qatar have embraced the potential of this high-powered lifestyle solution.

As the leading provider of BlackBerry and mobile services, Qtel has worked hard to deliver the latest models to the market, supported by a range of innovative packages that enable people to match their BlackBerry service to their daily lives. Most recently, it was among the first companies to offer the new BlackBerry Bold 9700, which provides a stylish and secure way to stay connected and enjoy a variety of entertainment options.

Customers who want to learn more about the BlackBerry can speak to dedicated experts at Qtel’s Communications Centres in Villagio and Al Wakrah.