'No direct effect of crisis on etisalat'

The Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (etisalat) has said its financial position is strong, adding it has not been directly affected by the fallout of the global financial crisis, according to CEO Mohammed Al Qamzi.

Al Qamzi was speaking at etisalat's headquarters.

The absence of loans or bank credit and the corporation's vast financial cover inside the UAE have kept it cushioned from the direct impact of the crisis, he said.

Al Qamzi said etisalat might be indirectly affected because of the fluctuation in the rate of exchange of major currencies such as the euro, the slowdown of development projects as investors and developers become more cautious, and lack of liquidity, which affects revenues of the telecommunications sector in general. "However, the current situation is strong, highly reassuring and there is no need to worry."

The CEO said etisalat has incorporated a new policy towards the current financial situation out of belief that the crisis might drag on for some time and worsen.

The new policy is based on rationalisation of the corporation's operational and capital spending as well as the innovation of new sources of revenue through new services and packages and searching for positive opportunities resulting from hard times or crises, said Al Qamzi.

He said etisalat continues to invest in human resources because in times of crises, corporations need innovative minds to create successes.

Al Qamzi said etisalat's mobile phone network is the most updated in the region, adding the corporation has laid down more bases and taken measures to ensure the availability of services with least level of failure in case of any emergency.

He spoke of the programmed break in services when the network is expanded or systems updated. The corporation follows all steps needed to make the break as short as possible, and updating is done outside peak periods, after midnight, for instance, said Al Qamzi.

He said the use of non-licensed mobile phones affects the network. Also the network is affected by the use of banned systems, which aim to cut coverage in certain places such as film theatres or mosques. Etisalat is working in co-operation with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and other bodies concerned to curb this phenomenon.

Al Qamzi said the network is also affected by construction work and power failures. Etisalat restores service fast when cuts are made by construction work, and in cases of lengthy power cuts, electricity generators have been supplied to all major stations, he added.

He said the network sees extra pressure during festive seasons. Al Qamzi said etisalat has sought help from a consultancy firms to test the performance and quality of the broadband internet network.

Abu dhabi to be 100% ftth connected

Abu Dhabi will become world's first fully connected capital with etisalat's eLite – the advanced optical fibre communication network, based on the fibre to the home (FTTH) technology. Etisalat confirmed it has reached the final stage of completion of this project, scheduled to be completed in the beginning of Q3 this year. With eLite connecting all the households in Abu Dhabi, the city will become world's first 100 per cent FTTH connected capital. Etisalat is also in the process of connecting Dubai and Sharjah through eLite.

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