Eida sent 12 million SMS messages last year

The Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) has sent over 18 million SMS messages to its clients within 22 months, out of which 12 million were sent in 2012.

Aisha Al Raeisi, Manager of Central Operations at Eida, said the total number of Arabic and English SMS messages sent to mobile phones of the authority’s clients nearly doubled in 2012 compared to 2011.

However, this number does not include SMS messages sent to clients by Emirates Post when the ID card is ready for collection.

Al Raeisi said the sharp rise in the number of  SMS messages sent by Eida last year coincided with completion of more than 6,244,000 ID card transactions (new and renewal) with citizens and expatriates during 2012, compared to 2,799,000 transactions in 2011, a growth of more than 123 per cent.

The number of ID issuance transactions done by the authority last year is the highest since the gradual launch of the registration process in mid-2005.

Al Raesi said the SMS service aims the following: to notify the public when the expiry date of the ID card is near, to notify them of the need to modify their application, notify them of the date of their visit to the Eida centre to complete the registration process or to inform them that the ID card has been printed and delivered to Emirates Post, in addition to messages of greetings on official and national occasions.

Al Raeisi called on the public to communicate with Eida through 12 interactive channels provided for replies to customer queries and registering their complaints, among which are the Eida website, call centre and SMS service (2020).

In addition to the social networking websites Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, Emirates Post and ID registration centres provide application and card status enquiry services.

Al Raeisi said Eida is now focusing on simplifying the public’s transactions with the government.


 

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