Industry Updates

'SAMENA Daily' - News

UAE’s mobile phone market estimated at $1.8 billion

Mobile phone sales in the UAE count for 700 to 800 thousand phones per month, of which 80 to 85 per cent is smart phones, while the value of the market is estimated at $1.8 billion, according to Ali Salem, Founder, Fast Telecom, the UAE prominent group specialising in smart devices and tablets.

“The smart phone market in the UAE is supported by several factors that contribute to the continued growth of the market,” Salem said in a press briefing recently in Dubai. The use of more than one device per user, the local culture of replacement and users shifting from traditional to smart phones as prices have dropped to reasonable levels are among other reasons.”

He noted that mobile phone market in the UAE is robust and vital, as the country is an ideal platform to launch the state-of-art devices and a global hub for launching new brands and distribution of devices in the Gulf and regional markets, it also has the momentum of a large tourist attraction as well as high purchasing power.

Salem also pointed out to the fierce competition between “Etisalat” and “du” in offering packages of free data and calls for the customers who buy a selected smart phone, thus encouraging users to buy smart phones without down payments and benefit from packages of data and calls, as well as purchasing gifts for residents and visitors as well.

Established in 2002, Fast Telecom has currently eight outlets to distribute devices in the UAE and 12 branches in all Arab countries, most notably in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and a large number of countries in the region including Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia, Morocco and Jordan. The Group is also the agent of 21 brands covering most of the smart phones and the most famous devices around the world.

As for “Fast Telecom” plans to provide projects and ideas related to the “government” and “Smart Dubai”, Salem made sure his group offers a range of innovative ideas and projects that relate to the Dubai transformation of smart government initiatives

“We plan to the expand the distribution work with telecom operators in the Gulf countries and the region through partnerships.We began with signing an agreement with the “Emirates Telecommunications” nine months ago, and planning to sign with “Etisalat” soon,in addition to strengthening our partnerships with other players such as “Omantil” and “Zein”.”

He mentioned that his company expects 3 per cent growth in the smart phone market this year compared to 2015 after the market has achieved significant growth rates over the past few years.

He made clear that “Fast Telecom” tends to start the distribution of tablet devices in schools and higher education sector through signing agreements that ensure the supply of devices within the smart education initiatives adopted by schools and universities in the UAE market.

Salem pointed out that “Fast Telecom” has also repair and maintenance centers in the UAE, with high efficient staff. They received awards from global brands in this regard, the latest of which was from “Samsung” for the high quality maintenance and repair of devices.

He believed that mid-priced smart phones harvested a very large share of the market which encouraged the spread of smart phones in the market in general.



Source: http://gulftoday.ae/portal/aef8e0ca-42a0-429a-bc60-597c549f3bc6.aspx

ATTENTION