Vodafone Qatar has officially launched today!
500+ guests who purchased tickets to the Vodafone Qatar launch and Star number auction event witnessed a slick and well organised event.
40 star numbers were auctioned raising millions of Riyals for ROTA.
It was a great night and I look forward to Vodafone Qatar rolling out their service over the coming weeks and months.
btw, despite the official launch, no customers are actually using Vodafone yet. Apparently the first 100 will be able to use it from March 10, with the next 900 given access a few days later. And they will only be able to make local calls and send text messages initially. The network wont become fully open to everyone until after the summer.
I'm sure Vodafone would have weighed up whether it was worth them setting up here before they went ahead and did it. I think a lot of it is about getting brand awareness across this region of the world.
So technically the government owns 64% of the company directly or indirectly. As I understand it when the license was bid for QF put up 1.8 billion and Vodafone about 300 million, so the majority of the money came from the government. Government gives money to QF, QF gives the money for the licence to the regulator, regulator gives money to the government.... maybe we could draw a nice circle to see how that works.
I'm sure Vodafone will not act in a questionable manner but there is not a lot in it for them. Say Vodafone get 50% of the market so that's about half a million subscribers. That get more than that in one Indian city.
I agree, we should wait and see. Too many people are jumping on the "what's the point, they'll be the same as qtel" bandwagon.
TallG
QF is technically private. I understand that it is owned by the Emir of Qatar and Chaired by his wife (Sheikha Mozah). But I understand the scepticism which why I said let's wait and see.
Also the VF-Qatar LLC is majority owned by VF PLC and I don't think they will risk losing their credibility by acting in a questionable manner.
Star numbers aaye! In Pakistan my father has 55 55 666. My mother has 555 2 444. My wife has 555 222 8. I got all these numbers personally from Orascom. Didn't pay anything extra.
"Humans, they find something that cannot be done, and then, they do it".
Vodafone Qatar is owned as follows;
Click the link for bigger picture.
I think I'm right in saying that Qatar Foundation (QF) is government owned.
The Institutional Investors (II) are all government appointed.
So that means the breakdown is;
Shares on DSE = 40%
QF/II = 37.05%
Vodafone Group = 22.95%
Vodafone Qatar is not government owned. Anyway let's wait and see what sort of competition they bring to Qatar.
hahahahah. you hit the point.. and am really guessing.
whew!!!
It is just a matter of separation of powers.
A bidder bid QR1 million for the number 7111111. The bidding started with the number 7000001, which was sold for QR 200,000.
The other numbers auctioned off included: 7809999 which was sold for QR40,000; 7918888 for QR16,000; 7811111 for QR140,000; 7711117 for QR100,000; 7900000 for QR280,000; 7700077 for QR320,000; 7444444 for QR630,000; 7999333 for QR55,000; 7732222 for QR35,000; 7870000 for QR150,000; 7888885 for QR100,000; 7800000 for QR320,000; 7977777 for QR340,000; 7711111 for QR 400,000; 7999997 for QR400,000; 7800087 for QR55,000; 7828888 for QR45,000; 7999977 for QR55,000; 7055555 for QR170,000; 7877777 for QR320,000; 7707777 for QR230,000; 7878787 for QR300,000; 7111117 for QR400,000; 7799999 for QR260,000; 7888888 for QR930,000; 7731111 for QR40,000; 7910000 for QR50,000; 7774444 for QR220,000; 7755555 for QR220,000; 7888887 for QR360,000; 7700000 for QR860,000; 7878888 for QR140,000; 7272727 for QR255,000; 7177777 for QR280,000; 7999999 for QR900,000; 7111111 for QR1 million; 7878877 for QR50,000; 7100000 for QR500,000; and 7771777 for QR420,000.
I'm not impressed by Vodafone Qatar (nor Qtel for that matter). They are installing unsightly temporary masts everywhere especially in residential areas i.e. in my back garden!! I'm wondering if it was worth ruining the party with a 500+ strong protest outside....shame it's too late!
Furthermore, in protest, I am cancelling my Vodafone package!!!!!!
As I've said before I don't see how to govt companies competing against each other will make much difference. It will all be superficial.
Yep, a mate of mine flew in from Dubai to do the sound and lights :o)
Well we will no longer be able to escape the i-phone frenzy sweeping the planet
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