At the end of the day, both Vodafone and QTel remain majority owned by the Qatari government. Whether it's direct or indirect control, most consumers feel that this means that there will be no 'real' competition.
Since moving to this country I have learnt a few things.
1 - Competition does not often yield competitiveness. The banks here are more or less the same (with the exception of HSBC, which strives to provide the worst services in all sectors). Just because there is more than 1 bank doesn't mean that banks are fighting competitively for marketshare. Similarly, we have all come to accept that all real estate agents will rip you off - again, competition hasn't resulted in different companies undercutting one another and offering better services. They are all more or less equally bad. (Most supermarkets are equally bad... most hotels offer the same types of services... and so on).
2 - Why read the fine print? As mentioned on another forum, banks have been increasing the interest charged on fixed rate loans, and changing the credit limit on consumer credit cards without consultation. Aside from being unethical, I doubt very much that such behavior could possibly be sanctioned within the term and conditions offered by the banks (but I may well be wrong). Companies here make up the rules as they go along.
3 - Even when companies are in violation of their own internal by-laws (or actual law, for that matter) regulatory bodies have proven themselves to be ineffectual at punishing violators and enforcing the law. Everyone knows that if it is possible to be corrupt, it probably will be. Whether it's overlooking speeding tickets, raising your rent by more than the maximum allowable, breaching employment contract terms, we are always reminded on the one hand of how certain bodies are there to prevent such actions, but then see first hand how toothless they are in enforcing the law.
ICT Qatar will be just like every other body that is supposed to prevent this law being broken, or protect the rights of someone else, but it will only act in this capacity as long as it doesn't ruffle the feathers of someone else more important than 'the consumer'. I have no faith whatsoever in its ability to deliver the level of regulation and oversight that it is promising.
At the end of the day, both Vodafone and QTel remain majority owned by the Qatari government. Whether it's direct or indirect control, most consumers feel that this means that there will be no 'real' competition.
Since moving to this country I have learnt a few things.
1 - Competition does not often yield competitiveness. The banks here are more or less the same (with the exception of HSBC, which strives to provide the worst services in all sectors). Just because there is more than 1 bank doesn't mean that banks are fighting competitively for marketshare. Similarly, we have all come to accept that all real estate agents will rip you off - again, competition hasn't resulted in different companies undercutting one another and offering better services. They are all more or less equally bad. (Most supermarkets are equally bad... most hotels offer the same types of services... and so on).
2 - Why read the fine print? As mentioned on another forum, banks have been increasing the interest charged on fixed rate loans, and changing the credit limit on consumer credit cards without consultation. Aside from being unethical, I doubt very much that such behavior could possibly be sanctioned within the term and conditions offered by the banks (but I may well be wrong). Companies here make up the rules as they go along.
3 - Even when companies are in violation of their own internal by-laws (or actual law, for that matter) regulatory bodies have proven themselves to be ineffectual at punishing violators and enforcing the law. Everyone knows that if it is possible to be corrupt, it probably will be. Whether it's overlooking speeding tickets, raising your rent by more than the maximum allowable, breaching employment contract terms, we are always reminded on the one hand of how certain bodies are there to prevent such actions, but then see first hand how toothless they are in enforcing the law.
ICT Qatar will be just like every other body that is supposed to prevent this law being broken, or protect the rights of someone else, but it will only act in this capacity as long as it doesn't ruffle the feathers of someone else more important than 'the consumer'. I have no faith whatsoever in its ability to deliver the level of regulation and oversight that it is promising.