In 2005, we focused on getting the essentials
right, something that is important for
building trust and delivering what we
promised.
In 2006, we worked to build upon this
success and keep Nawras growing. We
made efforts to reach out even further
to our valued customers with a promise
to keep listening to them and delivering
to them our best service, best value
and best quality.
In 2007, we will be looking toward strengthening
our position as the mobile technological
leader in Oman. Nawras is already trialling
Third Generation mobile services, the
only mobile operator in the Sultanate
to attempt such as service.
This technology will bring enhanced
services, such as video telephony/conferencing
and ultra high-speed Internet access,
to our customers .
At the 3GSM Congress held recently in
Barcelona, Spain, you indicated that
Nawras, as the first licensed operator
in the Sultanate to activate 3G services,
would bring the next phase of mobile
broadband communication to Oman over
the next few years. Can you inform on
what new services customers can expect?
In less than a year of operation Nawras
achieved many successes. One of the
most notable among them is the establishment
of a state-of-the-art broadband network
geared towards delivering best service
and quality mobile broadband services
to the people of Oman.
The introduction of 3G will further
strengthen Nawras' position as the clear
leader in the local mobile broadband
market. Currently, Nawras is the only
mobile operator to offer mobile broadband
services to all its customers based
on EDGE technology which gives customers
ISDN speed Internet while travelling.
In this area, we want provide basic
broadband Internet services in a customer
friendly and reliable way. The customer
experience offered by ADSL has stimulated
people's interest and demand for broadband
access to Internet. We envision that
Nawras mobile broadband technologies
will do the same for Internet access
as mobile communications has done for
voice communication all over the world
-- shifting customers from landline
technologies towards mobile technologies.
Last year,
Nawras had over 100 roaming partners
in 64 countries. What is the figure
for the first half of 2006?
Nawras has been the clear leader in
bringing new and innovative roaming
services to the mobile customers of
Oman. Nawras was first to introduce
CallBack Roaming that provide roaming
for Mousbak prepaid customers in 81
countries that has international roaming
arrangements. Yet another first for
Nawras Mousbak customers can send
as well as receive SMS when they are
roaming. If a Nawras customer is roaming
internationally in one of the partner
countries and cannot be reached they
will never miss who called. Due to
the availability of the Missed Call
Notification service, Nawras customers
will be sent an SMS informing them
about who called and at what time,
even when they are roaming in 161
Nawras roaming partners.
Nawras was first to introduce Full
Prepaid Roaming. With this new service,
nawras Mousbak or nawras MousbakPlus
prepaid customers, can make and receive
calls, as well as send and receive
SMS in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and
other countries with full roaming
service just like nawras Ajel postpaid
customers.
Nawras was first to introduce Data
Roaming (also called GPRS Roaming),
which is a wireless data service that
connects you to the Internet, WAP
and your e-mails through your mobile
phone when you are traveling. Currently
nawras Ajel customers have the advantage
of accessing data content and services
while roaming in all GCC countries.
Nawras Ajel postpaid customers roaming
abroad, can now stay in contact with
their family or business colleagues
by sending and receiving e-mails,
downloading files or simply browsing
the Internet from their mobile phone,
PDA or a PC (with a nawras Internet
installed).
What efforts
are on for expanding Nawras' customer
base and for streamling procedures
for billing and customer relationships?
Nawras has reached four milestones
in terms of customer numbers, commencing
with its 100,000th customer announced
barely three months after launch in
July 2005 during Salalah Khareef Festival.
The 200,000th customer signed up in
November 2005 and on its 1st year
anniversary day on March 16th 2006
Nawras announced reaching 300,000
customers. During Khareef Salalah
Festival 2006, we celebrated our major
achievements of reaching 400,000 customers,
which means that within one year from
the last Khareef Festival we have
added 300,000 to our customer's base.
With respect to customers relationship
we at Nawras take any and every issue
related to our valued customers very
seriously. Setting the standard for
customer service and satisfaction
in Oman, we understand that it is
not a one time thing, it is continuous
effort from our side to deliver consistent
and pleasant customer experience whenever
our customers interact with us through
any of the available channels. At
Nawras we look at every possible opportunity
to add value for our customers, as
exemplified by Nawras Rewards program
and our participation in basmaRewards,
small steps towards giving back to
our customers. I promise you that
in the future Nawras customers will
be one of the few mobile telecommunication
users in the world who will enjoy
one of the most exciting and rewarding
programmes for simply being with Nawras.
What is
your current market share? Do you
fear competition from new players
which will eat into your business
in coming years?
Our market share is increasing rapidly
and currently Nawras possess about
25% of the mobile market in Oman.
Do we fear from competition? No, not
at all. I think competition is the
major drive force toward excellence.
And that is why, since Nawras launched
its commercial services, the people
of Oman have experienced a higher
standard for mobile communications.
Nawras has redefined the customer
experience across all aspects of providing
mobile services. Nawras Stores have
become a destination of choice, with
'one stop shopping' for SIM-cards
and handsets, coupled with friendly
sales service and support. This, reinforced
by caring support from the Nawras
Customer Service Champions, puts Nawras
in a clear leading position in providing
best service to the people of Oman.
Nawras also offers the best quality
through its next generation network
with high voice quality and a fast
and reliable mobile data access using
EDGE technology, the only operator
in Oman to do so. Additionally, Nawras
offers the best value in the market
through its competitive and transparent
price plans, based on distant-independent
pricing, as well as a wide range of
services included free of charge for
both prepaid and postpaid customers.
In conclusion, Nawras has established
itself as the mobile operator providing
its customers best service, best quality
and best value.
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