UAE telecom operator Etisalat is offering free mobile data to customers as it marks 50 years of operations, with the amount available based on how long each subscriber has been with the company.
Customers received messages from the telecom provider on Tuesday informing them that they would receive 1GB of free data for every year they have been an Etisalat subscriber. Customers on the Emirati plan are eligible for a larger allocation of 10GB for every year they have been subscribed.
The free data will remain valid for one week and is available until October 13.
Etisalat was founded in 1976 as Emirates Telecommunications Corporation and became the UAE’s first telecom operator. The company was established as a joint venture five years after the formation of the country and has since grown into a major telecommunications group with operations and investments in several international markets.
The company rebranded as e& in 2022 but recently announced plans to return to its original Etisalat name as part of its corporate identity.
The free data offer is among several promotions being introduced to mark the 50th anniversary. Customers can also access discounts of up to 90% on selected devices, while postpaid customers are being offered as much as five times their usual data allowance under special anniversary promotions.
Etisalat has introduced more than 10 anniversary packages for customers. One of the offers provides 50GB of data as a one-time promotion on a package normally offering 10GB. The package costs Dh200 and is valid for 30 days.
The anniversary promotions also extend to selected roaming packages. Etisalat’s weekly roaming combo, described as one of its most popular options, is offering 5GB of data instead of the standard 2.5GB. Customers will also receive 500 roaming minutes under the weekly package.
Subscribers must begin using the roaming package by October 9 to receive the additional benefits. Purchases made from October 10 will return to the standard data allowance.
Customers who purchase the promotional roaming package will also receive discount vouchers from Etisalat’s travel partners through the Smiles app. The vouchers will remain valid for six months.
Etisalat has played a major role in the development of the UAE’s telecommunications infrastructure. The company introduced internet services in the country in 1995, making the UAE one of the first markets in the region to gain access to the technology.
It later introduced 3G and multimedia messaging services in 2003 and expanded internationally through investments and acquisitions involving telecom companies across the Middle East, Asia and Central Europe.
The anniversary promotions are part of a wider programme marking five decades of the company’s operations in the UAE.
