DUBAI, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co (EITC), the holding company for United Arab Emirates phone service provider du, will launch Virgin Mobile as a new brand in the UAE, EITC's chief executive Osman Sultan said on Tuesday.

EITC will have full ownership, management and operation of the Virgin Mobile brand in the country, Sultan told a news conference, adding that services under the brand would start "within weeks" and focus on a consumer customer base.

Virgin Mobile will use EITC's network and infrastructure in the same way that du does, and EITC has created an internal business unit to handle the brand in the UAE, he said. Karim Benkirane has been appointed managing director of Virgin Mobile UAE's operations, reporting to Sultan.



(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Writing by Andrew Torchia) ((andrew.torchia@thomsonreuters.com; +9715 6681 7277; Reuters Messaging: andrew.torchia.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))