Monday, Jul 11, 2011
Gulf News
Dubai Nokia handset users in the UAE who are reluctant to use credit cards online to download mobile apps have a new option thanks to a tie-up between the Finnish phone maker and etisalat.
Both corporations have launched a “direct billing service for the Nokia Ovi store…the first of its kind in the UAE.”
In a joint announcement yesterday, Nokia and etisalat said customers “will have the option to purchase content from the Nokia Ovi store and directly bill them to their etisalat mobile account. The service will either be charged as part of the customer’s monthly bill for post-paid accounts, or against their Wasel pre-paid airtime credit total.”
The move is expected to be welcomed by Nokia owners who download more than three million apps every week in the Middle East.
Globally, more than five million apps are downloaded from the Nokia Ovi store every day, Nokia said.
The UAE is the first market to enjoy the automatic billing service in the region and will be followed by Saudi Arabia and Egypt later this year. Tom Farrell, general manager, Nokia, Lower Gulf, said direct billing allows everyone to download apps.
Credit cards, however, will continue to be accepted as well.
“This is the first time anyone has done this with etisalat. More than 75 Nokia models will be able to access this new billing service,” Farrell told Gulf News yesterday from Kuwait. “After clicking, you get an email notification and it will show up in your etisalat bill later on.”
“Now with Nokia Ovi store, direct billing through etisalat it is now easier than ever to stay connected with your loved ones and be entertained on the go. By breaking down the barriers to purchase mobile apps, Nokia Ovi store can play an increasingly important role in peoples’ lives” Farrell said.
Practical service
Matthew Willsher, etisalat CMO said: “At etisalat, we are committed to offer our customers practical mobile services that will improve their overall mobile experience. The direct billing service for the Nokia Ovi store will make it easier for customers to get mobile content they need while having the simple and secure option of billing it directly to either their Wasel prepaid or postpaid account.
“Our partnership with Nokia is in line with our strategy to invest in leading technologies with significant players and leaders in the industry. As the Middle East’s largest telecom operator, partnering with Nokia, given their industry expertise and their global know-how, helps reinforce our position as a customer- centric leader in the global market place,” Willsher said in a statement.
Nokia users can benefit from a collection of free and paid content at Ovi store, including local- and regional-based apps such as Gulf News, Al Jazeera, Channel 4, as well as Sport 360.
By Derek Baldwin?Business Features Reporter
Gulf News 2011. All rights reserved.
