Muscat, 5 July 2009 - Nawras is introducing recycled paper carrier bags to replace the plastic version currently being given to all its customers shopping at the 20 Nawras Stores nationwide.  Beginning with the latest trendsetting outlet at City Centre Qurm, the new paper bags will be phased in as part of a range of initiatives undertaken by this responsible corporate citizen as it plays its part in protecting the environment. 

Appropriately, North Pole explorer Nabs Al Busaidy was one of the first to test the new environmentally friendly paper bags from Nawras and he readily gave it his seal of approval.  Having recently returned from his groundbreaking expedition to become the first Omani to reach the magnetic North Pole, Al Busaidy enthusiastically endorsed this move away from plastic.  He expressed his support for Nawras in its aim to protect the environment's natural resources for future generations.

This latest Nawras initiative follows the recent introduction of e-billing which gives customers the choice of receiving their monthly statement electronically by email rather than via the printed paper version they have received in the past.  This change has been warmly welcomed by Nawras Ajel customers.

Nawras, a Qtel Group company, has already introduced a number of initiatives clearly showing its colours as a caring, corporate citizen.  These include actively providing alternatives to plastic recharge cards by installing increasing numbers of self service machines across the Sultanate where customers can obtain credit electronically.  Recent installations have taken place at Said Al Sahi Trading, Khaborah, Al Ebdaa Book Shop at Ibra and Nawras Hurmoz at Khasab.  A full list of machine locations can be found on the Nawras website at www.nawras.om.

Other e-recharge alternatives include Nawras Mousbak customers being able to send credit to one another by SMS or obtaining credit through electronic recharge at any Nawras Store for any amount between 100 Baizas and RO 1000.

In addition, Oman Arab Bank offers e-recharge through any branch or FastBank Centre while Bank Muscat provides Nawras customers with the opportunity to purchase credit from cash deposit machines, ATMs, online banking and through the call centre.

In addition to phasing out plastic bags, providing alternatives to plastic recharge cards and reducing paper used for monthly statements, Nawras is also collecting and recycling plastic bottles and paper from its main office at Al Athaiba.

This caring, customer friendly communications provider has partnered with the Environmental Society of Oman in the past and is pleased to introduce this latest thoughtful initiative showing support for the 'Say no to plastic' campaign in the Sultanate.

Nawras currently covers 96% of the population with its reliable EDGE network and over 40% with its trusted 3G+ network. 

-Ends-

Nawras:
Omani Qatari Telecommunications Company SAOC was founded and registered in the Sultanate of Oman in December 2004. It launched its service in March 2005 as the second mobile operator in Oman operating under the name Nawras. Omani Qatari Telecommunications Company SAOC is majority owned by the Qtel Group and also has a number of significant Omani shareholders which ensures that the company is strongly integrated into the Omani society.  Winner of Middle East Call Centre of the Year 2009, Nawras has won a number of other awards including Middle East Mobile Operator of the Year from CommsMEA and Above and Beyond the Call of Duty at the World BSS Awards.  Nawras was named Best Telecom Brand Oman 2008 by a leading local business magazine.

Qtel Group: 
Based in Qatar, The Qtel Group is a diversified telecommunications group with three business lines including consumer telephony, consumer broadband and corporate managed services, and is committed to expansion in line with its strategic vision of becoming a global top 20 telecommunications provider by the year 2020. Over the past three years, The Qtel Group has built a successful track record of acquisitions hence expanding its geographic footprint from 2 to 17 countries within the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, connecting more than 55 million customers.

For further information please contact:
Julie Amann
Press Manager
e-mail: julie.amann@nawras.om

© Press Release 2009