A UAE start-up is launching an online platform to allow customers to compare and purchase telecom services.
The business, Aladdin.life, began a beta version of a site that allows users to put in call and usage details to try and secure the best plan out of the more than 1,500 offered by the three local operators Etisalat, du and Virgin Mobile.
The venture's founder, Subhra Das, said that many customers have been looking more closely at charges they incur under current plans since they have been working from home due to the restrictions in place to fight the Covid-19 outbreak.
"Customers are currently re-assessing their budgets and needs … they are switching from pre-paid to post-paid and vice-versa, some need more local minutes, while some need more international [minutes] and data to stay connected with their family abroad," Mr Das told The National.
“Consumers ... will emerge with entirely new sets of telco needs in the post-coronavirus period,” he added.
Founded in July last year, Aladdin commissioned independent research which found that only 20 per cent of UAE customers think they are on the best mobile plan and 70 per cent believe they can make moderate to significant savings by switching plans.
“These findings are consistent with global trends in the industry,” Mr Das said.
The company has also brought in former du chief executive Osman Sultan as its chairman, who left the company on December 31 after a 14-year spell at its helm. He described the company's offer as "a re-imagination of the entire buying experience in the telco industry … one that is focused to help customers take informed decisions”.
Aladdin.life is rolling out three new features - Genie to help find the best plan, an online marketplace for mobile plans known as Bazaar and a Community area to connect users, retailers and operators, Mr Das said.
He added that the Bazaar database has details of more than 1,000 pre- and post-paid mobile calling plans and 1,500 plans including devices, and will direct customers not only to major retailers but also to smaller sellers who may not have a web presence of their own.
“It’s an AI-centric model. Once consumers decide to opt for a new plan, it will direct them to the nearest physical retailers and also offer them options for online buying. Users can decide the medium on their own,” said Mr Das.
The company is also planning geographical expansion into Saudi Arabia – the Arab world’s largest economy – and the region's most populous country, Egypt.
“Business circumstances are the same in Saudi Arabia and Egypt … we will go live in the next few weeks and, in parallel, we will be adding fixed-line, SME business plans and individual devices to our portfolio,” said Mr Das.
He has more than 25 years of experience in the regional telco industry at companies including du, STC, Lebara, Globacom, Mobinil (now Orange Egypt), Ooredoo and Vodafone, working in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Nigeria, India and Europe.
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Fight card
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) v Rey Nacionales (PHI)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROM) v Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR)
Catch 74kg
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) v Omar Hussein (JOR)
Strawweight (Female)
Weronika Zygmunt (POL) v Seo Ye-dam (KOR)
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) v Walid Laidi (ALG)
Lightweight
Leandro Martins (BRA) v Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW)
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) v Sofiane Benchohra (ALG)
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR)
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Glen Ranillo (PHI)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Aidan Aguilera (AUS)
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) Sasha Palatnikov (HKG)
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
EXPATS
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More on Quran memorisation:
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
The Energy Research Centre
Founded 50 years ago as a nuclear research institute, scientists at the centre believed nuclear would be the “solution for everything”.
Although they still do, they discovered in 1955 that the Netherlands had a lot of natural gas. “We still had the idea that, by 2000, it would all be nuclear,” said Harm Jeeninga, director of business and programme development at the centre.
"In the 1990s, we found out about global warming so we focused on energy savings and tackling the greenhouse gas effect.”
The energy centre’s research focuses on biomass, energy efficiency, the environment, wind and solar, as well as energy engineering and socio-economic research.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
SPECS
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Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained
Defined Benefit Plan (DB)
A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.
Defined Contribution Plan (DC)
A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.
