It is so natural, we never give it a second thought. To pick up a phone and instantly speak to someone in the next street or town or even a country thousands of kilometres away. Not too long ago, this was far from the case.
As the UAE entered its third year since unification, the seven emirates still seemed like foreign countries when it came to telephone calls. To reach someone in Dubai from Abu Dhabi, or vice versa, meant a complicated process of speaking to an operator, who would place the call. This tiresome routine applied to everyone, whether a sheikh or a salesman.
All this changed on the last day of January 1974 when UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, picked up the phone in his office and dialled Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, Ruler of Dubai.
From that day, 50 years ago, anyone in Abu Dhabi could phone someone in Dubai. Within five days, anyone in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah could do the same. Ras Al Khaimah, whose telephone exchange at the time had only 750 lines, would follow later, with Fujairah opening its first telephone exchange in 1979.
It was the simplest of things, but one with enormous significance. It signalled that the seven emirates had become truly connected. At a time when the UAE’s road system was still under development, when Dubai and Abu Dhabi were connected only by a single lane of tarmac, a fast and efficient electronic motorway now existed.
Even more extraordinary is the fact that barely a decade earlier, phones in what was now the UAE did not exist at all. Dubai was the first, with Sheikh Rashid watching the first call placed by a British official on July 29, 1960. Two years later, the phones began ringing in Abu Dhabi.
By then more than 80 years had passed since the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, a communication system long taken for granted in much of the rest of the world.
The long delay was largely the result of Britain’s grip on the region, where it controlled foreign affairs – and investment – thorough a series of 19th century treaties.
In the 1950s and early 60s, it meant British companies were first in line when it came to building infrastructure projects. In the case of telephones, these companies decided the emirates were not worth the expense or trouble.
“The picture is rather gloomy,” a report to London began in May 1954. Bernard Burrows, the British political resident in Bahrain, the base of UK operations in the Gulf, had been examining the likelihood of expanding phone services in the region.
His concerns were political as much as practical. “The provision of telephone and telegraph services has come to be part of the British connexion with the States and if the services provided are unsatisfactory or are withdrawn, this will represent a weakening in our position in the Gulf,” he wrote to his masters in Whitehall.
Phone services in the Arabian Gulf were operated by Cable and Wireless, a telecoms company nationalised by Britain’s socialist government in 1947 and which held a monopoly of services across the British Empire.
Cable and Wireless had looked at Dubai and Sharjah but decided the number of potential local subscribers was too low and the cost uneconomic. The company did not even consider Abu Dhabi, which in the 1950s had a population estimated at fewer than 3,000.
But they had not reckoned with Sheikh Rashid. A moderniser, he had already dredged the Creek to allow bigger ships to trade through Dubai. Electricity was next, creating demand for a whole range of consumer products, from air conditioners to refrigerators.
A telephone system was the obvious next step. Cable and Wireless was persuaded to give up its rights to Dubai and a new joint company was set up with International Aeradio Ltd (IAL), another British firm better known for its air-traffic control systems and which was also building the city’s new airport.
IAL would hold a minority stake in the new Dubai Telephone Company with the emirate holding a 51 per cent of shares. The honour of inaugurating the first telephone was given to Donald Hawley, British political agent in Dubai, the equivalent to an ambassador.
“The advent of telephones has made a tremendous difference to the way in which business is conducted in Dubai,” Hawley wrote home later that year.
With telephones came the first phone book, containing only 30 pages in 1961, with adverts, some hand-drawn, for Land Rovers, typewriters and radios. It listed the home numbers of 275 subscribers, including many of Dubai’s most prominent people.
By 1962, the number of subscribers had grown to more than 500, and to 850 the following year. By the end of the decade this had exceeded 2,000, with services extended to Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
What Dubai had, Abu Dhabi quickly wanted, too. Large quantities of oil had been discovered in the emirate in 1958 and the local economy was exploding.
Like Dubai, Abu Dhabi was in theory a concession of Cable and Wireless, but this was of little concern to the Ruler at the time, Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan, who summoned IAL and offered them a 51 per cent in the new Abu Dhabi Telephone Company with rest to be held by himself and local partners.
Alan Ashmole arrived in Abu Dhabi in 1962 to work for the British Bank of the Middle East, now HSBC. “One of the problems of working there was there was no telephone system,” he notes in his memoir Sand, Oil and Dollars.
By the following year this had changed, but: “Even when this was installed later, there was no direct telephone communication to the outside world. The oil company had radio telephone communications and in case of an emergency this was the only way to contact the outside world quickly.”
An early decision made by Sheikh Zayed, when he became Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, was to fully nationalist the emirate’s telephone company. Following the formation of the UAE in December 1971, a new national telephone firm was created, initially called Emirtel, and later renamed as the more familiar Etisalat.
The country was divided into different dialling codes, with 02 for Abu Dhabi, 03 for Al Ain, 04 for Dubai, 06 for Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, 07 for Ras Al Khaimah and 09 for Fujairah.
Etisalat introduced mobile phones in 1987, with the relatively slimline NEC TR5E1000-9A and a price tag of Dh8,500 ($2,314). An early handset was acquired by Mohammad Al Fahim, whose father had been one of the first with a desk phone.
It is now an exhibit in his private museum. “It's very heavy, you cannot carry it in your pocket, and talk time would be about 45 minutes. Then you would have to recharge it for about two hours. So you used it only when necessary,’ he told The National in an earlier interview.
Today, it is estimated there are close to 20 million smartphones in the country, or about two for every man, woman and child, one of the highest percentages in the world.
Like the record company executive who turned down the Beatles, or the publishers who rejected JK Rowling and Harry Potter, that decision by Cable and Wireless to pass on Abu Dhabi and Dubai may well have been once of the worst business decisions in history.
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
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The specs: 2018 Peugeot 5008
Price, base / as tested: Dh99,900 / Dh134,900
Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 240Nm @ 1,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
More on animal trafficking
Men from Barca's class of 99
Crystal Palace - Frank de Boer
Everton - Ronald Koeman
Manchester City - Pep Guardiola
Manchester United - Jose Mourinho
Southampton - Mauricio Pellegrino
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Muguruza's singles career in stats
WTA titles 3
Prize money US$11,128,219 (Dh40,873,133.82)
Wins / losses 293 / 149
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
