For residents of Russia and the CIS countries, the Internet and mobile communications have become ordinary services. Therefore, going on vacation to the UAE, tourists expect about the same rates and quality of service as in their homeland. But this is not the case, services in the United Arab Emirates are different. So, the Internet in Dubai and mobile communications are one of the most expensive in the world, and the quality leaves much to be desired.
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Mobile operators in Dubai
The reason for this situation is the lack of competition among mobile operators and the Internet. There are only two organizations in the UAE that provide such services – Etisalat and du . They offer almost the same tariffs, the difference is the payment procedure and the duration of the contract. The first company is focused on local residents, long-term services are provided. Du works on a prepaid basis.
What you need to know about internet and mobile communications in Dubai, UAE:
- They work on the GSM 900/1800 format.
- SIM cards are the same as in Russia, they are adapted for all phones and smartphones.
- The average price of 1 gigabyte of mobile Internet is 37 dirhams.
- There are wired networks, Wi – Fi . But most of the market is occupied by the services of mobile operators.
For a short stay in the UAE, you can use the roaming of “native” operators. It can be cheaper than buying the rates of companies with representative offices in Dubai. The Internet in the country is relatively slow, stable data transfer up to 50 megabits / sec only for wired options.
Features of Internet provision in the UAE
Mobile communications and Internet services in Dubai are of two types – tourist and business. The first packages are designed for guests of the UAE, and provide a relatively short time for calls and going online. These plans are convenient for staying in the country for a maximum of 7 days. If you are planning a vacation of two weeks or more, it is recommended to connect a contract package.
About providing access to the Network in the UAE and mobile packages:
- Traffic separation – for social networks, surfing in search engines. For the first, you need to select packages with Data social . Example – “4 Gb + 3 Gb Data Social “.
- Etisalat has the ability to connect to Wi – Fi hotspots , but time is limited.
- Almost all instant messengers in the UAE are blocked – Skype , Viber , WhatsUp . It is impossible to use them for communication, they are blocked by the local Firewall.
- Travel packages offer internet in Dubai up to 500 Mb .
In hotels and hotel complexes Wi – Fi is paid, but there are exceptions. It is distributed in the central halls, for a fee it can be connected in the room. The same situation with the Internet in Dubai in restaurants and cafes. It is rare to give the password to the network to applicants who ordered something from the menu. According to reviews, this rarely happens, it is better to use the mobile Internet.
Tariff plans
Mobile operators in Dubai Etisalat and du offer travel packages for locals as well. Their tariffs are almost the same, the difference is the time of Internet access, prepayment and additional services. For guests of the UAE, the opportunity to call within the country and to Russia, the CIS countries is important. Internet access time is limited, only 3 G connection operates in the country. Etisalat ‘s offerings include the ability to connect to Wi – Fi hotspots located throughout Dubai.
Etisalat packages
Feature – for tourists there are special rates. The mobile package can be purchased at any Etisalat branch. They are located at the international airports of Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi. If you need more time for calls and Internet access in Dubai, it is better to buy one of the local tariffs. The price of a SIM card is 55 dirhams; it is paid separately.
General description of Etisalat tariffs for tourists and locals:
- Ability to connect to UAE networks WiFi by Etisalat . So you can exclude the use of the Internet through 3 G / 4 G.
- For travel package 5 hours access to UAE WiFi by Etisalat. For further connections you need to pay extra.
- Victory package Life – 100 dirhams. It provides 1 gigabyte of traffic, 40 minutes of calls to phones of local companies, SMS.
- In addition, discounts are provided for taxi rides – up to 40%. They are valid for 4 trips, the amount is not more than 25 dirhams.
For residents, the Internet in Dubai costs the same. The price of a monthly mobile package is 100 dirhams, for 7 days they pay 50 dirhams. It is possible to remove temporary restrictions by purchasing the service Non Stop Daily Plants. It limits only the connection speed, which can be 192, 400 or no limits. The cost of these services per day is 3, 5 and 10 dirhams respectively.
The purchase of packages can be done in the salon of operators or from official retailers. Their prices are the same, the difference is in the choice. The latter has more, as they cooperate with all communication companies in the UAE.
Offers from du
This telecom operator has almost the same tariffs for residents and tourists. SIM cards can be bought in salons or official dealers. The price is the same as that of Etisalat – 100 dirhams, the difference in activation time. It is 15 minutes. Tourists who come to the United Arab Emirates are offered Tourist Packages Plan. This is the cheapest fare in the UAE – 55 dirhams. The disadvantage is very expensive internet in Dubai and other regions of the country.
du mobile packages :
- There are three tariffs for cellular communications – 55, 75 and 10 dirhams. For this price, you can get 500 MB, 2 or 3.5 GB of traffic.
- You can buy packages only for network access. The price is 50, 150, 200, 300 and 500 dirhams. For them, the amount of information is limited to 450 MB, 1, 3, 5, 10 and 25 GB, respectively. For each service, social traffic is calculated separately – Social.
- After the end of the tariff, you can order a new one. To do this, dial *131*card number# in your mobile phone. After that, connect additional services under the recharge card program.
- The price of calls to Russia and other CIS countries is from 1.26 dirhams per 1 minute.
Additionally, the du cardholder receives a discount on 4 taxi rides from the Uber service. The quality of mobile communication in the UAE is good, but 3G/4G internet is not always stable. This is especially felt when traveling between the resorts of the country. In Dubai, the Internet is the best, it is comparable to the capabilities of operators in Abu Dhabi. The worst situation is in Ajman. Even in the capital of this emirate, network failures are observed.
Restrictions and blockings
The differences between the UAE and other European countries and Russia are severe restrictions. This is due to national traditions, legislation. However, the control is not permanent, you can use a VPN to bypass it. Some mobile applications may not work here, there are restrictions on instant messengers. For social networks, you need to take packages with special rates.
Internet restrictions in Dubai and other regions of the UAE:
- Blocking all pages in Hebrew and with the domain name Israel.il.
- A ban on many sites – gambling, propaganda, violating the legal acts of the country.
- Compliance with the monopoly of VoIP.
Home internet in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi is expensive. A package with a speed of up to 20 megabits / sec costs 360 dirhams. For the increase in speed you need to pay the same amount. In some hotels, Internet access is free for guests. But this must be known in advance.
Internet in the UAE is worse than in Russia. It can be used for a little web surfing, but a more reliable and faster connection is required for permanent operation. Telephone communication is of average quality; you can buy packages of local mobile operators.