Qatar Telecom Passes Subscriber Base Landmark

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has announced that it had achieved a record high of more than 1.8 million mobile customers in Qatar, up from 1.5 million announced in November 2008.

Executives attribute the sharp rise in customer numbers in 2008 to the successful re-launch of two of Qtel's most popular products: the HALA Pay-As-You-Talk service, which saw record numbers of new customers apply for prepaid accounts, and the all-new "Shahry" postpaid mobile phone service, which brought new levels of choice and flexibility to Qatar.

Both services saw customers enjoy lower bills and an improved range of options, as well as a range of new innovations including Shahry's "One Free Number," which enabled customers to choose one free number they could call free for life.

Adel Al Mutawa, Executive Director of Group Communications, explains: "Qtel is delighted to report such strong success in the opening months of 2008, with our customer services business continuing to see ongoing growth and development."

"We have always said that competition would be good for the people of Qatar and good for Qtel, since it will enable us to demonstrate just how attractive our services are, and will encourage us to fully understand our customers' needs. We will continue to launch new innovations and deliver great value throughout the year and into the future, as we solidify our position as the first choice for world-class communication services in Qatar," he added.

In reaching its 1.8 millionth customer, Qtel has significantly grown its mobile phone customer base from 1.26 million recorded in 2007. Customer acquisition now exceeds the total population of Qatar.

Posted to the site on 1st March 2009