Etisalat mobile subscriber can switch to du, but correct process required

Keren Bobker helps resolve a mobile subscriber's difficulties switching to du from Etisalat.

The UAE was the last country in the GCC to offer mobile number portability. Philip Cheung / The National

I have two mobile phone numbers with Etisalat and as du had an attractive offer, I decided to take up the offer to switch provider. I began the application process on April 2 and got a call from du customer service on April 5 saying that Etisalat had approved the porting and I could come in to collect the new SIMs, which I did. At that time I was told, I would receive an SMS "within the next three to four days". No SMS arrived. I went back to the Ibn Battuta store on April 12, and was told that we had not been set up as mobile customers on the du system yet. The customer service assistant wrote and sent an email about it to the back office, promising to call me when he got a reply. I still haven't heard anything so can you do something to speed up the process? GR, Dubai

I referred the query to my contact at du and they quickly got in touch with GR. A spokesman for du advised: “In response to GR’s query, we have investigated the matter and have contacted the customer to advise him of our findings. With regards to the first mobile number requested for porting, we informed the customer about missing documents and we are in the process of porting the line to du’s network. Regarding the second line, we have received a notification from the other operator that the line is not registered under the name provided during the transfer request process, and therefore the request could not be completed. GR has been informed of this and advised about the correct process.” It took several more weeks for the situation to be fully resolved, although I understand that it has now been sorted out.

Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with over 20 year’s experience. Contact her at [e-mail]. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek appropriate independent legal advice

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