From New Year’s Day, early cancellation of a telecoms contract in the UAE will no longer set customers back up to a year in charges.
On Tuesday, the country’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority reminded Etisalat and du customers of the change in regulations, which takes effect on January 1, 2020.
In March, the TRA announced it would reduce fees for the early termination of a contract. The amendment meant customers would be charged a fee of only one month, replacing the previous provision that charged users the total remaining sum due for the length of the contract. In some cases, this meant paying up to 11 months in fees.
The penalties for breaking a contract could add up quickly. For Etisalat plans, it cost either Dh50 or Dh100 times the number of months remaining in the contract, depending on the package.
For du plans, it was anywhere between Dh100, multiplied by the remaining months of a year-long contract to Dh1,000 times the remaining months of the second year for a two-year contract, also depending on the monthly package cost.
The change was immediately introduced to any new mobile contracts for Etisalat and du and, at the time, the TRA said it was working on updating existing contracts too.
In March, Hamad Al Mansoori, TRA’s Director General, said the amendment was made in response to customer complaints.
“At TRA ... we don’t hesitate to review any policies or regulations for the interests of the parties and the public, to increase the happiness of the telecom sector customers in the country.
“Revision of early termination fees of telecom contracts is part of the sustainability approach whereby TRA is working to enhance the quality of telecom services and to ensure that these services reach the various segments of society on satisfactory terms.”
Mohammed Al Ramsi, TRA’s Regulatory Affairs Director, said the change gave users more flexibility to choose services that suited them.
“The new amendment comes in response to the complaints of some customers, since the previous provisions forced the customer to commit to using the service until the end of the contract, despite their unwillingness to do so sometimes. Now, the user can terminate the service contract and choose another service, for a simple charge equals one month fee, which is considered operational fees.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Venue and schedule Sharjah Cricket Stadium, December 14 to 17
Teams
Maratha Arabians Leading player: Virender Sehwag; Top picks: Mohammed Amir, Imad Wasim; UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Zahoor Khan
Bengal Lions Leading player: Sarfraz Ahmed; Top picks: Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman; UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Rameez Shahzad
Kerala Kings Leading player: Eoin Morgan; Top picks: Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir; UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Imran Haider
Pakhtoons Leading player: Shahid Afridi; Top picks: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal; UAE players: Amjad Javed, Saqlain Haider
Punjabi Legends Leading player: Shoaib Malik; Top picks: Hasan Ali, Chris Jordan; UAE players: Ghulam Shabber, Shareef Asadullah
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
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Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
What are the influencer academy modules?
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5