Emirates Telecommunications Corporation Ltd.

Since its establishment in September 1976, The Emirates Telecommunications Corporation continues to develop the telecommunications network and introduce modern and sophisticated technologies and services. During recent years, the telephone exchange was expanded to reach 561,000 lines by the end of 1993 in Dubai Emirate, with a percentage increase of 33.5% against 1992. Direct and indirect dialing can be made with 216 destinations throughout the world by satellite.

The Emirates Telecommunications Corporation provides businessmen and commercial and industrial establishments with radio phone services in aircraft during their flights and with ships while sailing as well as telefax services, double telex systems and mobile telephone services. Official statistics indicates the big role played by the Corporation in developing the means of communication by using up-to-date technical equipment and facilitating communications with all parts of the world. The above table shows the development of telecommunication services during 1993 as compared with 1991 and 1992.

The Corporation also provides the service of Electronic Mail (Emnet) which enables subscribers to male calls worldwide, as well as the Emirates Data Network (Emdan) which is a reliable means of data communication using the packet mode of transmission of messages. The Corporation also endeavors to introduce the integrated digital network (ISDN). This network provides special and innovative facilities, image phone and data exchange. This service is the latest technology which has been innovated in the field of communications.

The digital network provides the most modern digital dialing which facilitates access between the Emirates and the external world. This system has a positive effect of improving the operation of International Dialing. The UAE is the first country in this part of the world to introduce this service. The Corporation started providing the digital network services on a commercial basis during 1992.

The ship of modern cables made the Corporation self-sufficient in the field of installation and maintenance of sea cable systems, together with installation and maintenance of cables in other countries. The Corporation also carries out complete marine survey. The construction cost of this ship amounted to Dhs. 80 m. and it has been fitted with sophisticated marine and technical equipment and machines.

In line with the developments of the communication network all over the world, and in order to meet the increasing growth of services, the performance of the four ground stations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah was upgraded by providing digital technology equipment which had recently been introduced in terms of international communication to provide the subscribers with advanced services. In order to obtain more quick communications and to maintain the strategic balance between technology and diversification, the investment program also involved the installation of visual fiber cable, the first of its kind in the region to link UAE with Iran.

In it endeavors to nationalize the posts and train the staff needed to expand the scope of its services, the Corporations opened Etisalat Engineering College with effect from 1989/1990. In 1991, the College received the third batch of students, and the amount of Dhs. 1400 m. was provided to finance the development programs during the coming three years.

Communications

The postal system in the UAE is very modern and the post offices are among the most efficient in the Gulf. Between the UAE and Europe or the USA, mail takes about ten days. To Australia, mail takes about eight to ten days.

There is an excellent telephone system and you can phone anywhere in the world from the most remote areas. Throughout the country there are telephone offices which are equipped to send and receive fax, telex and telegraph messages.

There are several different services available for calling the US.

The MCI access number is 800-1-0001.

The Sprint access number is 800-1-0011.

The AT&T access number is 800-1-0010.

The access number for France Direct is 800-1-9971.

To call the UAE from abroad, the country code is 971 followed by the city code and the local number.