Qtel, Qatar’s leading telecommunications provider, has announced revised payphone rates and a wider range of payphone smart cards as part of its ongoing strategy to enhance all channels of communication in the country.

Qtel is in the process of providing enhancements across a wide range of its services to make calling more accessible and affordable, said a top Qtel official.

The company identified public payphones as an early priority, based on the number of people who rely on the service to stay in touch.

Adel Al Mutawa, executive director of Group Communications, Qtel, said: “Qtel is engaged in one of the broadest series of product and service improvements in our history, and we’re listening to our customers about the changes they want to see in Qatar.'

'The new rates and improvements to the pubic payphone service announced today will provide immediate benefits to residents and visitors to Qatar, he remarked.

The new payphone rates will enable customers to utilize their payphone smart card at any payphone booth and receive up to 39 per cent in savings on their international calls.

Calls made to GCC countries will cost QR1 (274 cents) per minute, while calls to non-GCC Arab countries, the Americas, Europe and Australia will be QR1.25 per minute.

Calls to the remainder of Asia and Africa will be QR1.50 per minute. All rates will apply 24 hours a day.

In addition to the new payphone rate, Qtel will be introducing three conveniently tailored smart card denominations of QR10, QR20 and QR30.

'As the population of Qatar continues to rise, and as business visitor and tourist numbers increase exponentially, Qtel’s network of public payphones is enjoying higher usage levels than ever before,' he pointed out.

In particular, with Qatar targeting growth rates for tourism of 20 per cent annual growth for the next five years, Qtel is working hard to ensure that payphones and 'Hala Pay As You Talk' options are easily available for visitors.

'Qatar’s payphone network has proved to be incredibly popular because it provides such competitive rates and convenience.'

'It is important that our customers understand that Qtel looks to provide value and innovation in every service we offer, from the most advanced business network solution, through to the everyday public payphone,” Mutawa added.-TradeArabia News Service