Qatar Telecom (Qtel), the leading telecom services provider in Qatar, and Virgin Group, a well-known branded venture capital organisation, have launched a new prepaid mobile service in Qatar.

Virgin Mobile Qatar, which is available from today (May 13), will be Qatar’s first youth-focused mobile offering, delivered by Virgin Mobile in the brand partnership.

Virgin Mobile Qatar will offer a prepaid mobile service that combines the coverage and call quality benefits of Qtel’s mobile network with the unique brand experience delivered by Virgin Group.

The launch was announced at a special opening ceremony which saw Sir Richard Branson, chairman and founder of the Virgin Group of Companies, arrive at the head of a V-formation fleet of jet ski riders, blazing a trail along the curve of the Corniche in Doha.

“Virgin Mobile is the fastest-growing and most successful business in Virgin’s history, with more than fifteen million customers around the world,” said Sir Richard.

“Virgin Mobile Qatar is an entirely new type of mobile experience, which everybody can start enjoying from today. I am proud to have partnered with Qtel to make Virgin Mobile Qatar our first mobile launch in the Middle East, and I would like to invite the people of Qatar to come on in and enjoy the fun. We’re open!”

The service has been designed to be open, fun and simple to use, and will be supported by a range of retail stores, a new, dedicated contact centre in the heart of Doha, as well as an online community virginmobile.com.qa.

Dr Nasser Marafih, CEO, Qtel, said: “We are pleased to welcome Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin Mobile brand to Qatar. Our alliance will have an important impact here in Qatar, and we see strong potential for development as a multi-country brand franchise partnership across our regional and international footprint.”

“For Qtel, this marks another important step forward as we develop our brand strategy and our overall business plan to become one of the top 20 global telecommunications operators by 2020. For the people of Qatar, it adds a fantastic new choice and a whole new communications lifestyle,” he added.

Virgin Mobile Qatar will offer one of the most advanced prepaid mobile services in the region, a statement said.

The service offers a simple all-day tariff, sweeping away the confusion of peak and off-peak rates and also provides 180-day airtime – the longest-lasting mobile airtime validity in Qatar.

Built around a clear concept – the more you talk, the less you pay – Virgin Mobile Qatar promises to provide a great value and flexible service, the statement added.

Local calls will cost QR 0.55 ($0.15) per minute for the first five minutes each day, and QR0.30 per minute after that. Mobile Internet will cost QR1 per megabyte.

Ed Jennings, head of Virgin Mobile Qatar, said: “Virgin Mobile Qatar is a pioneering new kind of mobile service. We will be giving customers in Qatar what we know they have been calling for – a simple, honest, easy-to-use mobile experience with unbeatable coverage, great customer service, and a whole load of fun extras.”

With today’s launch, Virgin Mobile Qatar will be the eighth Virgin Mobile branded operation in the world, following on from launches in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, France, South Africa, and India. – TradeArabia News Service