UAE operator Etisalat has partnered with Yale Middle East to offer smart locks, accessories and exclusive bundles to provide keyless security for homes. The service offers a payment plan, free installation, after-sales support, and a one-year warranty from Yale.
Etisalat will manage customer service to select the right offering to match the customer’s requirement. Yale offers installation of locks and accessories for an extra charge, but free to Etisalat customers.
Yale’s Linus Smart Lock YDM4109A and YDM3109A bundles are exclusively available to Etisalat customers, who can choose from SmartPay options of 12, 18, and 24 months for prices above AED 500.00 (US $136.00). Other UAE customers have a standalone option.
The Linus retrofit smart lock is suitable for rental apartments and fits a range of doors. It is easy to install over an existing Euro cylinder on the inside of a front door, so that customers can keep and use their original keys without the need for other door alterations. Customers can purchase this smart lock starting from AED 59.00 (US $16.05) on a 24-month installment plan, inclusive of VAT and installation.
Tarifica’s Take
This offering from Etisalat is an interesting example of a partnership that allows a mobile operator to provide a value-added IoT service. While not especially high-tech, this smart-lock product is intelligently tailored to address a real and common need among consumers.
Keyless security utilizes mobile connectivity to provide access to a door lock via a mobile device. the Etisalat-Yale system has the added advantage of being able to be retrofitted to older lock devices and of being accessible by a physical key as well as a virtual one.
This is not a type of device and service that consumers usually associate with a mobile operator, but as an offer it is persuasive, we believe, because loyal subscribers associate their MNO with security and reliability. Conversely, the physical security of the door-lock system could have the effect of reinforcing positive impressions about the operator and its service in general.
Making the smart lock bundles available with 12-to-24-month installment contracts also serves to connect the subscriber more closely with the operator, on a medium or longer-term basis. For this reason, the product should be a boon to Etisalat with regard to customer retention.