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      Etisalat introduces new Content Passes with mobile data, digital subscriptions

      Story Of The Week

      Etisalat introduces new Content Passes with mobile data, digital subscriptions

      Etisalat UAE has announced the launch of Content Passes, a new lifestyle bundle that offers customers dedicated data for their favorite content. The company said the new offering addresses the growing demand for music, mobile games, video and social media through Etisalat’s mobile network. The launch follows e&’s recent launch of “Etisalat by e&” as the new brand identity for Etisalat UAE.

      Content passes are only available to Etisalat by e& postpaid subscribers. Each pass provides users with 10GB of mobile data dedicated to accessing apps from one of the four categories: Music, Gaming, Video and Connect (for social media). Data assigned to content passes are separate from the data included in the customer’s plan. In addition, a promotional launch offer doubles the content data allowance for Content Passes, giving customers 20GB for each pass. Each pass is available for AED 100 (US $27.23), and includes an AED 100 (US $27.23 US) device discount that can be used when purchasing specific flagship devices.

      In addition to the data included with each Content Pass, the deal offers other benefits. The Music Pass includes a free subscription to Anghami Plus (the ad-free version of the Arabic music streaming service), an exclusive subscription offer to JioSaavn Pro (an Indian music streaming service), and 20GB of content data to stream music from Anghami, JioSaavn and Tidal (a global music streaming service). For gaming enthusiasts, the Gaming Pass offers a discounted subscription to Arena Gaming (a subscription-based video game platform), and (for a limited time) free user credits (in-game currency) to PUBG Mobile. The Video Pass includes a free subscription to Switch TV (a Kenya-based digital television service), and subscription offers for Amazon Prime and StarzPlay. The Connect Pass includes access to a range of popular social media apps, plus internet calling using GoChat Messenger, Etisalat’s branded video and voice calling service.

      Tarifica’s Take

      With the recent global growth of the video, music, gaming and social media markets, it is unsurprising that the demand for such services has similarly increased in the UAE. As the company themselves noted, by offering data dedicated to specific types of content, Etisalat is responding to their customers’ increased demand.

      Providing customers with 10GB of extra data set aside only for their favorite type of content, without impacting their regular data allowance, certainly has the potential to pay off big for Etisalat. The inclusion in the promotion of an additional 10GB data per pass, free subscriptions and subscription discounts to popular services, vouchers for shopping, and invites to exclusive events makes these Content Passes an even greater value for the price.

      The typical offer in the West offers zero-rated data with free monthly subscriptions but only for a limited amount of time, while Etisalat is offering extra data, meant to be used only for certain types of content, together with other advantages unrelated to data streaming (such as shopping vouchers) on a continuing basis for a monthly fee. As the demand for more mobile data for streaming content increases, it will be interesting to see whether Etisalat’s dedicated, paid data passes catch on beyond the UAE.