Oman Mobile 3.5G !!

 

Oman Mobile finally gets around to launching its own 3.5G service. On 1st of March after corporate testing, it was officially released to the public. Here are some interesting offers/features as advertised by Omanmobile:

1. They insist of up to 7.5Mbps speed. Now we all know this is a theoretical speed, and no one ever really gets this ! Nawras dose a better job at informing customers of 1Mbps Download and 384Kbps upload, which is more closer to reality.
2. R.O. 1 for 24 Hours is cheaper then Nawras (R.O. 3 for 48 Hours). Currently this offer is valid only till May 7th for Omanmobile. Nawras has turned its offer into a package.
3. Pay as you go charges are almost identical.
4. 1 GB plan is the same (R.O. 19) but then Omanmobile offers more GBs and increased the package price (15GB for R.O. 34) and (30GB for R.O. 59)
5. There is no inter-network video calling yet.
6. Video calling is a little bit more expensive then Nawras.
7. Omanmobile seems to have a very good coverage already deployed. Special mention: Buraimi, Hafeet, Salalah.
8. The devices are Huawei (R.O. 59, 69, 109).

So what do I think ? Well, its not a surprise. Omanmobile is clearly targeting its own customers and not invoking a price fight. Which in a way is rather disappointing. I think the only reason why there are two or more companies is to have competition. 

I must say, I’m a bit disappointed with Nawras, their 3G+ network coverage has not improved much since they launched their service a long time ago. Their video calling isn’t that great.

Anyone who has tested the quality and speed of their service, please feel free to leave comments.

Links:

Omanmobile 3.5G

Nawras 3G+

Cover of Lost - Coldplay

Haven’t done one in ages.

So, I finally gather up my courage to make another video. This time its a cover.

This is an amazing song by Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida. The song is more drum based, and we all know the mind blowing stage performance of Coldplay. So this might seem a little boring.

Now, I haven’t been learning the guitar on a professional level. Took classes for like 3 months in total early on. Now it internet is my teacher. And it awesome too, I can find just about anything.

So, here goes nothing:

Later !!

WAKE UP Nawras/Oman Mobile !!

This Sunday, UAE and Saudi get their hands on the apple iPhone. Some people think its too expensive. Well, yes, maybe. But its an iPhone, and like many other apple products, its suppose to be expensive.

First up, I checked Etisalat rates. You can find them here.

Well, not so bad. Its a bit pricey but you can have legally have an iPhone rather then the Jail broken ones.

Then I went and checked Mobily. You can find it here.

This is simply awesome. I seriously wish I lived in Saudi now, if it weren't for the religious Police, I would have lived there from now on.

Now the real part ! What on earth is Nawras and/or Oman Mobile doing ?

Nawras:

Stop concentrating on making amateurish web pages, and stupid bundle offers. One of the things I like about you is the simple offers and plans. Leave the complex ones to the new MVNP. And stop writing huge essays about your new store in QCC. It doesn't matter. You are getting old. We know you have the second land phone licence, but that doesn't mean you will concentrate on it and forget the good old "another first in the sultanate" stuff.

WAKE UP !! Go and call Apple and demand the iPhone. Show them money. If TRA interferes, use "wasta".

You know I have the most expectations from you ? Right ?

Oman Mobile:

I don't care if you are joining Omantel or not. People wouldn't even bother, if only you had better products and services. What on earth is wrong with you ? Start behaving like a public company and lets get some action.

I would believe you have the most "wasta" when it comes to TRA. So go and use it for something good. Like getting us the iPhone.

And yeah, WAKE UP !!

How many more times do I have to feel that I'm in the most technologically outdated and most slowest country in the Gulf ? You big neighbors are having it all, the good, the bad, the ugly. Now I know we don't need the bad or the ugly, but at least WAKE UP and see or even copy the good things. If they are interested enough to persuade apple to bring the iPhone, why not you ? 

Why ?

Ramblings on the valentines night.

Haven't been blogging much. I guess I like being a silent reader !

So, its not the best valentines day I have had! Nothing special to do, with no one special ! So, its just another day. Hoping for a better future !

On other news, I'm trying to make this face facebook profile. I want to stock some one. Lets see how my skills at online faking are.

The last two weeks have been crazy. Absolutely, fucking crazy. We had the conference at MECIT last week and this week legislative meetings at KOM1. I had the best time of my life. It was so awesome and tiring taking care of logistics and registration and money. I'm not the best organized person out there, but I managed well.

We had a lot of externals delivering sessions, like Pwc, AMIDEAST, ELS, PDO and a lot more. It was great seeing the interactions between the speakers and the audience.

Overall it was awesome. But being busy taking care of so much, I couldn't take any pictures ! I'll try to steal some from fb

Later..

Recycling !

There is a lot of discussion over the blog sphere and most probably at the coffee joints and offices about the new Brand Oman logo. Some say, its really not that bad, some says it sucks.

Personally I do not like the logo, but its not that bad. I mean its a logo, and we have to live with it. Maybe they could have a public voting on this before making it public? It would create publicity and the right type of vibe. But then, voting is not common in this part of the world !

Among all the blogging and commenting, I see something else. People are blogging, voicing their opinions. People are reading blogs, forums. Which is good. Ain't it ?

If you missed all this you can read interesting comments here, here, here and here.

Moving on,

I recently picked this up from Shell.

Its great what ESO is doing in raising awereness about recycling and using recycleable materials.

So what should we look at as our model for the future?

I would suggest Japan !

A picture of a japanese recycling instruction chart. Got from somewhere on the web.

The Japanese are strict about their recycling. They have been doing this for years. And to me it looks plain crazy. But the fact is its efficient and it works. They ask the citizen (ask by law and fines), to wade through their trash and seperate into catagories. Then to put certain catagories out on certain days !

Here are a few links:

This is from a blogger from The city of Yokohama:

Everyday in japan

It old, but they have been following that for years now. Its even gotten more complicated.

13 page recycling guide published by the city.

And one from Tokyo:

Tokyo

An interesting read !!

Later !!