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Telecommunications services in the UAE are provided exclusively by Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat), which was established in 1976. Etisalat is 60% government owned and 40% owned by Emirati citizens. Dubai has a high standard of telephone services, with free local calls and direct dialling to 150 countries. Cheap rates are available when making international calls between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Pay phones, operated by either coins or cards are widely available throughout the UAE and phone cards can be purchased at many supermarkets and pharmacies, or in Etisalat business centres.

If you wish to have your own telephone number in the UAE, you must have a residence visa. When requesting connection of a land line, you will be asked for the connection fee, a completed application for and copies of your passport, residence visa and property lease. You will be billed a quarterly charge for the use of the telephone service. The same requirements apply when obtaining a mobile number (GSM).

Directory enquiries in Dubai are accessed by calling 180.

The dial code for Dubai is +9714.