Qatar telecom has announced an exciting new summer landline connection campaign for residential customers, offering savings of QR299 ($82) for new and existing subscribers.

The promotion offers free connection and three months free rental for new landline connections, as part of Qtel’s ongoing campaign to provide direct connections for every home in Qatar, said a senior official.

An earlier promotional campaign at the end of 2008 saw a high take-up of new residential landlines, and – with Qatar’s population predicted to grow in the second half of the year, and a number of new housing developments coming online – executives at Qtel are confident that they will see a positive response in July.

Adel Al Mutawa, executive director, Group Communications, Qtel, said: "This latest promotion demonstrates the impressive range of communication solutions provided to Qtel customers, as well as reinforcing our focus on exceptional value for money."

"Many people are moving into new accommodation over the summer, so we hope this exciting new offer provides an additional bonus for them as they settle into a new home."

The free connection sees QR200 deducted from the customer’s bill, while the three month rental saving is worth QR99. As well as helping new customers and new arrivals in Qatar, this promotion is also ideal for people who plan to add an extra landline to their existing package.

New customers can visit any Qtel shop with a valid Qatari ID and request a landline, while existing customers can simply call Qtel at 111 and obtain the same great savings as new customers.

Landline customers are also benefiting from Qtel’s hugely popular Nojoom rewards programme, which provides points for every Riyal spent on Qtel services. Points can be exchanged for a wide range of gifts and experiences.

Globally, the number of landline customers is falling in comparison to the number of mobile phone customers, but Qatar is bucking this trend, with the penetration rate still rising due to the country’s ongoing economic expansion and the fantastic range of offers made available by Qtel. The summer landline activation promotion runs throughout July.-TradeArabia News Service