Vodafone presses Qatar to omit “Glorious Tamim” from network

CAIRO – 10July 2017: Vodafone Qatar withdrew its support of Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad, omitting the rebranded “Glorious Tamim” phrase from its network after Vodafone Group Plc, the London-based multinational telecommunications company, exercised pressures.

The move came following a wide fuss kicked up by the telecom giant, when 70 percent of its share owners from Qatari government-related entities decided to change its network name into “Tamim Almajd” (Glorious Tamim) on Friday.

A massive controversy aroused accusations against Vodafone Qatar, claiming its “support to terrorism”.

Vodafone Group Plc called on its network in Doha to omit “Glorious Tamim” in order not to affect the company’s other investments in the countries of the region, including Vodafone network in Egypt.

Earlier, Qatari sources emphasized that the majority of Vodafone Qatar shares are owned by Qatari investors, including Shiekha Moza, adding that “the process of changing the term into Tamim Almajd was done upon directives by the Qatari regime.”
Vodafone Group Plc had threatened to withdraw its trademark from its network in Qatar as a result of making it a part of the Gulf-Qatar crisis.

The move comes amid tensions between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, who announced last month the severing of all diplomatic ties over allegations that Doha bankrolled “terrorists” and had close ties with Saudi archrival Iran.

Vodafone Qatar closed its Facebook page on Saturday over angry comments by Arab users for changing the network name to Glorious Tamim, a step considered by many as an expression of support to a regime and ruler backing terrorism.