(UPDATED: See end of post) This one is a classic - a collegue just forwarded me a mail received from Etisalat's customer care centre. The collegue uses Etisalat's broadband internet service, which is the monopoly internet provider here in Abu Dhabi. This customer needed to change a detail on their account, and went to Etisalat's customer service website to do it. But to process the change, the website required a mobile number. And not just any mobile number. When she entered her number, beginning with 055 (the prefix for du, Etisalat's mobile competitor), the site rejected it. The only way she could process the change was to enter in a fake 050 (ie. Etisalat) number. She later sent a mail to the customer care team, letting them know that she could not be contacted on the ficticious 050 number, and giving them her real number. Here is their response: <i>Dear Valued Etisalat Customer,<br/> <br/> Thank you for emailing Etisalat Customer Care Centre.<br/> <br/> In reference with your case, we would like to inform you the number is not an Etisalat GSM number and cannot be updated on the system.There is no provision to update Du numbers on the <a href="http://www.etisalat.ae/online">Etisalat Online Services website</a>. <br/> <br/> For further queries, please contact us by email or call on 101 anytime at your convenience 24 hours.<br/> <br/> Best Regards,<br/> Etisalat, Customer Care Centre</i> UPDATE: After sending back an email asking how the company plans on contacting her, Etisalat's response makes the policy a little more explicit: <i>With reference to your problem, we regret the inconvenience faced by you. In reference with your case, we would like to inform you Etisalat will contact you on any Etisalat number only.<br/><br/><br/>(Pic by Ryan Carter / The National) </i>