Updated at 4pm to reflect Vodafone has also changed its network name.
Ooredoo users in Qatar woke up today to find their phones taking sides in the Gulf dispute.
The country’s largest telecom provider has changed its network name to “Tamim almajd” (Glorious Tamim) in a show of support for Qatar’s leader.
The company made the announcement on Twitter late on Thursday evening.
"Qatar will always be free, elevated by the spirits of the loyal"
Dear customer, Ooredoos' network name has been changed to "Tamim Almajd " pic.twitter.com/jOuTrABuzq— Ooredoo Qatar (@OoredooQatar) July 6, 2017
Ooredoo could easily make the change because it is majority state-owned, like many major companies in Qatar.
According to its website, Qatar-based “government-related entities” own 68 percent of it, though the UAE-based ADIA owns 10 percent.
Finally, 22 percent of its shares are free-floating, owned by those in Qatar, the US, UK and other nations.
Vodafone joins in
Rival Vodafone initially offered users the option of coming into its stores to change their phones’ network names to support the Emir.
But then later on in the afternoon, it rolled out the change across its network.
https://twitter.com/VodafoneQatar/status/883011604085968897
https://twitter.com/VodafoneQatar/status/883261782101458944
Though Vodafone is a British multinational company, its Qatar subsidiary is 70 percent Qatari-owned.
Online reaction
After the changes were announced, many residents were quick to commend the companies for their decision, which comes amid an escalating dispute with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt:
Ooredoo and Vodafone change network name to support Qatar's Emir
However, some pointed out that the change only appears to work on iPhones and not android devices for both networks:
https://twitter.com/Alex_Helali/status/883114007195820032
Others said restarting their phones or turning them briefly onto airplane mode could help get the change to show up.
Has the network name changed on your phone? Thoughts?
