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Muscat Municipality Soon to Inaugurate the Middle East's First SMS-Based Parking Meter Booking Service
 October 10, 2005 – Muscat, Oman - "Working closely with Oman Mobile, [a wholly owned subsidiary of Oman Telecommunications], Muscat Municipality is set to inaugurate very soon an SMS-based parking meter booking service, by which users will be able to book parking time by sending an SMS, a substitute for other traditional payment booking methods", stated Mr. Hamad Bin Salem Bin Khamees Al Raseby, the Deputy General Manager of the Investment and Income Unit at the General Directorate for Administrative and Financial Affairs of the Municipality. Mr. Al Raseby asserted that this service – the first of its kind in the Middle East region - enriches and diversifies the Municipality's portfolio of electronic services that simplify procedures for citizens.
Describing this new SMS-based service, Mr. Al Raseby says: "A user who wishes to book a parking lot sends an SMS with the license plate number, the location code of the parking area, and the number of parking minutes to a designated number (90091). The user immediately receives a confirmation of the parking lot and the parking expiration time via text message."
Thirty minutes of parking time will cost 60 pesas, which will be charged to the user's mobile phone bill. The service center sends an SMS  reminder five minutes before the parking period expires to avoid the user an overtime fine. The user can also send an SMS to the same number titled "Time" to inquire about the remaining parking time. Users will enjoy the convenience of not having to worry about carrying correct change.
Mr. Al Raseby concluded by asserting that the Municipality is moving forward with its plans to continue offering new innovative services for its citizens using the latest technologies, in sync with the Sultanate's development and growth path under the auspices of His Majesty the Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed.
This project has been implemented by RealSoft Advanced Applications - a company registered in Jordan with an office in Oman – in conjunction with its sister company Informobility LLC.
** Translated from Al-Watan Newspaper October 10, 2005
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