Shareholders of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (Du) approved two dividend payments during a meeting on 19 August.

Dubai-based Du announced it will distribute a special dividend payment of AED0.10 per share and start an interim dividend payment of AED0.12 per share, after reporting a net profit of AED474m ($129m) in the second quarter of 2013, a year-on-year increase of 45.64 per cent. The dividends will be paid by the first week of September.

In recent years Du has become a major competitor for more established telecoms operators such as Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat, prompting them to rethink their strategies and operational models.

In a conference call with journalists in July, Du chief executive officer Osman Sultan said the operator is looking at international expansion, but has not decided on a specific strategy yet.