Saudi Arabia: two companies win competition for virtual mobile telecommunications services

Saudi Arabia’s Communications and Information Technology Commission today announced the results of a competition to provide services to mobile virtual communications network (MVNO) operators, which has enabled Integrated Telecom Company Limited and Technology Resources Union to win the competition.

According to a statement on its website, the authority gave the companies 90 days from the date they were notified of the victory. To fulfill the necessary legal requirements, emphasizing that failure to comply with these requirements by one of the two winning companies within the specified period will result in the choice of the third candidate as an alternative, provided that the same legal procedures are applied to him as indicated in the license application document.

The TRA clarified that the license to provide virtual mobile telecommunications network services allows the virtual operator to provide voice communication services, mobile data services and internet services, as well as a number of communication services. mobile communication such as: short text messages, voice mail, media services, etc., without requiring the virtual operator to own towers or frequencies.

She indicated that the provision of services depends on leasing or purchasing capacity from existing service providers with infrastructure, and then providing services to subscribers.

The authority said that the granting of new licenses to provide virtual mobile telecommunications network services will positively help improve the user experience, improve the quality of services and provide more additional options to users. This will result in the development of the sector, the improvement of investment opportunities, the stimulation of competition among service providers, in addition to stimulating innovation and creating new employment opportunities in the markets of the sector. .

The Information and Communications Technology Commission (CITC) granted Virgin Mobile Saudi Arabia and Etihad Jawraa for Information and Communications Technology a license to provide services to MVNO operators in 2014.

It should be noted that in the event that “Integrated Communications Company Ltd.” and “Union of Technology Resources” meet the conditions for obtaining a license within 90 days, the total number of licenses to provide services to MVNO operators in the Kingdom will reach 4 licenses.