CITC’s decree on licensing STC as a Universal service provider

  • Number:
  • 1/1423
  • Date:
  • 23/06/1423 H
  • (Licensing )
  • (Telecommunication sector)
​​​​​​​The Governor, of the Saudi Communications Commission, with the powers he holds, and pursuant to what was stated in the Telecommunications Act, its Bylaw, and the Ordinance of the Saudi Communications Commission, and after reviewing what was stated in Chapters Four, Seven, Eight and Nine of the Telecommunications Bylaw, and in accordance with the work benefit requirements,

(Decides the following)
Article One:
  1. Saudi Telecommunications Company shall be designated   as a Universal Service Provider in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  2. Saudi Telecommunications Company shall be designated as a Dominant Service Provider in all telecommunications markets in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 
  3. The designations of the Saudi Telecommunications Company as a Universal Service Provider and a Dominant Service Provider shall remain in force unless and until the Commission decides otherwise and issues a decision. 
Article Two:
  1. Saudi Telecommunications Company shall file with the Commission within 60 days of the date of this decision a full and detailed schedule of all of its Tariffs in effect as of the date of this decision.
  2. The Tariffs of all services of the Saudi Telecommunications Company that are in effect as of the date of this decision are hereby deemed to be approved, and effective as of the date of this decision. This approval shall be without prejudice to the Commission’s authority to issue further decisions requiring changes to any Saudi Telecommunications Company Tariffs.
  3. The Company shall not make any amendments to the currently applicable Tariffs, submitted to the Commission pursuant to this Article, unless they are submitted to the Commission and obtain prior approval in accordance with the Telecommunications Act and its Bylaw.
Article Three:
  1. Saudi Telecommunications Company shall file with the Commission within (120) days of the date of this decision, a Draft Terms of Service for providing the different telecommunications services that govern the relation between the Company and the users.
  2. The Draft Terms of Service shall, at a minimum, include the following:
    • A. Application procedures for obtaining service;
    • B. Financial obligations such as insurance and limit of credits;
    • C. Suspension or termination of service;
    • D. Confidentiality of users information;
    • E. Refunds or rebates for service problems or for over- billing;
    • F. Terms relating to payment of bills;
    • G. Minimum contract periods for different services; and
    • H. Conditions of amendments to service contracts.
  3. The Commission will review the Draft Terms of Service with the Saudi Telecommunications Company after they are filed. During this time, the Commission may decide to publish the Draft Terms of Service and invite comments on them from concerned parties before issuing a decision on the final Terms of Service to be applied by the Saudi Telecommunications Company.
Article Four:  
  1. The Saudi Telecommunications Company shall file with the Commission within (120) days of the date of this decision a report regarding quality of service standards for the Saudi Telecommunications Company services.
  2. The report, at a minimum, shall include the following:
      • A. the types of services to be included in the quality of service standards;
      • B. the indicators to be measured;
      • C. the proposed standards (i.e. service performance level) to be met for each indicator, during:
        1. year 1 after approval of the standards
        2. year 2 after approval of the standards
        3. year 3 after approval of the standards
        4. year 4 after approval of the standards
        5. year 5 after approval of the standards
      • ​D. The contents and the periodicity of the quality of service reports to be filed with the Commission in future.
  3. The Commission will review the proposed quality of service standards with the Saudi Telecommunications Company. During this time, the Commission may decide to publish these standards and invite comments on them from concerned parties before issuing a decision from the Commission approving the quality of service standards.
Article Five:
  1. The Saudi Telecommunications Company shall file with the Commission the numbering plan available to them at present, together with a statement of all the numbers used   by the Company in the different telecommunications services, within a period not exceeding    (45) days from the date of this decision.
  2. All the numbers currently used by the Saudi Telecommunications Company, which shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to Clause (1) of this Article, shall be considered as approved by the Commission to be used by the Company. This approval shall be without prejudice to the Commission’s authority to issue further decisions requiring changes.
  3. The Company shall not use any new numbers unless it submits a request to the Commission and obtains a license from it in a​ccordance with the Commission Statutes, and in conformity with the National Numbering Plan to be issued by the Commission.
Article Six:
The Saudi Telecommunications Company and the concerned parties are hereby  informed of this decision, which is effective as of the date of its issuance.

Eng. Mohammad J. A. Mulla
Governor, Saudi Communications Commission​