Saudi Shura Council calls for the reduction of communication and internet costs in the kingdom
On January 27th it was reported that during a meeting with the Committee for Information Technology, Communications and Transport, the Shura Council called on Saudi carriers to reduce the costs of communications and internet, in light of the heavy burden they place on citizens, and the high profits of these companies.
The Council inquired about fines imposed over the past year by the Commission for Information Technology and Communications on telecommunication companies for various violations, including the disconnection of communication cables, the supplying of illegal connections, the selling of pre-paid phone cards without registering the buyer’s identification numbers, the granting of illegal licenses for phone services, and other illegal offers.
In its report, the Committee recommended that the Ministry of Culture and Information urgently complete its national strategy on information security, and work with the Ministry of Economy to improve communication initiatives and the funding of governmental agencies.
The issue of illegal SIM cards in the kingdom has proven to be an ongoing challenge for the Kingdom’s authorities. In August 2015, as well as March of the previous year, police raided vendors selling illegal SIM cards on the streets of Jeddah, warning that traders would be accused of supporting terrorist activities.
