AL-KHOBAR – Sultan Al-Malik, official spokesman of the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), said the Consumer Protection Association (CPA) has not caused the CITC to bear the rise in prices of telecommunication services and has not asked it to restructure. He said those concerned are the telecommunication companies, as the CITC has specified the minimum prices for telecommunication services, Al-Yaum reported Thursday. Al-Malik said the CPA has welcomed the CITC decision on roaming service and lauded it. He further said the CITC has asked the companies to create special packages that will enable scholarship students, travelers and those accompanying them, during the official vacations, to make unlimited telephone calls at nominal prices. He said they have started implementing the free international roaming service packages. He added that the CITC always strives to reduce prices while maintaining high quality of services. It urges the companies to provide discounts and promotional offers. He said there is still a margin for companies to reduce prices of local calls. He added that the commission encourages this trend. Not only this, but the licenses for virtual operators of roaming services, which were introduced recently, aim at creating competition so as to reduce prices and provide more care and attention to the subscriber as well as attempting to create job opportunities for the Saudi youth and broadening investment opportunities. Sources in the CPA said the Legal Administration in the association has not yet received any demand to compensate for roaming service packages from telecommunication companies. The CPA said that there is no intention to file any lawsuit or demand in this regard. A source in Saudi Telecommunication Company (STC), who requested anonymity, said the company is tied up with implementing the decision. He said that it is a binding decision for all operating companies, as the decision has been issued by the CITC. The companies must implement the decision. The Consumer Protection Association had blamed telecommunication companies as responsible for the price hike and not responding to different calls to maintain the subscribers' benefit from these services. It said that the mobile telephone bills form a big percentage of consumers' expenses compared to other services provided by the state. — SG
