The Consumer Protection Society (CPS) has called on the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) to respond to complaints from customers about poor service from Internet and telecommunication companies. The CPS was set up to represent the interests of consumers, while the CITC is the Kingdom's telecommunications regulatory body. The CPS stressed the importance of working out a well-defined mechanism that would enable subscribers to follow up on their complaints. The CPS emphasized that it would take up complaints from subscribers if the CITC does not take firm action in this regard. The society also wants the CITC to ensure that communications and information services are spread to areas that are not profitable for the service providers. To achieve this, the society suggested that the CITC should make use of the cash which government deducts from the revenue of the country's information technology companies. These measures should form part of the basic role of the commission, according to the CPS. Addressing a press conference Saturday, Dr. Muhammad Al-Hamad, the CPS's chairman, said the CITC has also been asked a while ago to provide an official document showing why subscribers should not be allowed to convert billed lines to prepaid lines. Al-Hamad said the commission replied that there was no official document, either in the telecommunications system or bylaws, preventing subscribers from converting a billed telephone service to a prepaid one. Al-Hamad said the society held a meeting with the Deputy Governor of the CITC for Legal Affairs to discuss a mechanism for submitting complaints from subscribers. There are an estimated 45 million subscribers to these companies. He said the society noticed that a large percentage of the subscribers have problems with the service providers but did not know how to submit complaints. Al-Hamad said the CPS has also addressed the service provider companies to acquaint them with procedures that should be followed for detailed complaints. The society has also raised questions about the delay in services to the Kingdom's cities and governorates where services are not available. The society also suggested that specialized administrations be set up or specialists appointed to coordinate and follow up complaints that are not dealt with by the service providing companies. Apart from this, he said the society has also approached the CITC about its decision to have all telecommunications companies ban free international roaming services, which allows free calls into Saudi Arabia from outside the country, from telephones that are registered in the Kingdom. He said this decision affects the interest of the consumer. Al-Hamad said that the CPS had received a reply from the CITC on the reasons for banning the free service. Al-Hamad was referring to the controversy this year in the country between the country's mobile companies and the CITC over the ban proposal. Earlier this year a mobile company took the CITC to court to contest the ban. The mobile company argues that there is nothing in the CITC's regulations to prevent it from keeping the free roaming service. The CITC wants a rate to be fixed at 50 halalas for the reception of roaming calls, which will be half the cost of an international call from Saudi Arabia. The CITC decision affects three mobile phone operators in the country, Mobily, Saudi Telecom and Saudi Zain. Even Shoura Council members appear to differ over the issue, Saudi Gazette reported on Feb.14 this year. Dr. Sa'doun Al-Sa'doun, Deputy Chairman of the IT and Communications Committee at the Shoura Council had asked the CITC to explain its decision, stressing that it was in the interest of consumers that the service remains, unless there was a genuine reason to end it. He called on the CITC to conduct a study before stopping the service. However, Muhammad Abu Saaq, another member of the Shoura Council, described the CITC decision as positive because he argued that it was in line with international laws for companies. One company said it would continue the service, but to a select group of regular and loyal customers. Meanwhile, the CPS said there were 18,960 complaints sent to the commission from 2004 until 2010. Al-Hamad said it was important to spread a culture of consumer rights in the Kingdom and to inform citizens and expatriates of their rights in the telecommunications and IT sector. He regretted that the CPS's toll free number (199000) has not yet become operational, although the society has made all the arrangements for the line to be up and running to receive complaints. The society indicated that the subscribers can lodge their complaints with the following service provider companies: Saudi Telecom, through customer service on its toll free number 8002444455 or though its website www.stc.com.sa; via e-mail to [email protected]; though the fax number 8003060006 or by visiting subscription offices. Mobily, through customer service on number 1100 or though the website www.mobily.com.sa or by visiting the company's subscription offices. Saudi Zain company, through customer service number 959 or by visiting the company's website www.zain.com.sa or through the subscription offices. Ittihad Atheeb (Go), the complaint can be registered through customer service on number 8001161666 or though the company's website www.atheeb.net. Complaints to the CITC can be made through the number 014618033 or on its website www.citc.gov.sa.
