Communications and Information Technology Commission Launches New Projects to Provide Telecommunications Services in 28 Governorates

The Communications and Information Technology Commission announced today, Sunday 22/05/1435H, corresponding to 23/03/2014, that it had released a number of Universal Service Fund projects for competitive tender among qualified companies to provide voice telecommunications and broadband internet services in 6,313 population clusters across 28 governorates in five regions, namely: (Al-Hinakiyah, Madinah, Badr, Khaybar, Yanbu Al-Bahr, and Al-Ula) in the Madinah region; Ghazalah Governorate in the Hail region; the governorates of (Abha, Al-Majaridah, Muhayil, Rijal Almaa, and Sarat Abida) in the Aseer region; the governorates of (Al-Aydabi, Baish, Jazan, Sabya, Abu Arish, Ahad Al-Masarihah, Al-Aridhah, Al-Harth, Damad, Farasan, and Samtah) in the Jazan region; and the governorates of (Al-Wajh, Umluj, Duba, Haql, and Tabuk) in the Tabuk region.

His Excellency the Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission and Chairman of the Fund's Executive Committee, Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Darrab, said that the release of these projects, in addition to projects previously released in successive phases to deliver voice and internet services, is the result of the generous support of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques — may God protect him. The number of remote population clusters to be served following the award of these projects will rise to more than 13,500 clusters across 94 governorates.

For his part, the Acting Director of the Universal Service Fund, Eng. Fahad bin Abdulaziz Al-Subhan, said that the Fund had finalized the documents specifying the technical requirements for covering the target governorates in projects nine, ten, and eleven, and that the requests for proposals had been received from all companies qualified to participate in these projects, namely Saudi Telecom Company, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily), Saudi Telecom Mobile Company (Zain), and Etihad Atheeb Telecom Company (GO).