Communications and Information Technology Commission signs the seventh of the universal service projects

As part of a number of universal service projects to serve more than two million people in 66 governorates in the Kingdom:

Communications and Information Technology Commission signs the seventh of the universal service projects

Riyadh: Sunday: 25 Rabi al-Awwal 1435H

The Communications and Information Technology Commission announced today the signing of the contract for the seventh Universal Service Fund project, which comes after the successes achieved by the Fund's projects in previous phases for a number of regions of the Kingdom. This project aims to provide voice services and broadband internet services to a number of governorates in Riyadh and Qassim regions.

His Excellency the Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission and Chairman of the Fund's Executive Committee, Engineer Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Darrab, said: "In light of the generous support and gracious directives from the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques - may God protect him - regarding the provision of communications and information technology services to citizens and residents throughout the Kingdom, the Commission, through its Universal Service Fund, has launched 8 projects to deliver voice and broadband internet services to serve a number of currently unserved population clusters in 66 governorates, serving more than 2.2 million people." Al-Darrab added that the eight projects cover: Makkah region (Khulais, Al-Kamil, Al-Qunfudhah, Al-Khurmah, Taif, Ranyah, Turubah), Madinah region (Al-Mahd), Al-Jawf region (Sakaka, Al-Qurayyat, Dumat Al-Jandal), Northern Borders region (Arar, Rafha, Turaif), Jazan region (Al-Dayer, Al-Darb, Al-Reeth), Al-Baha region (Al-Baha, Al-Aqiq, Al-Qura, Al-Mikhwah, Al-Mandaq, Baljurashi, Qilwah), Asir region (Al-Namas, Balqarn, Bisha), Riyadh region (Rumah, Al-Majma'ah, Al-Zulfi, Shaqra, Thadiq, Al-Ghat, Al-Duwadmi, Afif, Al-Quwayiyah, Riyadh, Huraymila, Dhurma, Diriyah), Qassim region (Buraidah, Unaizah, Al-Rass, Al-Muthnib, Al-Bukayriyah, Al-Badai, Al-Asyah, Al-Nabhaniyah, Uyun Al-Jiwa, Riyadh Al-Khabra, Al-Shamasiyah), Eastern Province (Al-Khafji, Hafr Al-Batin, Qaryat Al-Ulya), Hail region (Al-Shinan, Baqaa, Hail), Tabuk region (Tayma), Najran region (Al-Kharkhir, Badr Al-Janoub, Habouna, Khabash, Najran, Sharurah, Thar, Yadamah), and the implementation of such projects enhances the Communications and Information Technology Commission's efforts towards spreading services throughout the Kingdom, making the Commission an important contributor towards achieving comprehensive, sustainable, and balanced development in all regions of the Kingdom."

For his part, the Director of the Commission's Universal Service Fund, Engineer Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Sabhan, said that the seventh project targets more than 700,000 citizens in 1,868 population clusters in 11 governorates in Riyadh region and 11 governorates in Qassim region. He also noted that the method followed for awarding the Commission's universal service projects is through inviting all companies licensed to provide communications and information technology services in the Kingdom (fixed, mobile, and data operators), after which the technical and financial proposals submitted by them are analyzed, and the selection falls on the service provider that requests the least financial support and meets the technical requirements. All necessary regulatory procedures have been completed for evaluating and analyzing the technical and financial proposals submitted by the companies competing for the seventh project, namely: Saudi Telecom Company, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily), and Saudi Telecom Mobile Company (Zain), with these procedures revealing that Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily) won the seventh project of the Fund.

The Commission's official spokesperson, Mr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Malik, explained that the first project was won by Mobily and covers three governorates in Makkah and Madinah regions, the second project was won by Zain and covers 9 governorates in Al-Jawf region, Northern Borders region, and Jazan region, the third project was won by Saudi Telecom Company and covers 11 governorates in Makkah region, Asir region, and Al-Baha region, the fourth project was won by Zain and covers 5 governorates in Riyadh and Eastern regions, the fifth project was won by Saudi Telecom Company and covers 4 governorates in Tabuk and Hail regions, and the sixth project was won by Saudi Telecom Company and covers 8 governorates in Najran region.