Communications and Information Technology Commission Issues Facilities-Based Unified License to Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily)

Further to the Commission's statement issued on 29/01/1438H, corresponding to 30/10/2016, regarding the Commission's Board of Directors' approval to make available the issuance of a unified license and the extension of licenses for facilities-based telecom companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange — namely Saudi Telecom Company, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily), and Etihad Atheeb Telecom (GO) — the Communications and Information Technology Commission announced today the issuance of the second unified license to Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily), effective from 24/05/1438H, corresponding to 21/02/2017, after the company recently completed the requirements necessary to obtain the license from the Commission.

The Commission explained that the unified license allows the licensee to build networks and provide mobile and fixed (voice and data) services using whichever technologies the licensee deems appropriate for its commercial and technical plan.

The Commission stated that, in issuing this type of license, it aims to encourage service providers to raise the level of competition in serving users and to increase the options available to them for obtaining services suited to their needs, in addition to encouraging service providers to raise network efficiency and reduce costs by enabling the provision of a number of services under a single unified license. Unified licenses also broaden the reach of diverse services across all regions of the Kingdom.

In a related context, the Commission stated that coordination is ongoing with other telecom service providers entitled to obtain a unified license, in order to complete the requirements necessary for obtaining the unified license for those wishing to do so.