The Ministry of Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones reports that by the end of June 1997 the number of operational lines, including telex and cellular phones, was 2,120,156, almost double the figure of ten years ago.  The King Fahd City for Satellite Communications which was opened in 1987 is the largest complex of its kind in the Middle East, and incorporates four ground stations, two of them linked with satellites in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, one working with Arabsat and another dedicated to marine telecommunications.   Since 1980, the PTT Ministry has had a main database in Riyadh and a support center in Jeddah.

The report states that the PTT Ministry is currently increasing the number of Saudis in its workforce in line with the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard.  By the end of June, 1997, 86.3 percent of the workforce in the various sectors covered by the Ministry was Saudi.   Realizing the importance of training, the Ministry has training centers in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Abha, and offers seminars both at home and abroad to enable employees to acquaint themselves with the operations of companies that manufacture telecommunications equipment.

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