The Saudi Telecom Company (STC) plans to offer new cuts in mobile service charges from this Saturday, February 5, 2005, in a move aimed at attracting customers prior to the start-up of the second cell phone operator, Itisalat. The number of subscribers to STC’s cell phone services is now over nine million. Last month STC reduced charges for local and international calls through land-line phones, in some cases by 44 percent.

The annual fee of SR100 [U.S. $26.7] for international roaming will be abolished; installation charges halved, to SR50 [$13.4]; and monthly subscription charges for ‘WAP’ and ‘DATA’ services reduced from SR20 [$5.3] to a low SR4 [$1.06]. The latter services allow mobile phone clients to access news reports and financial market developments. Also planned is a new service, ‘Easynet’, which will enable STC clients to access the Internet without a user name or password. This will be available by the middle of February for a rate of SR3 [80 cents] an hour, with no installation or subscription fees.

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