Saudi Network Banned from Selling PrePay SIM Cards

Saudi Arabia based mobile network, Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) has been ordered by the telecoms regulator to suspend sales of new prepaid SIM cards.

The company said that the ban is a temporary one and will remain in place until it fully meets the prepaid service provisioning requirements. The requirements include the CITC decision that links prepaid SIM re-charge to the customers ID number.

In a statement, Mobily said that the financial impact of such decision will be insignificant, especially that the revenue drivers and growth areas for Mobily are the data, corporate and postpaid revenues.