Lebara, a MVNO operator, starts operations in Saudi Arabia

Lebara, a multi-national mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) based in the UK, has started operation in Saudi Arabia, the second company to provide such services in the kingdom after Virgin Mobile.

The company’s board director, Prince AbdelAziz bin Mashal bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud, said that Lebrara plans to use its international allies to provide mobile services in the kingdom and beyond.

The main goal of the company is to cater for the increasing demand for voice services nationally and internationally as well as data services, CEO Fadi Qaour said.

The Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC) has approved to give licenses to Virgin Mobile, with host provider Saudi Telecoms Company (STC) and Jawraa Group (Lebrara), hosted by Mobily. The provider hosted by Saudi Zain has not been named yet.

MVNO providers use the networks of other mobile operators in return for fees and a percentage of the revenue, according to Argaam.