Saudi Arabia to issue new MVNO licenses in 2020

Saudi Arabia’s Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC) released a Request for Application (RFA) to issue licenses to foreign mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) and to enable them to invest in Saudi Arabia, CITC said in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement further noted that licensing of MVNOs is a key pillar in the 5-year strategy established by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to accelerate the growth of the information technology and communication (ICT) sector by 50% and elevate its contribution to GDP by $13.3 billion.

Until recently, Saudi Telecommunications Company, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily) and Mobile Telecommunications Company Saudi Arabia (Zain) were the only mobile telecommunications operators in Saudi Arabia.

The government has since offered MVNOs licenses to Virgin, Etihad Jawraa and Lebara.