CITC says open access agreement becomes effective

The open access agreement between the Kingdom's six telecom service providers has entered into force, the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) said.

CITC clarified in its statement that the agreement will provide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband services through any subscriber-selected service provider, independent of infrastructure ownership.

The end-user will have more options and high-quality services, it noted. The agreement enables the six telecom operators, Saudi Telecom Co. (STC), Etihad Etisalat Co. (Mobily), Mobile Telecommunication Co. Saudi Arabia (Zain Saudi), Etihad Atheeb Telecommunication Co. (GO), Integrated Telecom Co., and Dawiyat Telecom, to open the field between each other and allow utilization of the fiber-optic infrastructure of various companies and serve users

CITC highlighted that the agreement targets over 3.5 million FTTH across the kingdom.

According to data compiled by Argaam, CITC launched in Feb. 2020 open access agreements between the Kingdom's six telecom operators, aiming to encourage competition, attract investment, and increase broadband subscriptions by improving service quality and consumer choice.