The Saudi Telecom Company, that monopolistic bastion of telecommunications in this country, recently announced net profits of over a billion riyals.

But in a report a week ago, it raised an alarm over the loss of a few million over some enterprising telephone operations that have somehow skirted around STC’s stranglehold over our Internet and communication practices.

Apparently, some creative individuals have found means of bypassing STC altogether and providing efficient international call services at rates far below what STC mandates on the unwilling. From the report, there have been quite a few takers, numbers large enough to get STC worried.

This cry of alarm from a company that has enforced the highest rates for telecommunication services in the region comes off quite hollow. While service rates remain high, so too does customer wrath at some of the practices carried out by this monopoly.

One of the major sources of frustration is over errors in billing. A customer gets charged for calls he’s never made. But the standard practice of STC is “pay now, and we’ll investigate later.” And if you don’t pay now, your phone access is immediately cut off.

The investigation later is a simple brush-off, as I know of none who have had errors corrected in their favor. But since they are the only act in town, STC invariably gets the irate customer to fork out hard-earned money for services not rendered.

Then there is the issue of exorbitant mobile phone charges. Time and again, STC grandly announces reductions, and yet our rates are among the highest in the Gulf region. But why should STC care? They have no competition in this field of essential public services.

On-line Internet charges are another source of consumer complaints. At SR3 an hour for being on-line, the public is discouraged from extensive use. The quality of service is tolerable at best.

In what seems to be a new practice by STC, a growing number of customers are reporting sudden suspension of their telephone access without prior notice. It seems that STC has decided that if a customer’s charges exceed a certain amount known only to them, then they just turn the switch.

The customer in most cases is left wondering if the recent roadwork in the neighborhood or recent rains caused that sudden disruption.

There are many other instances of customer dissatisfaction that can’t be included here for lack of space. But no, STC. With your billions in net profits and your current consumer approach, find another shoulder to cry on.