DAMMAM, 28 March 2004 — Many citizens who bought special cell phone numbers are now placing advertisements in newspapers and on the streets trying to sell the numbers. This has happened after an annoucement by Saudi Telecom Company (STC) that it would add a ninth digit — an additional zero after the intial 05 — to all cell phone numbers. A Saudi citizen told Al-Madinah that he had bought a special number for SR20,000 but now is trying to sell it for SR2,000. Another citizen spent SR200,000 to buy a number and now wonders who will buy the number after an additional zero is added. STC has said that the new digit is necessary for network expansion and there is no question of changing the announced decision.
