RIYADH, 1 September 2005 — More than 4,000 call cabin operators across the Kingdom are preparing to take legal action against the Saudi Telecom Company seeking an increase in the 20 percent commission that the company allows them, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported yesterday. The operators also call for additional privileges for international phone calls made through the call cabins in order for them to attract customers.
Call cabins have been closing down across Saudi Arabia after STC slashed international call charges, thus affecting the livelihood of more than 20,000 call cabin employees.
Talal Al-Shammari, an investor in phone cabins in the Eastern Province, said, “We have every right to file a lawsuit against STC because we’ve lost 70 percent of our income and the company is responsible.”
Majed Al-Mutairi, owner of a call cabin chain in Riyadh, blamed their predicament on the lack of proper supervision by government officials. “Officials concentrated on Saudizing other businesses such as the taxi service and ignored this sector which is fully Saudized. As a result, thousands of young Saudis are losing their livelihood,” he said.
