RIYADH: Mobile phone users in the Kingdom have been asked to furnish their personal data to their respective mobile service providers, Saudi Telecom and Mobily, to prevent unauthorized use of their identity.
In a circular issued yesterday, the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), has asked the mobile service providers to update the personal data of their subscribers beginning this month.
During October, Al Jawal numbers 0500000000 to 0504999999 and Mobily numbers 0540000000 to 0543999999 are to be updated, according to the circular.
Urging all mobile phone users to cooperate with the service providers in the implementation of this scheme, the CITC has warned subscribers of the legal consequences of using a mobile number whose identity is not known or buying such numbers.
In response to the circular, Mobily has launched a nationwide campaign, Hawyyati (“My Identity”) beginning today to encourage its prepaid subscribers to update their personal data and enter a draw to win 56 premium cars. “The campaign will continue through the end of the year which will help Mobily customers to fill out the data forms available in all Mobily outlets,” an official from Mobily told Arab News. He explained that Hawyyati is only a continuation of an earlier campaign calling for an update of personal data of its customers.
“As an incentive to our customers who respond to our calls, we have decided to give 56 Lexus, Toyota Camry and Land Cruiser vehicles as prizes to lucky winners who participate in this campaign.
Every day there will be a draw in one of Mobily’s main branches at Tahlia Street in Riyadh, Hera Mall branch in Jeddah and Mazra branch in Dammam.
The authorized Mobily dealers in the Kingdom such as Safari, Kallem, Musbah, Haddad, Qanawat (Hits), Axiom and Saudi Call, will take part in the campaign.
After they update their personal details at the respective branches, subscribers are requested to call specific numbers to confirm their data with a view to entering the draw. The numbers given for this purpose include 1412 for English, 1414 for Urdu, 1415 for Hindi, 1416 for Tagalog and 1417 for Bengali. Subscribers can then improve their chances of winning the cars by recharging their cards with at least SR10, the official concluded.
Roaming agreement
Customers of Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) can now receive all their local and international calls for free in 56 countries and with more than 100 operators. Mobily is able to provide this service to its customers through one of the largest roaming agreements ever, which covers more than 100 GSM operators worldwide.
The list of countries in this new service includes the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Sudan, Libya, France, Switzerland, Japan, Finland, Denmark and Norway, to name a few.
The new service makes it possible for Mobily subscribers to receive all local and international voice calls and SMS messages for free through all of the operating networks in 51 countries, but in the other five Arab countries, a specific operator has to be selected. This brings the total to 56 countries.
Mobily Chief Executive Officer Khalid Al-Kaf had promised great surprises from the company that will reinforce its lead in unprecedented products, services and rates.
