publish time

14/07/2024

author name Arab Times

publish time

14/07/2024

KUWAIT CITY, July 14: The Acting Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA), Abdullah Al-Ajmi, has issued a decision mandating mobile telecommunications companies to interconnect their bulk SMS services. According to the decision, a copy of which was obtained by Al-Seyassah, mobile telecommunications companies a required to set the settlement price for terminating all types of short text messages at 5 fils per message.

They must provide CITRA with a final draft of the annex related to the interconnection of all types of short text messages within 30 days of the decision’s issuance, attaching it to the main interconnection agreements approved under Resolution No. 120 of 2020. Sources explained to the daily that this decision aims to develop and organize the communications sector within the country, fulfilling the interconnection instructions mentioned in the Communications Authority Law The service benefits many sectors, particularly major commercial companies such as banks and government agencies.

The Authority imposed high financial fines last year, amounting to 500,000 dinars, on some service providers for refusing to interconnect short text messages between themselves and other companies. Regulations stipulate that it is not permissible to refuse interconnection between telecommunications networks, as subscribers must be enabled to obtain services from other operators per the systems and decisions. CITRA is committed to ensuring the quality of services provided on the latest systems, monitoring them, and ensuring compliance by service providers with the set conditions. The Market and Competition Sector periodically reviews and updates plans and programs related to the state’s general policy in the communications and information technology sectors, approving policies that encourage competition and prevent monopolies.

By Mohammad Al-Musleh
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff