Peddlers race to sell pre-paid SIM cards

Peddlers are working overtime to sell pre-paid mobile SIM cards before September.
The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) announced their new regulation overseeing the sale and activation of pre-paid SIM cards would take effect in September.
No pre-paid SIM cards will be charged, recharged, or balances transferred unless the subscriber enters his or her identity number.
The CITC confirmed the number of SIM cards issued in the Kingdom was 54 million this year alone, 85 percent of which are pre-paid. This represents a growth of 118 percent.
Sultan Al-Malik, CITC spokesman told Arab News, “We don’t have statistics to corroborate the number of illegal pre-paid SIM cards but we know sales are on the increase and they are sold everywhere. Our recent campaign informs mobile phone users about the new regulation,” he said.
He said, “The pre-paid SIM card market was too vulnerable and communication companies were losing huge revenue to the black market. Our goal is to streamline the process and deactivate the market.”
There is some speculation as to where peddlers are getting their SIM cards from; some say it may be from sources within the communication companies themselves.
“Applying this process might be difficult for expat workers and we ask their sponsors to update their workers identity information with their nearest communication company branch,” Al-Malik said.
JEDDAH: When asked how pilgrims who visit the Kingdom periodically will be able to keep their SIM cards active, Al-Malik said they would use a different process.
“Pre-paid SIM cards sold to pilgrims will work only during Haj season,” he said.
Arab News spoke to SIM cards peddlers who confirmed they have clients who will never stop buying illegal cards.
Mohammed Ali, a Yemeni peddler told Arab News he worked in this field seven years ago. “I used to buy SIM cards from employees of the communication companies. I don’t care where they got them. I only cared about my cost. I would buy 100 pre-paid cards a month and the cost varied based on the category and the number. My prices were much lower than what these companies sell them for,” he said.
Ali said, “Since the CITC regulation was announced, I stopped buying the cards. Now my main concern is to sell the ones I have. I notice the demand for them has decreased, but there are still people who don’t know about this regulation.”
Ibrahim Baksh works as a driver for a private construction company. He used to sell pre-paid SIM cards to his colleagues at low prices.
“I have a friend who works as a shopkeeper and he buys these cards in large quantities. I would buy them from him, add a little to the cost, and resell them,” he added.
Baksh admitted, “I made about SR 2,000 a month. My expat clients preferred them, as I would sell a SR 100 card for SR 90. Some expats especially maids and drivers, change their mobile number often.”
Arab News toured Palestine Street to see what stores were selling illegal pre-paid SIM cards.
Ala’a, a Palestinian vendor at a mobile store said, “We were making lots of money selling these cards. Now we can’t, especially with the municipality watching us. They frequently check to see if we are selling them. If we do, the municipality will shut us down and deport expatriate workers,” he said.