Article 6 of the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Law
المادة 6 من نظام الاتصالات وتقنية المعلومات · الفصل الثاني: التراخيص
The article states when the Authority or Council may refuse renewal of, cancel, suspend or amend a license, registration or permit, and requires the Authority to ensure continuity of service.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- للهيئة رفض طلب تجديد الترخيص أو التسجيل أو التصريح، أو إلغاء الترخيص أو التسجيل أو التصريح، أو تعليق أو تعديل أي منها؛ في أيّ من الحالات الآتية:
أ- عدم معالجة المرخص له أو المسجل أو المصرح له -خلال مدة معقولة تحددها الهيئة- للمخالفات التي ارتكبها.
ب- انقضاء المرخص له أو المسجل أو المصرح له، أو حله.
ج- أي حالة أخرى تحددها اللائحة.
2- للمجلس -بقرار مسبب- إلغاء أو تعليق أو تعديل أي ترخيص أو تسجيل أو تصريح في حال وجود تغيرات في التقنية أو في ظروف السوق أو في الخطة الوطنية للطيف الترددي، وذلك وفق الإجراءات التي تحددها اللائحة.
3- للمرخص له أو المسجل أو المصرح له التقدم إلى الهيئة بطلب إلغاء أو تعديل أو تعليق الترخيص أو التسجيل الصادر له.
4- على الهيئة في حالة عدم تجديد الترخيص، أو تعليقه، أو إلغائه؛ اتخاذ ما يلزم لضمان استمرار الخدمة وفقاً للقواعد والإجراءات التي توضحها اللائحة.
5- تحدد اللائحة الأحكام المترتبة على إلغاء الترخيص أو التسجيل أو التصريح أو تعليقه أو تعديله، والأحكام اللازمة لضمان استمرار الخدمة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 6 explained in plain English
This article regulates what may happen to a license, registration or permit after it has been issued.
1- The Authority's power: the Authority may refuse a renewal request, or cancel, suspend or amend, in the following cases:
- The holder of the license, registration or permit does not address the violations he committed within a reasonable period the Authority determines.
- The entity ceases to exist or is dissolved.
- Any other case the regulations determine.
2- The Council's power: the Council, by a reasoned decision, may cancel, suspend or amend any license, registration or permit if there are changes in technology, market conditions or the national frequency spectrum plan, under procedures the regulations determine. This case does not require a violation to have occurred.
3- The party's own request: the holder of a license or registration may himself apply to the Authority to cancel, amend or suspend it.
4- Protecting users: where a license is not renewed, suspended or cancelled, the Authority must take what is needed to ensure the continuation of service as the regulations set out. The regulations also determine the consequences of cancellation, suspension or amendment.
This article comes after Article 5, which specifies the activities that require a license or registration. Anyone against whom the Authority has issued a decision would do well to consult a lawyer who specializes in communications and information technology laws or in administrative cases.
Practical example
The Authority notified a licensed company of violations and gave it a period to address them, but it did not address them within the period. In that case the Authority may refuse to renew its license or suspend or cancel it, while taking what is needed to ensure the continuation of service to its customers.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 6 of the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Law
When may the Authority cancel a telecom license?
If the license holder does not address his violations within a reasonable period the Authority determines, or he ceases to exist or is dissolved, or in any other case the regulations determine.
Can a license be canceled without a violation?
The Council, by a reasoned decision, may cancel, suspend or amend a license when there are changes in technology, market conditions or the national frequency spectrum plan.
Can I ask to cancel my license myself?
Yes. The holder of a license, registration or permit may apply to the Authority to cancel, amend or suspend it.
What happens to subscribers if a company's license is canceled?
The Authority must take what is needed to ensure the continuation of service according to the rules and procedures the regulations set out.
More articles on Licensing Telecommunications Services
- Article 4
A fee is collected for issuing and renewing licenses, providing communications or IT services commercially and using frequencies, set by the Ministry on the Authority's proposal.
1- يُستحصل مقابل مالي -يورد إلى الخزينة العامة للدولة- لإصدار التراخيص وتجديدها، ولتقديم خدمات الاتصالات أو تقنية المعلومات تجاريًّا، ولاستخدام الترددات. 2- يُس
- Article 5
The article lists activities that may be carried out only with a license from the Authority, and allows the Council to require a license or registration for other services, devices and private networks.
1- يشترط الحصول على ترخيص من الهيئة قبل القيام بأيّ مما يأتي: أ- تقديم خدمات اتصالات للعموم أو استخدام شبكة اتصالات لهذا الغرض. ب- تقديم خدمة بنية تحتية لشبكات
- Article 7
A service provider must obtain the Authority's approval before a material change in ownership or assignment of its license, and the Authority's non-objection to a material change in senior management, with 90 days for the Authority to decide.
1- دون إخلال بما تقضي به الأنظمة الأخرى، على مقدم الخدمة الحصول على الآتي: أ- موافقة الهيئة قبل اتخاذ أي من الإجراءين الآتيين: (1) تغيير جوهري في ملكية المرخص ل
- Article 8
The Council classifies licenses, registrations and permits into categories with provisions and conditions for each, and a service provider must comply with the terms of its license, registration or permit.
1- يُصنّف المجلس الترخيص والتسجيل والتصريح إلى فئات، ويضع الأحكام والشروط الخاصة بكل فئة. 2- على مقدم الخدمة الالتزام بأحكام وشروط الترخيص الممنوح له أو التسجيل
- Article 9
The Authority must establish a special register recording the data of licensees, registrants and permit holders and the category of each, with the data determined by the regulations.
تنشئ الهيئة سجلًّا خاصًّا تقيد فيه بيانات ومعلومات المرخص له أو المسجل أو المصرح له، وفئة الترخيص الممنوح له أو التسجيل أو التصريح المدرج فيه، وتحدد اللائحة تلك
- Article 12
No user or service provider may use any frequency until the Authority has allocated it to him, he has obtained the necessary license and he has paid the fee.
لا يجوز لأي مستخدم أو مقدم خدمة استخدام أي تردُّد إلا بعد تخصيصه له من الهيئة وحصوله على الترخيص اللازم وتسديد المقابل المالي.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.