Article 8 of the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Law
المادة 8 من نظام الاتصالات وتقنية المعلومات · الفصل الثاني: التراخيص
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 أو التصريح المدرج فيه.
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 8 explained in plain English
This article lays down two rules:
- Classification: the Council, which is the Authority's board of directors under Article 1, classifies licenses, registrations and permits into categories and sets provisions and conditions for each category. Not all activities are therefore subject to the same requirements; the conditions differ by category.
- Compliance: a service provider must comply with the provisions and conditions of the license granted to it, or the registration or permit it is listed under.
The importance of the second rule is that breaching the terms of a license is not only a contractual matter, but a breach of a statutory obligation. In addition, under Article 9 the Authority establishes a register in which the category of the license, registration or permit of each service provider is recorded.
This article does not specify the categories themselves or their conditions; they are issued by decisions of the Council. Anyone who wants to know the category that applies to his activity would do well to consult the Authority or a lawyer who specializes in communications and information technology laws.
Practical example
A company in Dammam obtained a license in a particular category that includes conditions on the scope of its services. If it provides services outside what the conditions of its category allow, it breaches its obligation to comply with the provisions of the license granted to it.
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 8 of the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Law
Who determines the categories of telecom licenses?
The Authority's board of directors classifies licenses, registrations and permits into categories and sets the provisions and conditions for each category.
Must a service provider comply with the terms of its license?
Yes. The article obliges the service provider to comply with the provisions and conditions of the license granted to it or the registration or permit it is listed under.
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 6
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.
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 معالج
- 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 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.