The government regulators have still yet to confirm the specific conditions on which the move is considered to be taken.
In recent attempts to restrict information and thwart loss of profits for telephone companies, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is predicted to cut off, or even completely block accesses to popular messaging applications such as Skype and WhatsApp. The KSA’s government, known for its autocratic management wanted the messaging apps for follow the country’s laws and start installation of servers in the Arabian zone.
Previously, the government’s telecom regulator Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) claimed that Skype was violating the telecom laws of the country. Both of the messaging applications are already placed on close observation. Only last week, Saudi Arabia has banned another instant messaging site called Viber.
The governor for CITC Abdullah Al-Darrab announced in a local English-language news channel that they have been working with WhatsApp and other similar web platforms for their compliance and mutual support, however, no further reports about their plans were announced.
The very hard line that the Saudi Arabian government wanted was the close monitoring of all contents that could pose as a serious threat to the regime. The same law is also apparently targeted at censorship, although it could also be used to protect the interest of local telco companies.
The watchdogs of CITC were not able to confirm the circumstances in when the move is scheduled to roll out. Instead, CITC warned last March that necessary actions will be taken against applications, platforms, or services that will not submit to the regulations.
The CITC has also allegedly asked Etihad Etisalat, and Zain Saudi, and Saudi Telecom if they can monitor and block the services. A big chunk of the telephone companies’ revenues come from long distance telephony and messaging services.
As of third quarter of 2012, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has 53.1 million mobile subscribers and 15.2 million Internet users, and has a mobile broadband penetration of more than 40 percent.
