UIR service in 30 states (Riyadh)Unified international roaming (UIR) service in 30 countries around the globe which will charge only SR1 per minute for receiving calls and SR1.50 for outgoing calls within the countries and to the Kingdom.
Saudi Telecom Co. (STC), the region’s largest telecommunications company has launched this service. This move by STC comes following complaints by clients who have used the roaming facility during their travels and were shocked by the high bills. “Excellence in customer service is our No. 1 priority,” said Al-Daweesh (STC President and CEO). “By enhancing our efficiency, we continue to maintain our leading market position and generate additional growth internationally by strategically planned developments, such as the UIR Network, to fulfill STC’s personal communications potential to the maximum extent by providing the best service with the least cost.”
The first phase of the Unified International Roaming service includes leading mobile operators in the region such as Batelco in Bahrain, Oman Mobile and Nawras in Oman, Du in the UAE and Wataniya in Kuwait. Covering the rest of the Middle East, STC’s partners are Umniah in Jordan, Vodafone in Egypt and SyriaTel and MTN in Syria. It also covers STC companies which include Axis in Indonesia, Avea in Turkey, Cell-C in South Africa, in addition to Vodafone Group starting with Egypt and covering the rest of the European continent and Australia. “This service will offer unique prices for travelers especially when making calls back to the Kingdom as well as receiving calls,” Al-Daweesh said, adding that other facilities include SMS and Internet usage based on the agreed tariffs with the operators.
“The new service which will be commissioned from Aug. 1 will cover most in the Middle East, Europe, Indonesia, Turkey and South Africa linked with 30 global telecommunications operators,” STC Vice President Jameel Al-Mulhim told that this network would provide travelers with fixed and low cost rates for calls during their stay in these countries. “Based on the company’s transparent approach customers will receive a message explaining the roaming rates as well as the preferred roaming network as they arrive in those respective countries,” he said. “STC’s Unified International Roaming Network is a strategic step that follows and complements global communications trends,” said Saud Al-Daweesh. “By partnering with leading mobile operators in the region we have established a tariff of economical rates with a discount reaching 69 percent in some countries and providing great value for our customers who travel extensively across the region while ensuring both transparency and fixed rates.”
