Saudi incumbent STC has denied fixed-line rival Etihad Atheeb Telecom’s accusations that it has ignored competition laws.
STC filed a notice with the Saudi stock exchange, saying that the lawsuit “is related to demands that are not supported by…
Saudi incumbent STC has denied fixed-line rival Etihad Atheeb Telecom’s accusations that it has ignored competition laws.
STC filed a notice with the Saudi stock exchange, saying that the lawsuit “is related to demands that are not supported by regulations and contradict the current agreement between the two firms”.
Earlier this week, Etihad Atheeb filed a complaint with the country’s Grievances Bureau, accusing the incumbent of blocking termination of inbound international traffic, meaning that it is difficult for Atheeb subscribers to receive calls from overseas, according to a statement on the local stock exchange cited by the newswire. STC is also allegedly stopping its own customers from placing calls to toll-free numbers operated by Etihad Atheeb.
Etihad Atheeb, which received its licence in 2009, posted Q3 net losses that had doubled to R144m (US$38.4m), and partially blamed these on STC’s actions.
The company does not own a mobile licence, and therefore does not compete in that area with STC, Etisalat’s Mobily and Zain’s local KSA unit.
