Communications and Information Technology Commission (Saudi Arabia)
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Communications and Information Technology Commission, CITC (Arabic: هيئة الاتصالات و تقنية المعلومات) is the Saudi communications authority and was established under the name of Saudi Communications Commission pursuant to the Council of Ministers Decision. The name was changed after the Commission was entrusted with new tasks related to information technology to become (Communications and Information Technology Commission) under the Council of Ministers Decision. CITC has recently been handling the connection with ISPs in Saudi Arabia in the place of KACST (King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology).
[edit] Criticism
CITC has been heavily criticized for being slow in issuing licenses to new telecom and Internet services providers. The suggested reason behind this is maintaining the monopoly of the Saudi Telecom Company over the land-line and Internet and data services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Exclusive control of the mobile and data telecommunications domain was ended when Etihad Etisalat/Mobily, Bayanat Al Oula for Network Services and Integrated Telecommunications Co Ltd were issued a licenses to provide mobile and data services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, many people considered the commission to be late in doing so, with some even blaming the commission for being responsible in hindering and hampering the process.
