• The words and phrases defined in the Telecommunications System and its executive regulations, as well as other regulations of the Authority, shall have the same meaning when used in this document and its attached appendices. The following words and expressions shall have the meanings associated with them unless the context requires otherwise:

  • 1-2 "Class License":  A telecommunications license issued by the Authority that authorizes all qualified telecommunications service providers within the defined class in the license to provide telecommunications services, in accordance with the conditions specified in the license.

  • 2-2 "General Class License": Refers to the class license that allows the service provider to offer any telecommunications services authorized under that license. 

  • 3-2 "Service Authorization": Refers to obtaining the general class license along with a service authorization from the Authority to provide the services mentioned in this document.

  • 4-2 "Authorized Entity": Refers to the service provider who has obtained a general class license issued by the Authority with a "Authorization" to provide the services mentioned in this document.

  • 5-2 "Short Message Services": A service provided through licensed public telecommunications networks in the Kingdom, allowing service providers or their clients to send or exchange short messages (text, audio, visual) directed specifically to the beneficiary, for the purpose of promoting a specific product, providing them with information, notifying them of updates, responding to their inquiries, and other similar services, including broadcasting general messages to a specific area.

  • 6-2 "Beneficiary": Refers to the individual who receives the text message.

  • 7-2 "Subscriber": Refers to any person or entity that is a party to a contract or any similar agreement in effect with the service provider for the purpose of sending text messages to the beneficiary.

This regulatory document applies to authorized short message service providers by the Authority, and any other service provider holding a license or permit that allows them to provide such services in the Kingdom.

The licensee is permitted to provide short message services and to purchase and operate related equipment.

1-5 The licensee must comply with the regulations and decisions issued by the Authority regarding short messages.

2-5 The licensee must limit the provision of professional services (such as medical, legal, engineering, financial, educational consultations, and others) to those licensed to practice such professions according to the applicable regulations in the Kingdom, and must obtain the approval of the relevant licensing authority or authorities as a condition for starting to provide this service.

3-5 The licensee must use the message centers and communication networks of licensed service providers in the Kingdom when sending any message.

4-5 The licensee may not prevent the subscriber from sending any messages that do not conflict with the Authority's regulations - to the beneficiary, and must not discriminate between beneficiaries based on the telecommunications service provider to which the beneficiary belongs. 

5-5 All advertisements and/or promotional publications for the service must contain the service numbers designated for the advertised service only, and the price of the message must be written in a clear and readable font, and there must be a display of the message price in the visual advertisement so that beneficiaries are aware before obtaining the service.

6-5 Coordination with licensed telecommunications network operators in the Kingdom is required when using their message sending centers located in the Kingdom to send a batch of short messages to beneficiaries outside the Kingdom, and the licensee bears any legal or financial consequences that the operator may face in the event that the licensee violates the international agreements governing the relationship between the domestic operator and operators outside the Kingdom, such as the (19 (AA) GSM Association) agreement regarding messages between international operators, and others.

7-5 The sale of messages to customers directly by the licensee providing the short message service (holding a general category license with a service permit to provide short message service) is restricted, and the licensee is not entitled to provide short message service through subcontracting.

8-5 The licensee authorized to provide short message service and holding a general category license with a service permit is prohibited from providing short message service, and its clients are prohibited from reselling short messages to any person, whether licensed or an individual or a legal entity. 

9-5 The licensee must not resell short messages to any entity outside the Kingdom.

10-5 The main server for providing the service must be located within the Kingdom and store data internally.

11-5 The service must not be used as a means to collect amounts due for other services such as subscription services to a website or any other service.

12-5 The licensee must ensure that the content of the message does not violate the applicable regulations in the Kingdom, as the licensee is fully responsible for the content of the messages sent by them.

• 13-5 The licensee must localize the following positions: 

  • 1-13-5 The chief officer of the company (General Manager / President). 

  • 2-13-5 The person responsible for communication with the Authority, who is obligated to meet regulatory requirements.

  • 3-13-5 The representative of the entity before government authorities and other licensees.

14-5 Access to the systems used for sending short messages must be through a two-factor authentication code "OTP", in addition to the username and password. 

• 15-5 When providing short message service to government and semi-government entities, authorities, and banks, the service provider must comply with the following in this article (5-15), and ensure that the beneficiary entities adhere to this, and follow up on achieving the following:

  • 1-15-5 Before sending any text message, the content of the message must be prepared electronically by an employee of the entity (responsible for preparing the message content) and then electronically approved by the authorized person at the entity (responsible for approving the content), and the sender using the system is not entitled to modify the text of the message after approval. If there is a desire to modify the message content before sending, it must be approved by the authorized person.

  • 2-15-5 Service messages sent automatically and repeatedly from the systems (such as: two-factor authentication messages for login, etc.) are exempt from this, where only the initial message template must be approved, and any modification to the template must be approved again.

  • 3-15-5 Do not grant the authority to prepare and approve the message content to a single user.‏

  • 4-15-5 The user of the short message sending system must be a Saudi national. 

  • 5-15-5 Preserve user data and device data, operating system type, and the Internet Protocol address through which access to the short message sending system is made.

  • 6-15-5 Compliance with the regulations issued by the National Cybersecurity Authority, especially regarding remote communication.

1-6 Submission of the claim through the electronic licensing system.

2-6 The applicant must hold a valid general category license from the Authority, and its validity must not be less than six months. 

3-6 Submission of a valid commercial register in the Kingdom, with a validity period of not less than three months, which includes the activity for which the claim is requested. 

4-6 Submission of a description of the services intended to be provided in the Kingdom through this claim. 

5-6 Submission of the technical specifications for the systems and devices intended to be used in providing the service through this claim.

6-6 Submission of a list of the beneficiary and targeted entities in providing the service. 

7-6 Submission of a detailed mechanism for providing the service in the Kingdom through this claim.

8-6 Submission of the structure of the system and its workflow in detail, along with the encryption method used.

9-6 Submission of the mechanism for linking with licensed telecommunications service providers from the Authority.

10-6 Submission of the data of the owners and directors in the commercial register, including (full name, ID number).

• 11-6 Submission of the data of employees in the following positions, including (full name, ID number, copy of ID), for each of:

  • 1-10-6 The primary responsible person in the entity (General Manager / President). 

  • 2-10-6 The person responsible for communication with the Authority, who is obligated to meet the regulatory requirements.

  • 3-10-6 The representative of the entity before government entities and other licensees.

12-6 Submission of the original bank guarantee in Arabic (500,000) five hundred thousand Saudi Riyals to the Authority after it is sent and approved electronically when applying for the issuance of the service permit for the first time, provided that it is in accordance with the specified format outlined in Appendix (A) and that its duration is not less than one year, renewable. 

13-6 Provision of the regulatory requirements for the service.

14-6 Submission of all required documents and information in Arabic, and supporting documents (if any) may be submitted in English.

15-6 Payment of the financial fees for the works and services provided by the Authority for issuing the permit in accordance with the document of financial transaction regulations for telecommunications services published on the Authority's website, and this should be done through the payment system within one month from the date of invoice issuance.

The financial fees payable by the authorized entity to the Authority are determined according to the "Regulations of Financial Fees for Telecommunications Services" published by the Authority on its official website.

The duration of the service permit is linked to the duration of the validity of the general category license, unless the service permit is revoked.

1-9 The approval of the permit application is subject to the absolute discretion of the authority.

2-9 This document is subject to periodic review by the authority, and it is updated as deemed appropriate according to its regulations, with updates being approved by the authority's governor.