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Middle East IT and Telecom Headlines Thursday, October 7, 1999 SAUDI ARABIA: LOCAL INTERNET SUBSCRIBERS TO PROTEST ON OCTOBER 8 According to Al-Hayat newspaper (October 3, 1999), more than 350 Saudi Internet subscribers have called upon all other Internet subscribers and users in Saudi Arabia to stop using the Internet for one day, on Friday, October 8. This initiative aims to protest the domestic Internet subscribers' dissatisfaction with available Internet services in terms of quality and price. It is estimated that the Internet strike will cause the Saudi Telecommunication Company losses of SR 720,000. TUNISIA: LOCAL MOBILE TELEPHONE NETWORK - OUTLOOK Tunisia's mobile telephone network, which was launched last spring, presently consists of 50,000 subscribers. The number of mobile telephones is expected to rise to 200,000 users by 2001. Most of the currently operating mobile telephones are located in the coastal regions, which are situated in industrial estates and major cities. The Tunisian telecommunication sector has recently undergone tangible improvements, with digital and roaming services have replaced the old telephone system. Reported by Al-Hayat newspaper (October 4, 1999). Wednesday, September 22, 1999 LEBANON: LOCAL COMPANY ISSUES ELECTRONIC IDENTITY CARDS According to Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper (September 19, 1999), the Arabtrust Company, a subsidiary of the Kuwaiti Al-Bahar Projects Company for General Trade and Contracting, which is the sole representative of the International Verisign Company, has recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Lebanese Netways Company. This contract allows the Lebanese enterprise to locally produce electronic identity cards for Internet users. These cards consist of Global Server ID and Private Digital ID.   ARAB WORLD: INTERNET USAGE PROBLEMS SURVEYED According to the Arab World Internet magazine (September 1999), a recently executed survey regarding the inherent difficulties in Internet use in the Arab World discovered the following: * 4% of respondents reported that they always encounter problems when using the Internet. * 13% of respondents reported that they encounter many problems when using the Internet. * 60% of respondents reported that they occasionally encounter problems in using the Internet. * 18% of respondents reported that they rarely face problems when using the Internet. * 5% reported that they have no difficulties using the Internet.   SAUDI ARABIA: SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO SUPERVISE INTERNET TRADE According to Al-Hayat newspaper (September 16, 1999), sources at the Ministry of Treasury revealed that a special committee was recently formed to supervise trade via the Internet, which was recently introduced in Saudi Arabia. The committee consists of members from the Ministries of Economy, Treasury and Commerce, along with the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority. The commission is in charge of controlling and regulating transactions executed through the Internet. In addition, the committee is responsible for resolving any dispute that may emerge between a consumer and a commercial enterprise.

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