JEDDAH, 25 December 2006 -- The Saudi Telecom Co. (STC) released a new prepaid mobile card last week. The service has the lowest cost of mobile prepaid cards in the Kingdom.

"We are targeting youth from the ages of 18 to 25 years in order to allow them to benefit from the services they need with lower prices since they usually have low incomes," said Kosay Al-Fawaz, chief media affairs and marketing manager.

The charge for the 3G services for LANA prepaid card users is the lowest among prepaid cards as it is 70 halalas per minute. "Accessing 3G services to TV channels and video calls as well as accessing the Internet service in their young ages allows youth to be prepared to use the services of 3.5G and 4G coming in the future."

Al-Fawaz says the LANA prepaid card has the lowest cost among the other prepaid cards in the Kingdom and even cheapest than SAWA; however, international calls from LANA are more expensive.

"This is to balance the two mobile prepaid customers," he said. "Expatriates will prefer SAWA because they need cheaper international calls while LANA customers would prefer it for their local lower cost calls."

Every recharging card has free SMS and MMS in addition to different validation period of time according to the rate for each card.

The new cards as well as the recharging cards are available at Al-Jawal customers service offices or authorized dealers. Further information can be provided from the service calling number 1515.

"STC always wants to update their customers with new services. The idea of LANA was there for a long time," Al-Fawaz said.

LANA card is designed and decorated with colors that give the identity for every gender. Girls can get the pinky LANA card designed with flowers and bright springy colors while boys can get the more masculine-looking cards.

For the Haj season, STC offers foreign pilgrims SAWA cards that are valid only during the Haj period until the 15th of Muharram (beginning of February). SAWA Haj prepaid card is priced at SR40 this year. The card give SR10 extra credit making it SR50 credit and 30 free international SMS for foreign pilgrims to contact their families back home.

"These cards are available for pilgrims wherever they are located starting with the airport and reaching areas surrounding the Holy Mosque and other areas where pilgrims are passing by," said Al-Fawaz.

By Lulwa Shalhoub

© Arab News 2006