Forward to: Regulatory Affairs — Compliance Intelligence

Regulatory & Compliance
Intelligence Workflows

Ten agent workflows for the Regulatory Affairs team — CITC regulatory monitoring, PDPL data protection compliance, spectrum policy tracking, interconnection rate intelligence, MVNO licensing monitoring, content regulation analysis, cross-border MENA telecom regulation, sanctions and export control screening, ESG and sustainability reporting, and consumer protection compliance — using domain intelligence to stay ahead of regulatory developments.

1CITC Regulatory Monitoring

AI agent continuously monitors CITC (Communications, Space and Technology Commission) domain for new regulations, consultations, enforcement actions, and policy changes affecting telecom operations.

1
Track CITC Regulatory Updates
/compliance /press /legal /events Countries OpenPageRank
CITC REGULATORY MONITOR — REAL-TIME TRACKING ══════════════════════════════════════════════════ DOMAIN: citc.gov.sa — PageRank: 7.6 RECENT REGULATORY ACTIONS (Q1 2026): /compliance: "Data Localization Framework" — Final rules published Impact: All subscriber data must be stored in Saudi data centers Deadline: June 2026 — 4 months to comply /compliance: "5G Quality of Service Standards" — Draft for comment Impact: Minimum speed guarantees for 5G plans Comment period: 60 days | Deadline: April 2026 /press: "Consumer Protection Enforcement" — 3 operators fined Impact: SAR 5M fines for billing transparency violations stc status: Not fined, compliant /legal: "Number Portability Enhancement" — New rules Impact: MNP completion within 1 hour (was 24 hours) Deadline: September 2026 /events: "Spectrum Auction 2026" — Pre-qualification open Impact: mmWave + C-band expansion blocks available Pre-qual deadline: May 2026
2
Regulatory Impact Assessment
CITC REGULATORY EVOLUTION — 12 MONTHS
Q1 2025 CITC /compliance: 12 active regulations. Data localization consultation published. Consumer complaint portal launched.
Q2 2025 CITC fined 2 operators for billing issues. /legal: New dispute resolution framework. /events: Spectrum consultation workshop.
Q3 2025 /compliance: 5G QoS standards draft published. /press: Saudi Space Commission transferred to CITC. International roaming rate caps proposed.
Q4 2025 Data localization rules finalized. MNP enhancement rules published. Spectrum auction announced for 2026.
Q1 2026 18 active regulations (+50% YoY). CITC enforcement budget doubled. Regulatory complexity accelerating — compliance team expansion needed.
3
Regulatory Priority Signal
Sector Signal
CITC Enforcement Acceleration — Regulatory actions up 50% YoY. Data localization deadline in 4 months. 5G QoS standards will mandate speed guarantees. Spectrum auction pre-qualification in 3 months. CITC becoming more active regulator aligned with Vision 2030. Proactive compliance = competitive advantage.
COMPLIANCE URGENCY — 5 regulatory deadlines in 6 months

2PDPL Data Protection Compliance

AI agent monitors Saudi Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) requirements and tracks compliance across stc operations, vendors, and the broader market.

1
Assess PDPL Compliance Landscape
/compliance /legal /security /press Countries
PDPL COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT — SAUDI MARKET ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ OPERATOR PDPL READINESS: stc.com.sa /legal: Privacy policy updated for PDPL — Compliant /compliance: DPO appointed, privacy impact assessments /security: Data encryption, access controls documented PDPL Score: 88/100 mobily.com.sa /legal: Privacy policy — Partially updated /compliance: PDPL reference found but limited detail PDPL Score: 62/100 zain.com.sa /legal: Basic privacy policy — Pre-PDPL language /compliance: No PDPL reference found PDPL Score: 41/100 VENDOR PDPL COMPLIANCE: stc top 50 vendors scanned: 34 have /legal privacy policies PDPL-compliant vendor policies: Only 12 of 50 (24%) GAP: 76% of vendors need PDPL compliance remediation
2
Data Protection Signal
Company Signal
stc PDPL Compliance — stc leads operators at 88/100 PDPL readiness. However, 76% of vendors are non-compliant, creating third-party risk. PDPL enforcement commencing with penalties up to SAR 5M per violation. Priority: Vendor PDPL remediation program for all 50 critical suppliers within 90 days.
VENDOR GAP — 76% supplier non-compliance risk

3Cross-Border MENA Telecom Regulation

AI agent monitors telecom regulatory developments across MENA countries where stc has operations or expansion interests, tracking harmonization trends and regulatory divergence.

1
Track Regional Regulatory Landscape
/compliance /press /legal Countries OpenPageRank
MENA TELECOM REGULATORY MAP ═══════════════════════════════ REGULATORY BODY MONITORING: citc.gov.sa (Saudi) — 18 active regulations, most active in GCC tdra.gov.ae (UAE) — 5G spectrum, data protection, VARA crypto tra.org.bh (Bahrain) — Open access fiber, fintech sandbox cra.gov.qa (Qatar) — Post-FIFA network standards tra.gov.kw (Kuwait) — MVNO licensing framework tra.gov.om (Oman) — Infrastructure sharing mandate HARMONIZATION TRENDS: GCC Roaming: Unified framework in progress Data Protection: Each country has separate PDPL 5G Standards: GCC aligning on mmWave allocation Consumer Protection: Divergent MNP timelines
2
Regional Regulatory Signal
Sector Signal
GCC Regulatory Convergence — Roaming harmonization creates lower costs but also lower roaming revenue. Data protection laws diverging — multi-country compliance complexity increasing. stc subsidiaries in Kuwait and Bahrain face different MVNO rules. Domain intelligence tracking 6 regulatory bodies simultaneously enables proactive compliance across all markets.
COMPLEXITY RISING — 6 regulatory jurisdictions to manage

4Content Regulation & Compliance

AI agent monitors Saudi content regulation developments, tracking GCAM (General Commission for Audio Visual Media) and CITC content standards affecting OTT, streaming, and user-generated content.

1
Track Content Regulatory Framework
/compliance /legal /press Web Filtering Categories IAB Categories
CONTENT REGULATION MONITOR — SAUDI MARKET ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ REGULATORY BODIES: gcam.gov.sa — OTT licensing, content classification /compliance: New OTT licensing framework published /press: "All streaming services must register by Q3 2026" citc.gov.sa — Internet content filtering, app stores /compliance: Updated content filtering guidelines /legal: Revised blocking procedures CONTENT COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS: 1. OTT platforms must obtain GCAM license 2. Content classification ratings mandatory 3. Arabic subtitle requirements for foreign content 4. Child protection content filtering standards 5. Advertising standards for digital content stc BUNDLE PARTNER COMPLIANCE STATUS: Netflix: GCAM licensed, content classified Shahid: Saudi-origin, fully compliant Spotify: GCAM registration in progress Gaming platforms: New age-rating requirements applying
2
Content Compliance Signal
Sector Signal
Saudi Content Regulation — GCAM OTT licensing mandate affects all stc content bundle partners. Non-compliant partners risk Saudi market access. stc must ensure all bundle partners maintain GCAM licenses. Compliance audit of 34 content partners needed. Proactive compliance protects content bundling strategy from regulatory disruption.
PARTNER RISK — Content partner licensing audit required

5Interconnection & Wholesale Rate Intelligence

AI agent monitors interconnection rate developments, wholesale pricing, and regulatory rulings affecting inter-operator settlements and international termination rates.

1
Track Interconnection Developments
/compliance /pricing /press /legal Countries
INTERCONNECTION RATE INTELLIGENCE ═══════════════════════════════════════ CITC INTERCONNECTION RULINGS: Mobile termination rate: SAR 0.06/min (reduced from 0.08) Fixed termination rate: SAR 0.03/min International incoming: Under review (currently SAR 0.12/min) Data interconnection: New framework being developed COMPETITOR WHOLESALE PRICING (from /pricing pages): mobily.com.sa /pricing: Wholesale fiber at SAR 45/Mbps zain.com.sa /pricing: Tower co-location at SAR 2,800/site/mo igo.sa /pricing: Open access fiber SAR 38/Mbps INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARK: EU mobile termination: EUR 0.002/min (vs SA SAR 0.06 = 12x higher) CITC likely to reduce further — budget impact: SAR 340M/year
2
Interconnection Signal
Sector Signal
Interconnection Rate Pressure — CITC /compliance page signals further mobile termination rate reduction. Current SAR 0.06 is 12x EU level. International incoming rate review could reduce international call revenue. Financial impact: SAR 340M/year revenue reduction if rates align to EU benchmarks. Prepare financial mitigation plan.
REVENUE RISK — Termination rate cuts SAR 340M impact

6MVNO Licensing & Market Entry Monitoring

AI agent tracks MVNO licensing applications, new market entrants, and regulatory framework changes that could increase competition in the Saudi mobile market.

1
Monitor MVNO Market Entries
/about /products /compliance /press Domain Ages OpenPageRank
MVNO MARKET ENTRY MONITOR — SAUDI ARABIA ══════════════════════════════════════════════ LICENSED MVNOS: virgin.com.sa — Host: stc | /products: Youth prepaid lebara.sa — Host: Mobily | /products: Expat market salam.sa — Host: Zain | /products: Budget plans POTENTIAL NEW ENTRANTS (Domain Signals): digitaltelecom.sa — New domain | /about: "Saudi digital MVNO" Domain Age: 3 months | /careers: 8 roles posted /compliance: CITC license application mentioned STATUS: Pre-launch, likely 2026 entry freetel.sa — New domain | /about: "Coming soon" Domain Age: 1 month | No /products yet STATUS: Very early stage CITC FRAMEWORK UPDATE: /compliance: "Enhanced MVNO framework" — Easier licensing, more competition Expected: 3-5 new MVNOs by 2027 IMPACT: Additional competitive pressure on consumer pricing
2
MVNO Competition Signal
Sector Signal
MVNO Market Expansion — CITC enhanced framework will bring 3-5 new MVNOs. Two new .sa domains with MVNO signals detected. stc as largest operator will host most MVNOs. Strategy: Proactive wholesale pricing that attracts MVNOs to stc network (vs Mobily/Zain). MVNO wholesale revenue opportunity: SAR 450M/year.
WHOLESALE OPPORTUNITY — Attract MVNOs to stc network

7Sanctions & Export Control Screening

AI agent screens business partners, vendors, and enterprise clients against international sanctions lists by analyzing domain ownership, geographic presence, and corporate relationships.

1
Screen Partners Against Sanctions Indicators
/about /leadership /legal Countries Domain Ages Web Filtering Categories
SANCTIONS SCREENING — DOMAIN INTELLIGENCE ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ METHOD: Cross-reference partner domains with sanctions indicators SCREENING RESULTS (stc vendor/partner list): CLEAR: 234 of 250 partners — No sanctions indicators FLAG: 12 partners — Country risk indicators - 5 domains with hosting in sanctioned jurisdictions - 4 domains with /leadership listing dual-nationals - 3 domains with /about mentioning restricted countries ALERT: 4 partners — Requires enhanced due diligence - tech-supplier-x.com: /about mentions subsidiary in restricted country - network-vendor-y.com: /leadership includes OFAC-listed individual - software-z.com: Countries metadata shows sanctioned jurisdiction - consulting-firm.com: /partners lists sanctioned entity
2
Sanctions Risk Signal
Company Signal
4 Partners Require EDD — Domain intelligence detected 4 partners with potential sanctions exposure. /leadership and /about pages revealed connections not visible in standard KYC screening. Countries metadata identified undisclosed geographic presence. Enhanced due diligence + legal review required before contract renewal.
COMPLIANCE RISK — 4 partners need enhanced due diligence

8ESG & Sustainability Reporting Intelligence

AI agent tracks ESG regulatory requirements and benchmarks stc's sustainability reporting against peer operators and global standards.

1
Benchmark ESG Reporting
/sustainability /investors /press /compliance OpenPageRank
ESG REPORTING BENCHMARK — MENA TELECOMS ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ OPERATOR ESG MATURITY: stc.com.sa — /sustainability: Comprehensive ESG report Net-zero target: 2060 | GRI + TCFD aligned /investors: ESG section in IR | Saudi Green Initiative aligned ESG Score: 82/100 etisalat.ae — /sustainability: Detailed sustainability report Net-zero target: 2050 | CDP Climate A-list ESG Score: 89/100 — GCC leader mobily.com.sa — /sustainability: Basic ESG page Limited disclosures | No clear targets ESG Score: 48/100 zain.com — /sustainability: Group-level report only ESG Score: 55/100 TADAWUL ESG REQUIREMENTS: Mandatory ESG disclosure for listed companies by 2025 stc compliant but trailing Etisalat by 7 points
2
ESG Signal
Company Signal
stc ESG Gap vs Etisalat — Etisalat /sustainability page is more comprehensive (89/100 vs stc 82/100). Etisalat has CDP A-list status. Tadawul ESG requirements tightening. PIF (majority shareholder) increasingly ESG-focused. Close the 7-point gap: target CDP A-list, enhance Scope 3 reporting, align with Saudi Green Initiative targets.
ESG GAP — 7 points behind Etisalat benchmark

9Consumer Protection Compliance

AI agent monitors consumer protection regulations, complaint trends, and enforcement actions to ensure stc remains compliant and leads the market in customer experience.

1
Track Consumer Protection Developments
/compliance /support /legal /press
CONSUMER PROTECTION COMPLIANCE — SAUDI TELECOM ══════════════════════════════════════════════════ CITC CONSUMER PROTECTION RULES: Bill shock prevention: SAR 500 cap notification required Contract transparency: Plain Arabic language mandate MNP: New 1-hour completion requirement (was 24 hours) Advertising: "Up to" speed claims must include average speeds Complaint resolution: 5-day resolution SLA mandated OPERATOR COMPLIANCE STATUS: stc: /support + /legal updated for new rules — Compliant Mobily: /support partially updated — Gaps in MNP compliance Zain: /legal outdated contract terms — Non-compliant CITC ENFORCEMENT (Last 12 months): Total fines issued: SAR 23M across all operators stc fines: SAR 0 | Mobily: SAR 12M | Zain: SAR 11M stc: Clean compliance record — marketing advantage
2
Consumer Protection Signal
Company Signal
stc Compliance Leadership — Zero CITC fines in 12 months while competitors fined SAR 23M combined. /support and /legal pages updated ahead of competitors. Clean compliance record = marketing differentiator: "Saudi Arabia's most trusted operator" positioning. Use compliance leadership in enterprise sales and consumer marketing.
MARKET ADVANTAGE — Zero fines, compliance leader

10Spectrum Policy & Auction Intelligence

AI agent tracks spectrum allocation policies, upcoming auction details, and international spectrum trends to inform stc's spectrum strategy and auction bidding approach.

1
Comprehensive Spectrum Analysis
/compliance /press /events /products Countries
SPECTRUM AUCTION PREPARATION — SAUDI 2026 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════ UPCOMING AUCTION — CITC Q3 2026: Band: 26/28 GHz mmWave — 3 blocks of 800 MHz each Reserve price: Est. SAR 200M per block Eligible bidders: stc, Mobily, Zain + potential new entrants Application deadline: May 2026 INTERNATIONAL AUCTION BENCHMARKS: UAE (tdra.gov.ae): mmWave sold for $45M/GHz Bahrain (tra.org.bh): mmWave allocated via beauty contest UK (ofcom.org.uk): mmWave auctioned at $18M/GHz USA (fcc.gov): mmWave averaged $9M/GHz (larger market) COMPETITOR SIGNALS: mobily.com.sa /press: "Committed to securing mmWave spectrum" zain.com.sa /press: "5G investment fund for spectrum acquisition" BOTH COMPETITORS SIGNALING AGGRESSIVE BIDDING stc RECOMMENDATION: Budget: SAR 600M-800M for 2 blocks (1.6 GHz total) Priority: Urban blocks for enterprise 5G and FWA STRATEGIC VALUE: mmWave essential for 5G-Advanced leadership
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Spectrum Strategy Report

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE STRATEGY

FOR: Regulatory Affairs — Compliance Planning SCOPE: CITC + PDPL + NCA + GCAM + 5 GCC regulators tracked ════════════════════════════════════════════════════ PRIORITY ACTIONS (NEXT 6 MONTHS): 1. Data localization compliance — Deadline June 2026, SAR 45M investment 2. mmWave spectrum auction bid — Budget SAR 600-800M, deadline May 2026 3. MNP 1-hour compliance — System upgrade, deadline Sept 2026 4. NCA ECC v2.0 — 5 new controls, deadline Q3 2026 5. PDPL vendor remediation — 38 vendors non-compliant COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: stc: Zero CITC fines vs SAR 23M competitor fines stc: Highest PDPL score (88/100) vs competitors (41-62) stc: Most advanced ESG reporting in Saudi telecom COMPLIANCE AS COMPETITIVE MOAT — Market trust leader
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