TH makes it easy for pilgrims to buy sim card

MADINAH: Tabung Haji (TH) has collaborated with Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) to make it easy for Malaysian haj pilgrims to buy prepaid SIM card for mobile phones to facilitate communication with family members back home.
Its deputy head of delegation (welfare) for this haj season, Nurrin Anuwar Shamsuddin, said the purchase and registration of prepaid SIM card was different for every telecommunications company in Saudi Arabia.
"Telecommunications companies usually put up kiosks near the buildings where Malaysian haj pilgrims are staying," he said in a statement, here today.
The collaboration between TH and STC made the process of buying prepaid SIM cards and the registration of mobile phone numbers of Malaysian haj pilgrims much easier.
Pilgrims need only bring their haj identification badges to register for STC line numbers at kiosks which can be found near all buildings where Malaysian pilgrims are staying in Madinah and Mecca.
"The pilgrims' passport number on the haj identification badge will be used for the registration process. Their fingerprints will be taken at the kiosks."
The STC prepaid SIM card is priced at SR30 each and contains SR25 in value. The STC staff would help the pilgrims to the place the SIM cards into their mobile phones to activate and immediately use them.
Nurrin Anuwar said each telecommunications company has a different process for the purchase of SIM card such as requiring additional details of the passport and haj visa.
"If pilgrims want to use prepaid SIM cards other than from STC, we advise them to take photographs or passport pages with personal details and pilgrimage visas because their passports will be handed over to the 'muassasah' (operator) upon arrival in Saudi Arabia."
Pilgrims are encouraged to use STC services since it is easier to buy the SIM card. Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) will provide i-Talk service which allows the pilgrims to call home at SR1 per minute. — Bernama