Reader Majid Almadi sends this interesting bit about mobile vanity numbers in Saudi Arabia:
In regards to your story about Mobile Numbers. The problem is way more prevalent here in Saudi Arabia.
– In newspapers, at least 40 percent of personal ads are about ‘Special’ Mobile numbers or license plates.
– People have been doing it for years. Recently, the Telecom Company and the traffic department caught on and started holding ‘Auctions’ for special numbers to get in on the action.
– The mobile number 055555555 was sold for SR 250,000 (US$ 67,000 Approx).
– Any requested mobile number starts at $250 for any request whatsoever (say 050xyzabc) and increases as similar numbers are grouped (for example 050xxyyyy).
– It is not uncommon to find listing for License plates these days that are sold for $US 5000-20000.
This is probably the only country in the world where there people who live off selling and buying numbers (License Brokers), and live quite well.
– Recently, due to the over expansion of the Telecom Industry, the Saudi Telecom Company (a long standing monopoly) added an extra digit to mobile numbers to accommodate the growth. The papers were flooded for weeks with complaints from people who owned ‘Special numbers’ saying that their status (for some) and investment (for others) were downscaled because the extra digit (a zero, now can be changed to a 5 for a $7 fee).
Related
Mobile Vanity Numbers [Gizmodo]
https://gizmodo.com/mobile-vanity-numbers-16594
