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2. Definitions

No: 43089486 Date(g): 24/5/2022 | Date(h): 23/10/1443 Status: In-Force
2.1SAMA: The Saudi Central Bank established under the Law issued vide Royal Decree No. (M/36) on 11-04-1442H;
 
2.2Regulation: The Regulation on Branch Network;
 
2.3Bank: means any bank licensed to carry out banking business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in accordance with the provisions of the Banking Control Law;
 
2.4Branch Network: includes branches, service centers, and remittance centers;
 
2.5Branches: means full-fledged branches providing full range of banking services as well as more efficient branch models (mini / light branches) offering basic banking services including, inter-alia, the opening of accounts, cash deposits, cash withdrawals, fund transfers, issuance and encashment of pay orders/demand drafts, etc.
 
2.6Service Centers: means outlets established for providing customer facilitation, marketing and sales services, and similar other activities.
 
2.7Remittance Centers: means financial service providers engaged in domestic/international remittance activities (sending and receiving money) in accordance with the SAMA Rules Governing Banks' Remittance Centers.
 
2.8ATM: means automated teller machine. ATM includes Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Cash Deposit Machines(CDMs), Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs), Kiosk and Self-Service Machines offering cash deposits and withdrawals;
 
2.9Zones: Branch Network will be categorized into following zones for the purpose of this Regulation (based on the latest publicly available population data of the General Authority for Statistics):
 
 a)Zone 1 (Large cities): to include all cities with population of 1.0 million and above;
 
 b)Zone 2 (Medium Cities): to include all cities with population of 0.5 to 1.0 million;
 
 c)Zone 3 (Small Cities): to include all cities with population of 0.1 to 0.5 million;
 
 d)Zone 4 (Rural Areas): to include villages and small towns with population of less than 0.1 million.
 
2.10Priority Areas: includes Zone 3 (Small Cities) and Zone 4 (Rural Areas)
 
2.11Digital Modes: means channels used to execute transactions through electronic mediums or using technology enabled/virtual/online modes. These modes includes, inter-alia, the use of debit/credit/prepaid cards, internet banking, mobile banking, mobile wallets, digital payment apps, etc.;
 
2.12Customer: means any natural or legal person obtaining banking services or products or to whom such services or products are offered by a bank;
 
2.13Inactive License: means a license previously issued by SAMA for the opening of a branch but the concerned branch is currently inoperative due to either delay in commencement of operations or suspension of its operations for whatever reasons.