Lebanese Ministry of Information
Cellular operator Alfa took the first step to cut the prices of 4G and internet services following an appeal by Telecom Minister Boutros Harb to reduce charges in a bid to help Lebanese consumers.
Alfa CEO and Chairman Marwan Hayek announced the launch of two new post-paid bundles offering discounts of up to 53 percent, in addition to a drop in internet bundle rates, in cooperation with the Telecommunications Ministry and in line with the minister’s gradual rate decrease strategy.
“We have become in recent years a source of joy for people, and the telecom sector is the only sector that always announces happy news,” Hayek said. “We are working day and night to meet everyone’s expectations and needs, especially our 2.5 million Alfa subscribers,” he added.
He pointed out that the price drop to be implemented varied between 10 and 20 percent depending on the bundle price, knowing that Alfa’s exchange with the Telecommunications Ministry about the new rates is ongoing, as these rates are being determined under the ministry’s supervision and approval.
“Since the data bundle is used not only by Alfa subscribers, but also by about 4 million people, thus it is only logical and natural that the new tariff is applied to all subscribers in Lebanon. Therefore, to allow all the Lebanese to benefit from this move and in line with the ministry’s directives, we will begin applying the discounted rates Monday morning,” Hayek explained.
Earlier in the day, Harb said Lebanese had the right to acquire internet services at low prices and had thus asked for consumer costs to be lowered.
“The Telecoms Ministry decided to cut the prices of mobile internet,” Harb said in a tweet, adding that the decision was part of the ministry’s policy to meet people’s needs and secure internet access for everyone.
Harb later called on the companies to submit ideas to reduce mobile internet prices and suggest similarly priced 4G rate lists. According to the new lists, a one-month, 20-gigabyte 4G subscription will cost $59 per month instead of $69.
Consumers can buy data packages for the 4G network ranging from 1.5 to 60 gigabytes per month.
The minister said that the reduction of prices came within his ministry’s five-year fiber-optic connectivity initiative, which aims to cover the country with 4G services, in preparation for the launch of the 5G connection by the year 2020.
