An unprecedented increase in the price of internet packages in Afghanistan has heightened concerns among a number of users. Users say that while the price of internet services has risen sharply, the quality and speed of the internet have remained low, a situation that has made it more difficult for people to access education, information, and communication with the outside world.
This rise in cost comes as various restrictions have been imposed on people’s access to technology and cyberspace since the Taliban took control. Fiber optic internet services had previously been cut off in some areas, and reports have been published about restrictions on the use of smartphones at certain institutions, including for university students.
For many girls in Afghanistan who have been deprived of in-person education following the closure of schools and universities, the internet has become the only way to continue their education, study, and access academic resources. However, the rise in its price has now limited this opportunity for a number of them as well.
Mahla (pseudonym), a student who turned to online learning after universities were closed, says the rise in internet prices has made it difficult for her to continue her education.
This student says: “I used to activate a monthly internet package for AFN 500, but now the same package costs more than AFN 800. Given the poor economic conditions, I can no longer afford this cost, and this has deeply worried me.”
Mahla adds that for many girls who have been deprived of education, online learning was the last hope for continuing to learn. However, the rise in internet costs has reduced their access to this opportunity.
Another user, who does not wish to be named in this report, says: “I believe the Taliban have deliberately raised the price of the internet so that the people of Afghanistan have less access to information and awareness. When the internet becomes expensive, many people can no longer afford to use it and become more distant from the world.”
Users continue to complain about the low quality of internet services, slow speeds, and high costs. They say that in Afghanistan, compared with neighboring countries, people pay more for weaker services.
For thousands of girls whose school and university doors have been closed to them, the internet is not merely a tool for communication. It is a way to continue their education, gain access to knowledge, and preserve hope for the future.
Meanwhile, the Taliban announced on Monday, May 15, 2026, that fiber optic internet had been cut off by order of their leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, to “prevent moral corruption.” The Taliban said fiber internet has been banned in Balkh, Helmand, and Kandahar provinces, and an alternative route will be established. Haji Zaid, the spokesman for the Taliban governor of Balkh, wrote on the social media platform X: “From now on, internet through cable [the fiber optic network] no longer exists and has been cut off.”
Last year, the Taliban had cut off internet and telecommunications services across Afghanistan for 48 hours. This move by the Taliban sparked widespread concern, and with the imposition of a ban on the use of smartphones at government institutions under the group’s control, concerns about severe restrictions in the country’s digital space continue.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
افزایش قیمت انترنت؛ دختران نگران محدودتر شدن آموزش آنلاین هستند
