Several Kabul residents say that more than two weeks after the end of the deadline the Taliban had set for telecom companies to reduce internet package prices and improve service quality, no change has yet occurred in the state of internet services. They add that the prices of internet packages remain high and that the quality of the services provided does not match the cost charged to subscribers. According to them, in addition to the high price of internet, service speeds are low in many areas, and users cannot make proper use of the packages they purchase.
In conversation with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, these residents say that the data in internet packages runs out in many cases before the validity period ends. They stress that they have raised this problem repeatedly with the customer service departments of telecom companies, but their complaints have so far produced no result. According to them, employees of these companies frequently fail to give satisfactory answers to subscribers’ problems and take no effective steps to resolve complaints. These residents are calling for lower internet prices, better service quality, and greater oversight of the performance of telecom companies.
Reza, one of Kabul’s residents, complains about the high price of internet packages in Afghanistan. He says the deadline the Taliban had set for telecom companies to reduce internet package prices has so far produced no results. According to him, internet packages not only carry high prices but also run out before their validity period ends, and telecom companies in some cases deduct the main credit from subscribers’ SIM cards without notice or any clear explanation.
Reza says: “We have also lived in Iran; there, the internet is cheaper and the quality of service is better. But in Afghanistan, the internet is both expensive and of poor quality. Packages also run out before the validity period ends. For example, a 20 GB package that should last a month sometimes finishes in less than 15 days. On top of that, the cost we pay does not match the service we receive. Although we have contacted customer service many times, we either get no answer, or when a call does go through, our complaints are brushed aside with various excuses.”
Hafiz, another Kabul resident, also criticizes the high price of internet packages and the low quality of the telecom companies’ services. He says the lack of healthy competition and effective oversight has allowed some telecom companies to keep the price of their services high. According to him, instead of focusing on subscriber satisfaction and improving service quality, these companies are more concerned with increasing their own revenue.
Hafiz says, “The price of the internet in Afghanistan is very high. For example, one GB of internet sometimes costs 220 to 230 Afghanis, which is a heavy expense for many people. Telecom companies claim they compete with one another, but whenever prices go up, several companies are seen raising their rates at the same time. Internet speeds are also low in many areas. In the city center, network quality is better because there are more towers, but in some areas, such as Khair Khana, network coverage is weak and the service quality is inadequate.”
At present, the price of monthly internet packages on one of Afghanistan’s telecom networks ranges from 110 to 1,799 Afghanis. Daily packages are also offered at various rates, the cheapest costing 15 Afghanis. In addition, the lowest price for a monthly call package on one of these networks is 135 Afghanis.
Yasir (pseudonym), one of Kabul’s residents, says he needs the internet every day to search for study materials, obtain academic resources, and keep up with his university coursework, but the high price of internet packages has made continuous use of these services difficult for him. He adds that the problem is not only the price of the internet but also that service quality varies from area to area. According to him, one network works better in some places, while in other areas, internet speeds are very low or the service is not delivered properly.
Yasir says, “The price of internet packages is very high. For example, we activate a 30 GB package for 2,000 Afghanis and a 3 GB package for 400 Afghanis, which is truly a large expense. Given my study needs, this amount of internet is not enough to last long. During the day, internet speeds drop sharply because of heavy use, but at night or early in the morning, things are better. In the area where we live, only the Roshan network is usable to any degree; the other networks either have weak reception or do not provide adequate quality.”
Shaker, another Kabul resident, says the decline in the quality of internet packages has disrupted his daily activities. He is calling for lower internet package prices and better service quality from telecom companies.
Shaker says, “It makes no difference which company you buy an internet package from. Whether it is Roshan or Etisalat, the quality of service is very poor. I activate a 3.5 GB package every day, but it does not even last 24 hours. I do not know how or why this much data runs out in such a short time, when my usage is not heavy enough to consume it that quickly.”
Majid, another Kabul resident, says the expansion of 4G and 5G services and the growing use of social media have increased users’ need for the internet. He adds that despite this rising consumption, the price of internet packages remains high and represents a heavy expense for many citizens.
Majid says: “Even though people’s need for internet has grown, the price of internet packages has not fallen and remains costly for many citizens. At a time when people are grappling with economic problems, the high cost of the internet has put even more pressure on their lives. Telecom companies must lower the price of internet packages so that people can use these services at a more reasonable cost.”
Earlier, the Taliban’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) had given telecom companies until Sunday, June 28, to return internet package prices and phone call tariffs to their previous rates. However, more than two weeks after the end of this deadline, Kabul residents say that no change has occurred in internet package prices, call tariffs, or the quality of the telecom companies’ services.
According to a comparative report, the cost of 3 GB of internet in Afghanistan is two to three times higher than in Pakistan and about eight times higher than in Iran. Iran, moreover, offers these services at a lower cost despite extensive restrictions on internet access. The high price of internet in Afghanistan, at a time when a large share of citizens are struggling with poverty and unemployment, has placed even greater pressure on people’s livelihoods and their access to digital services.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
