Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Kabul: The Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology set the new price ceiling for all telecommunication networks today (Wednesday) in a press conference.
In this press conference, the Acting Minister of Telecommunication and Technology announced the setting of a new ceiling for telecommunication prices and added that the price of telecommunication calls has decreased by 36%.
He added that this price is supposed to be applied from the beginning of next year.
Maulavi Najibullah Haqqani, Acting Minister of Telecommunications, announced a 50% reduction in the price of the connection voucher between networks and added that its telecommunication price has been set at 0.50 afghanis.
He also announced the new ceiling of the price of text messages between subscribers within each network to 1.30 afghanis and 1.40 afghanis from one network to another, which has decreased by 60-65% compared to before.
The head of the ministry also announced that the price of one minute of voice communication for subscribers from one network to another is 1.40 afghan and 1.30 afghan within each network, which shows a 30-36% reduction compared to before.
Mr. Haqqani stated that the price of internet has also decreased by 14%. Based on this, the price of the monthly internet package (1GB) has been set at 95 Afghanis.
At the same time, Seyed Mansour Rahimi, the head of infrastructure of this ministry, said that in the past year, about 13 important projects have been undertaken in this ministry, and the total value of these projects is 250 million Afghanis.
He added that these projects are important in increasing information security, reducing internet prices, doing things quickly and transparently, and establishing communication between the center and provinces as well as between ministries.
He said that a server will be given to each ministry so that all information can be recorded on that server and sent to the center.
Mr. Rahimi also announced the creation of a cyber laboratory and added that this laboratory is supposed to identify and investigate cyber violations in order to prevent cyber damages.
At the same time, Jalaluddin Shams, the head of Etara, said that the distribution of SIM cards in the country has decreased, because currently every citizen who requests a SIM card must go through the legal process.
He added: SIM cards that are distributed to citizens by going through legal procedures prevent crimes and insecurity in the country.
The head of this ministry pledged to activate telecommunication antennas in all provinces of Afghanistan.
He added: Setting a new ceiling for telecommunication prices in the country will cause healthy competition among networks, which will be effective in the quality and price of services.