“Faced with the rise in telecom prices, the Lebanese between anger, disgust and exhaustion”, writes the French-speaking Lebanese daily The Orient-The Day.
Since 1is July, telecommunications prices literally exploded. Previously indexed to the official exchange rate in effect before the start of the economic crisis – i.e. 1,500 Lebanese pounds for 1 dollar –, the rates are now almost aligned with the parallel market rate – between 25,000 and 30,000 Lebanese pounds for a dollar.
Telecoms was the last service in Lebanon, which has only two operators, to continue to charge prices at the official rate. It is now over. Industry officials explained that this rate increase was “indispensable […] to ensure the survival of Lebanese telecoms”.
And this for a service that leaves much to be desired. “We pay a lot of money, but the connection is catastrophic”, complains a resident of Beirut. Speedtest Global Index, which ranks countries by average connection speed, ranks Lebanon 117e out of 141 countries for mobile speed, and 158e out of 182 countries for broadband.
An essential service
A situation that exasperates the Lebanese, underlines The Orient-The Day :
“With each announcement of an increase in the price of foodstuffs or essential services (petrol, gas, bread, etc.), the Lebanese, for lack of an alternative, resign themselves to paying the bill, however steep, by punctuating with an insult against the political class.”
“It’s the same as for gasoline. I expected the roads to empty due to the price increase, but there are always traffic jams”, notes the manager of a mobile phone store in which the influx of customers is still as important.
Telecoms are considered by the Lebanese as an essential service.
As the Lebanese newspaper recalls, it was the announcement of a $6 WhatsApp tax – named after the instant messaging and voice or video call application widely used in Lebanon – which “made the vase of popular anger overflow” October 17, 2019 “and pushed the Lebanese to mobilize in squares across the country”. But, continues the daily, “only a few timid demonstrations took place” against the new fee schedule. Anger, disgust and exhaustion.