Digital Economy Ministry says it won’t allow telecom companies to raise prepaid mobile subscription fees

AMMAN — The Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship will prevent telecommunications companies from single-handedly raising subscription fees for personal prepaid mobile lines, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Ahmad Hanandeh said on Tuesday.

During a meeting of the Parliamentary Economic and Investment Committee focused on discussing the challenges facing the telecommunications sector, including internet speed and mobile phone card prices, MP Omar Al Naber, head of the committee, said the committee received numerous complaints about a telecom company increasing the prices of prepaid mobile phone cards without prior notice.

The meeting, attended by representatives of Zain, Orange, Umniah and a representative of the National Society of Consumer Protection (NSCP) called for no increase in the price of prepaid cards and highlighted the need to improve the quality of services provided by companies to citizens.

Hanandeh said that although the Telecommunications Law allows operating companies to adjust prices for subscribers, such a decision cannot be made by a single company by itself, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

There are legal, regulatory and legislative gaps in pre-paid subscription contracts and there is no set duration, Hanandeh said. 

He stressed that contracts for such subscriptions are subject to the Telecommunications Law and are monitored by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.