Afghan Ministry says internet service prices decreased

KABUL (TOLOnews): The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said in an annual report that 98% of SIM cards from telecommunication networks have been registered in the country.

Officials of the ministry claimed that after the Islamic Emirate took over the country, the price of the internet decreased by 60%.’ ‘Currently in Afghanistan, the process of distributing SIM cards has become legal between 97 and 98 percent, and an independent system has been created for the process,’ said Najibullah Haqqani, the acting minister of communications and information technology. Haqqani added that the revenue of the ministry has increased by 44% compared to last year.

‘In 1400 and 1401 solar years, the income from ten percent credit cards increased by 44 percent. For example, last year the revenue was 3 billion Afghanis, now the revenue has reached 5.3 billion Afghanis,’ said Haqqani.

According to Haqqani, the Ministry of Communications is seeking to buy internet services from Kazakhstan to reduce the price of internet in the country. Officials of the ministry have announced the creation of 39 new electronic and development systems in various departments of the ministry and in other government offices. ‘In general, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has started the development of 39 systems, among which 23 systems have been completed and efforts are underway to complete 16 systems,’ said Enaytullah Alokozai, spokesman for the ministry.

‘Compared to the past, the number of active SIM cards has increased by one million. Previously, the number of SIM cards was 22 million, now it is 23 million,’ said an official of the ministry. Officials of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said that the ministry has plans to activate communications services in 279 other areas where there have never been internet services.