| October 2009 - News |
| October 2009 |
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Mobile call rates to be cut Mobile phone users are set to benefit from a new payment schedule which will see call costs fall, the Syria News website reported on September 9. Currently, a one-minute mobile phone call made on a prepaid account costs 8 units, which averages out to SYP 6.32 (around USD 0.14) per unit across different pay plans. The same call on a contract phone costs SYP 4 (around USD 0.09) per minute. Mobile phone users are charged a full minute, even if the call was shorter. Under the new system, expected to come into force this month, the second minute of any phone call will be billed in 15 second periods, with the first 15 seconds costing SYP 1.25 (around USD 0.03), the second and the third 15 seconds costing SYP 1 (around USD 0.02) and the final 15 seconds costing SYP 0.75 (around USD 0.016). In recent months Syrians have protested against high call charges. A one-day boycott of mobile phone services was organised on June 1. The campaign pointed out that Syria’s call charges are high by regional standards. Local prepaid mobile phone users also complain that the period in which they must use or lose their phone units is too short. |