KABUL (TOLONews): A number of Kabul residents have complained about the high cost of internet services in the country, especially mobile internet.
They say that despite heavy expenses, the quality of the services is poor, which has made their daily lives and professional activities difficult.
According to them, a large portion of the population is facing serious economic challenges, yet they are compelled to purchase internet packages to meet their educational, work-related, and communication needs.
Safatullah, a resident of Kabul, told TOLOnews: “Our economic situation is not good. When we want to connect with the world, we activate internet packages, but they run out very quickly and are very expensive.”
Romal, a university student, said: “I am a student here, and I came for my studies. The internet problems are significant — sometimes it works, and even when it does, the packages are costly.”
Some other citizens are calling on the relevant authorities to take action in reducing internet prices, improving service quality, and conducting stricter oversight of telecom companies. According to them, access to affordable and high-quality internet is a basic necessity in modern life, but the current internet costs in Afghanistan are not in line with the general public’s income levels.
Ghulam Sakhi, another Kabul resident, said: “We spend money, but our work doesn’t get done. The internet in the country has poor quality. Efforts must be made to bring changes in both quality and pricing.”
Soroush, also a resident of Kabul, urged the Ministry of Communications: “Our request of the Ministry of Communications is to provide us with the cheapest and fastest internet.”
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) said efforts are underway to reduce internet costs in the country and improve its quality.
Jalaluddin Shams, spokesperson for ATRA, said: “ATRA’s monitoring teams supervise the services provided by telecom companies across the country and try to ensure that companies improve their services in areas where coverage is weak and solve existing problems.”
In recent years, access to the internet in Afghanistan, particularly in major cities, has increased. However, criticism regarding its poor quality and high cost has also grown.
