The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has announced new regulations on switching Internet service providers within 72 hours without the user incurring any additional costs. These regulations aim to allow the user to have the freedom to choose the appropriate service provider and facilitate the procedures for canceling and subscribing to fixed Internet services and reduce the time period for this switching. The new mechanisms for switching fixed Internet service providers are due to be activated as of September 16.
The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat stressed that the new regulations that were announced to regulate the process of switching Internet service providers are within the framework of keenness to adopt policies and takes measures aimed at developing the system of telecommunications and Internet services. This is in addition to helping citizens obtain their rights to switch from one Internet provider to another without any obstacles.
This is in light of the increasing reliance on the Internet, the backbone for supporting digital transformation processes and a key element for the implementation of the state’s objectives in improving the quality of services provided to citizens. He referred to the development that the Egyptian society is witnessing towards the transition to an integrated digital society within the framework of building Digital Egypt, through which technology is integrated in all sectors of the state. This is in addition to the implementation of many projects to raise the efficiency of the information infrastructure, which gives priority to taking all measures that guarantee citizens' satisfaction with the telecommunications and Internet services provided to them.
Talaat added that this procedure is to continue the efforts made to set controls and mechanisms to ensure the preservation of users' rights and the governance of services provided to them, the most prominent of which was the launch of a new system to let users switch mobile service providers and keep the same number. The system was coupled with a list of penalties for operators, which led to a decrease in the average transfer time from one operator to another from two weeks to 24 hours only.
NTRA has obligated fixed Internet service providers to cancel the service within 24 hours, starting from the cancellation request submitted by the user and the service provider has to provide the service cancellation number to the user. NTRA obligated also service providers to provide fixed Internet service for new contracts within 48 hours of the user's request, and not to register any Internet service without a written signature from the user who owns the line.
According to the new regulations, the subscriber can implement the switching procedures, provided that the last invoice issued for the service is paid to the company, and that there are no outstanding financial entitlements for the router (in the case of installments). This is in addition to the payment of exit fees from some systems and long-term packages (if any). According to the new system, the service provider has no right to refuse any application for subscription or cancellation for any other reason.
