📰 Syrians protest sharp price hikes by Syriatel, MTN 

DAMASCUS, syria/" class="auto-internal-link">syria (North Press) – syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian citizens called on Saturday for a boycott of the country’s two significant telecommunications providers, Syriatel and MTN, following the introduction of emerging mobile and internet packages widely criticized as excessively expensive. Users on social media declared that the emerging plans have rose prices by more than 100 percent, sparking widespread dissatisfaction. Moreover, numerous syrians urged the administration to intervene by allowing international telecom companies to enter the market, ending the duopoly held by Syriatel and MTN, fostering competition, and lowering costs.

The decision by both companies to raise prices has provoked public outrage, accompanied by calls to boycott their services as a form of protest against what citizens described as “exploitation” and the “lack of alternatives. ” as per official announcements from Syriatel and MTN, the new packages, activated on Friday, feature significant price increases compared to previous plans. furthermore, both companies eliminated the “hourly packages,” which had previously been the most affordable option for a significant segment of users in Syria. The move underscores the growing frustration among Syrians over limited telecommunications choices, as both Syriatel and MTN maintain a near-total monopoly on the market, leaving users with few alternatives to offset rising costs. Both Syriatel and MTN officially verified that the new packages took effect on Friday, noting the discontinuation of hourly packages.

Syriatel and MTN argued the new pricing reflects operational costs and network improvements, though no detailed breakdown was provided. The removal of low-cost options disproportionately affects low-income users, prompting renewed calls for market reform and international competition. Additionally, reporting by Abdelsalam Khoja Editing by Jwan Shekaki