The government increased the internet speed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to better facilitate remote working. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — The Telecoms Ministry announced Tuesday the end of the exceptional increase in Internet connection speed and consumption volume for users on Jan. 1.
Here’s what we know:
• The exception increase, which was implemented under the previous government, needs cabinet approval to be extended beyond Jan. 1. However, Lebanon’s current government has not met since Oct. 12 due to political tensions related to the investigation into the 2020 Beirut port explosion.
• “Unfortunately, the ministry is obliged to inform subscribers that in the absence of a cabinet [meeting], from Jan. 1 the previous government’s decisions concerning the doubling of connection speed and the volume of internet use will end,” the ministry said in a statement.
• The Lebanese government offered these benefits to all subscribers of the internet network provided by the public operator Ogero in March 2020, at the beginning of a countrywide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• These measures have been extended many times since then, in order to facilitate distance learning and remote work. A further extension would require a cabinet decision.