Ogero offices in Beirut. (Credit: PHB)
Caretaker Minister of Telecommunications, Johnny Corm, estimated the damages to his sector at "approximately $67 million" since the onset of Israeli aggressions against Lebanon over a year ago. According to a press release, these losses pertain to the public fixed-line telephone and internet operator Ogero, as well as the two mobile phone operators, Alfa and Touch.
The minister indicated that this estimate is part of a report prepared by his ministry, which he subsequently "passed on to the outgoing Minister of Environment, Nasser Yassine, to present at the Paris conference scheduled for the 24th of this month."
This international conference on Lebanon, initiated by Emmanuel Macron, aims to consolidate international efforts to assist Lebanon. According to the Ministry of Telecommunications, the report to be presented at the conference in Paris quantifies the necessary resources required by the ministry to support populations remaining in their villages in southern Lebanon; to ensure the resources needed by relief and humanitarian agencies, medical personnel, and hospitals to maintain communication among them; to provide internet connectivity for the establishment of online courses to minimize the war's impact on the academic year; and ultimately to guarantee internet access in housing centers, particularly following the establishment of around 1,000 new centers.
In early October, nearly a year after the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, Johnny Corm revealed that "113 stations of the mobile operator Touch are now out of service, 61 for security-related reasons and 15 due to theft, as well as 114 stations of the other operator, Alfa."
He added that "26 of Ogero's 266 stations are also out of service, affecting 15,000 subscribers, or 2.2 percent of the total subscribers." According to the minister, the districts most affected by a decline in service levels are Marjayoun (2 percent), Sour (35 percent), Hasbaya (32 percent), and Nabatieh (59 percent). All of these districts are in southern Lebanon, the region that has experienced the most damage due to the war.
These attacks on Lebanese infrastructure occur amid a "psychological war" waged by Israel on Lebanon through calls and messages sent to Lebanese citizens, highlighting the fragility of the national network.
