The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology said Thursday that the recent announcement of fourth-generation (4G) mobile internet services by telecom giant Etisalat is "deceptive," adding that the country lacks proper infrastructure for 4G services.
The ministry slammed Etisilat for announcing its planned roll-out of 4G services and said the company had failed to appropriately execute its 3G license.
Ministry officials pointed to dissatisfaction among customers with 3G services and said the ministry will pressure companies to improve their services.
"Etisalat wants to have the market moving only for its benefit and we will not allow that," said Khair Mohammad Faizi, deputy of Afghan Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.
Meanwhile, the UAE-based Etisalat said that its 4G services in Afghanistan are in the trial phases only, and that the company will work to comply with all laws and gain consumer satisfaction once 4G is rolled out across the country.
"We are still in the trial and the preparation phase of 4G and have not yet started the service. There is no doubt that to provide 4G, we need a license from the Government of Afghanistan and approval from President Karzai and the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology," said Yasser Abu-Alamayem, Head of Marketing of Etisalat Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology announced that following the procurement of proper equipment, it will monitor 3G services, and in case the services don't meet license specifications, the service providers will be penalised.
