Lebanon has reversed a proposed policy that would have imposed a daily fee on users making voice calls over the internet.
The now-shelved proposal would have charged 20 cents per day for internet voice calls, covering services such as WhatsApp and FaceTime Audio.
Although modest on a per-day basis, authorities estimated the measure could have generated roughly $200 million annually for the country’s cash-strapped government.
Lebanon is currently experiencing a severe economic crisis and has declared an “economic emergency” while seeking new revenue streams and attempting to restructure its debts.
Telecommunications Minister Mohamed Chouchair had indicated that “something in return” would be announced the following week—likely a compensatory measure or offset related to the new fee.
Because Lebanon’s telecom sector is dominated by only two operators, both state-controlled, consumers would have had little alternative but to pay the daily charge to continue using VoIP services.
The government abandoned the plan amid intense clashes between protesters and security forces during the largest demonstrations the country has seen in five years.
Protesters opposed the internet-call fee as part of broader grievances over the cost and availability of fuel and food, widespread economic hardship, and what they describe as government mismanagement. Outrage has also been fueled by criticism of the state’s response to some of the worst wildfires Lebanon has faced in decades.
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