Israel takes steps to increase communications competition

Tel Aviv [Israel], March 29 (ANI/TPS): Israel's Ministry of Communications increased competition and "significantly and immediately" reduced the prices for using Bezeq's (Israel's national telephone company) infrastructure.
The ministry reduced companies' "passive infrastructures" use fees of Bezeq from 446 Shekels ($122) per kilometre per month to only 250 Shekels (USD 70) per kilometre per month, a reduction of approximately 44 per cent.
This is the first reduction in the series, and this price will be in effect until June 2025, when updated prices will take effect. The price reduction will come into effect on April 1, 2024.
Bezeq is the only company in Israel that owns a physical communication infrastructure (channels, pipes, towers, poles, etc.) all over the State of Israel.
The conditions of access to Bezeq's physical infrastructure directly affect the ability and incentive of other telecommunications companies to set up independent infrastructures and compete with Bezeq in providing internet services to the public.
In the current period, the State of Israel is spreading its length and breadth with advanced networks, therefore especially in this period it is important to reduce significantly and as quickly as possible the rates for the use of Bezeq's passive infrastructure.
Such a reduction is expected to increase the incentive of telecommunications companies to expand the retirement of their fibre infrastructures, and to promote competition, in a way that will affect the quality of the infrastructures in Israel and the well-being of the consumer in terms of quality and price for many years to come. (ANI/TPS)