Bahrain’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has announced on its website its decision in response to complaints submitted against Batelco regarding its fibre broadband speed offer which was introduced in July 2020 and lasted for a period of 9 months.
According to the Authority’s Decision, consumers who had subscribed to Batelco’s fibre broadband packages during this period may exit their contract(s) and switch to another fibre broadband service provider without paying any termination charges. This not only applies to subscribers during the period, but also to users who have been offered the fibre broadband packages without renewing their contracts. Consumers will be notified of this by Batelco during the first week of August.
Switching between operators in Bahrain is simple, as the Kingdom’s fibre infrastructure is provided by a single provider BNET. Therefore, customers wishing to end their contract with Batelco may use another competitive service provider for a comparable service, or may renew their existing contract with Batelco should they wish to do so.
Mr. Philip Marnick, General Director of TRA Bahrain stated “To further promote competition and stop any behaviors which may restrict it – the TRA will always act. The TRA seeks to encourage a dynamic competitive market which works well for consumers. We all rely on telecoms services every day - telecoms are essential. The TRA looks after the interests of consumers while ensuring we have fair competition between operators.”
Source: TRA Bahrain