Syrian Internet

The general establishment for telecommunications in Syria has started to provide Internet services to the private and public sectors and e-mail services to those who have a special status the local daily Tishreen said.

A source at the establishment said that providing the Internet services for the private sector companies started one week ago without setting any preconditions, except payment of fees, whereas those who want to join the e-mail service should have a special vocation like doctors, journalists and lawyers. The sources added that subscription to the Internet requires paying installation fees estimated at 5,000 Syrian pounds ($105 US) as well as a sum monthly payment of US $50 and five Syrian pounds per each minute of contact.

As for subscription to e-mail services, besides the aforesaid sums, additional fees estimated at US $50 have to be paid.

The sources added that there is great demand for the Internet service, whose clients are expected to increase rapidly and reach some 10,000 subscribers, a matter which will push the establishment to carry out expansion operation in a period does not exceed several months.

Providing Internet services is in line with other measures taken by the Syrian Telecommunications establishment to put cellular telephones into service.

Sources in the establishment stressed that several Arab and international companies, including Ericsson and Seimens, are currently carrying out survey studies for installing an experimental network for one year at a capacity of 60,000 numbers, covering three cities: Damascus, Aleppo and Latakia.

The said network is to be expanded later on to cover all the Syrian provinces.

This article was published July 15 1999 by www.arabicnews.com Copyright ArabicNews.com