Golan Telecom ordered to open 016 int’l calls to non-subscribers

Golan Telecom’s model, in which subscribers only join and register online, complicates the provision of services to non-subscribers.

7 November 12 14:36, Gad Perez

The Ministry of Communications has ruled the Golan Telecom Ltd.is in breach of the provisions of its license with regard to international calls made by non-subscribers. In a notice to the company, the ministry said that the company’s practice of allowing subscribers who want to make international calls via its 016 prefix was illegal and must be corrected immediately.A Ministry of Communications investigation found that Golan Telecom required customers who wanted to make international calls via its 016 prefix had to register on its website and provide a means of payment in advance, which makes them attributed subscribers of the carrier, even if they did not want to be and only wanted to remain non-subscribers.

Golan Telecom received an international calls license in August and was supposed to operate like all the international calls carriers and allow calls by both attributed subscribers and other customers. The ministry rejected the company’s arguments.

Golan Telecom’s model, in which subscribers only join and register online, complicates the provision of services to non-subscribers, and the carrier tried to evade this obligation. After receiving complaints, the Ministry of Communications Supervision Department launched an investigation and the ministry is demanding that the carrier mend its ways and operate in accordance with the terms of its international calls license.

The Ministry of Communications also ruled that prepaid customers are also non-subscribers and ordered Golan Telecom to provide them international calls on a non-subscription basis.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com – on November 7, 2012

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012