Algerie Telecom reactivates 3700 phone lines

Over 3,700 Algerians have had their fixed-line telephone service restored by Algerie Telecom after they had been deactivated over outstanding debts as part of the “Seheli” installation program launched last October, news reports said.

According to IT expert Ramy Ezzedine in London, the program is part of the Algerian government’s efforts to “expand amnesty to persons and businesses in order to jump start the economy through IT initiatives.”

The operator told local reporters that most customers who have not paid their phone bills are businesses.

Since October, Algerie Telecom has recovered over $296 ooo (DZD21.5 million – Algerian Dinars) of an estimated $5 million (DZD 367 million) in unpaid bills, or 5.86 percent. The operator cut service to customers who had not paid their bills for six months.

The Sehelli program will remain in place until March 1. It allows customers to resume telephony service and open an ADSL line when they pay the first installment.

Subscribers are offered a modem for 512 kbps or 1 Mbps Internet service.

By Jonathan Terry