Communication infrastructure development not Telecom subscribers’ liabilities

application for landline or mobile phone is lodged, a lawyer believes the development of country’s communication infrastructure is not the liability of those subscribers, and the payments should be regarded as purchase of government bonds.
Hessameddin Ipakchi, in conversation with MOBNA, said lawyers believe the practice is, in effect, purchasing government bonds and, therefore, the owners are entitled to dividends.
He said the sector to which such sums are allocated should be clearly identified and indicated the practice is legally obscure and needed thorough revision.
Since 1994, Telecom has demanded an extra 500,000 Rial towards rural development from every application for mobile phones, excluding tax and subscription, which, considering 18m postpaid state-subscriptions, has amounted to 9,000b Rial.

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