Farah’s Parchaman residents buy 1GB internet for 200afs

FARAH CITY (Pajhwok): Residents of Parchaman district in western Farah province are forced to purchase one GB internet for 200 afghanis from private telecom firms due to the lack of telecommunication services in their area—a price they call backbreaking.

Parchaman is a mountainous district located 300 kilometers southeast of Farah city, the provincial capital. Only two telecom network towers are currently operational in the entire district.

According to locals, telecom services are only available in the district centre, while residents of other areas must rely on point-to-point internet connection systems provided by private companies, using Afghan Telecom’s fiber-optic network.

Abdul Hamid Hamid, an inhabitant of the district, said that telecom services were confined to the district centre and were not available in other parts of the district.

He added: “People need the internet to communicate, so they buy it from companies in the district centre. However, the cost is crushing — while 1GB data costs only 10 to 15 afghanis in the cities, we are paying up to 180–200 afghanis here.”

Locals say if telecom services are extended to the rest of the district, they wouldn’t need to purchase internet at such inflated prices.

Fakhruddin Fakoor, another resident of the district, said: “The problems we face with telecom services are not experienced in other districts. Even though Wi-Fi solves some issues, overall, telecom services here are weak.”

He noted that even the limited internet services in remote areas were dependent on electricity, and without power, people were completely cut off from communication.

Meanwhile, private internet companies operating in the district defend their pricing, citing the high costs of infrastructure, lack of electricity, and distance from the provincial capital.

Sibghatullah, head of one such private internet providers, told Pajhwok: “Currently, we sell half a GB for 80 to 110 afghanis and 1GB for 180 to 200 afghanis. We have limited facilities and high expenses; selling it cheaper is not profitable for us.”

Hamid, head of another company, said that while they used to sell 1GB for 300 afghanis, prices have been reduced slightly.

He explained: “Compared to last year, prices are a bit lower. Back then, 1GB of Wi-Fi internet was 300 afghanis. Now it’s around 180 to 200. But the equipment we use for these services is expensive, so we have no choice but to charge accordingly.”

However, the provincial Department of Telecommunications and Information Technology says it has notified internet companies in Parchaman district to provide details about their operations and pricing.

Abdul Majid Abuzar, director of the department, told Pajhwok: “It’s true that internet is sold at very high prices in Parchaman district. We’ve asked the companies to halt their services until they give us an explanation.”

He added that they were coordinating with district officials to set fair and reasonable prices.

Residents in several areas of Afghanistan still lack access to basic telecom services and must either travel long distances to establish phone contact or use high-priced internet.

kk/ma