Kuwaiti operators consider incoming call charges

Two telecommunication companies in Kuwait plan to bring back charges for incoming calls.

The companies have already informed the Ministry of Communications of their decision to assign a fee for calls made from a landline to a cellphone, which is expected to be implemented within the next few weeks, reported dailies Al-Rai and Arab Times.

While the operators in question remain unidentified, many believe Wataniya and Zain are involved as both made subscribers pay for incoming calls until recently. Mobile users in Kuwait were relieved when charges were dropped by both in December last year, coinciding with the entry of third operator Viva.

"The decision is due to the enormous increase of these calls and the corresponding pressure on the network traffic since introduction of the policy in December. Additionally, the companies are not reimbursed for this service despite the huge fees they are obliged to pay to the Communications Ministry," sources told Al-Rai.