Egypt denies imposing tariff to receive phone calls

The authorities in Egypt yesterday denied recent reports that the government is going to impose a tariff to receive phone calls. Such claims are “incorrect”, insisted the Egyptian cabinet’s media centre, which added that it has been in touch with the ministry of communications on the matter.

“The fees for the cost of any telephone calls are borne by the caller alone, without charging any cost to the recipient of the call,” said officials. “Any new telecom fee runs through a process of approvals by the country’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.”

Citizens should not “believe malicious and baseless rumours” which, they added, aim to create confusion.

The reports that such a tariff is being considered went viral on social media recently. Activists described the move as the “Egyptian government’s collection policy.”

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