NTRA denies rise in mobile recharge cards prices

CAIRO - 17 June 2018: A reliable source at the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) denied Sunday reports about a rise in the prices of mobile recharge cards due to the lately increase prices of fuel.

The source affirmed that the prices are stable and that there were no news about increasing cards’ prices.

Moreover, Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Egypt Khaled Hegazy said that Companies’ officials and the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NRTA) are on official holidays and that there are no events or decisions issued in this regard.

Other sources inside telecom companies also denied the unreliable rumors about the increase in the prices of cards in the four networks Vodafone, Orange Egypt, Etisalat and Egypt Telecom "WE".

The sources pointed out that mobile companies cannot decide to increase the prices of shipping cards without reference to the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

They added that it is unreasonable that companies decide to increase the prices of recharge cards after hours of raising fuel prices, especially since the current days are official holidays and there are no meetings between companies or meetings with the government.

This came in response to rumors circulated on social media and several websites regarding increasing the price of recharge cards.

NRTA approved last September a decision by mobile companies to decrease the value of mobile recharging cards by 36 percent.

Upon this decision, the LE 100 recharging card gives LE 70 credit, the LE 50 card gives LE 35 credit, the LE 25 provides LE 17.5 credit, and so on.