The Ministry of Finance is taking a further important step towards creating certainty concerning the rollout of fiber-optics in Israel. Sources inform "Globes" that the ministry has decided to oblige all carriers to sell Internet services at uniform prices throughout the country, regardless of the technology used.
In other words, every telecommunications carrier that sells Internet service will have to sell it at the same price all over Israel regardless of whether the service is over a fiber-optic network or Bezeq's copper wire network. The aim of this policy is to prevent discrimination against outlying areas of the country and at the same to time provide certainty for the infrastructure companies, principally Bezeq, that its competitors will not be able to discriminate on price between areas where many carriers operate and areas in which only Bezeq deploys fiber-optic infrastructure.
This move follows a hearing held two weeks ago at which prices for using Bezeq's fiber-optic infrastructure were set in favor of its competitors. Bezeq was given relaxations in the structure of its Internet packages providing it with certainty on how it will sell future services.
These moves are intended to motivate the deployment of Bezeq's fiber-optic network and to bring about a situation in which the new government will have detailed plans for promoting fiber-optics, in recognition of the importance of Bezeq's entry into this area.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 5, 2019
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