Bahrain reduces telephone tariff

Bahrain Telecommunications Company, Batelco, announced further reductions in IDD tariffs, averaging 14 per cent, with effect from yesterday. Direct dial calls to GCC , other Arab countries and the subcontinent are among those that will be cheaper.

According to a Batelco source, the IDD tariffs for both peak and off-peak periods have been slashed up to 33 per cent depending on the difference in the cost of providing the service from one country to another.

The reduction range from two to 33 per cent is applicable on international calls made from fixed line phones, mobiles, facsimile or pay phones.

Following an eight per cent reduction, calls to GCC states during peak times will cost 220 fils as opposed to the present rate of 240 fils per minute, while off-peak rates remain the same at 160 fils per minute.

The cuts followed talks with regional and international telecommunication companies to introduce lower per-minutecalling rates, the company said.

In other Arab countries both peak and off-peak calls have been reduced by nine per cent or 30 fils per minute to stand at 300 and 260 fils per minute.

Batelco, which has a monopoly, is 20 percent owned by Britain's Cable and Wireless and 36 percent by the government. The remaining shares are listed on the Bahrain Stock Exchange.