Users of internet networks in the city of al-Dana in northern Idlib suffer from weak connectivity and frequent outages, which hinders their communication and negatively affects their work during meetings, workshops and distance learning.
The problem of disconnection and weak audiovisual synchronization during video calls is evident, forcing participants to listen without using their cameras, which negatively affects the quality of communication.
Bad service at high prices
Mustafa Khaled, owner of a mobile phone shop in the city, complained about the repeated internet shutdown and weakness, which has negatively affected his ability to serve customers and maintain phone systems that require a stable internet connection.
Khaled pays $25 a month for an internet line with a speed of 10 megabits per second, which he considers a high cost for a service that is not good. He pointed out that the actual speed does not exceed 8 megabits.
The situation worsens during power outages in the city as there is no alternative solution available to network providers, not even batteries to power the internet. Khaled has a router connected to a battery, but the network owner has no batteries to keep the network running during power outages.
Khaled noted that he has filed numerous complaints with network providers, but there have been no effective solutions or changes to the poor network conditions that have persisted for about a year.
This was said by the young woman Fatima Mohammed from al-Dana Enab Baladi that she pays $10 (about 350 Turkish lira) for a monthly subscription to the Internet at a speed of 1 megabit, as the price for the service is high, especially compared to wages, since she works as a nurse in one of the clinics.
Mohammed said she has filed several complaints with the network owner about the poor service, and the constant response has been that it is a “general weakness” or that the problem stems from weak internet resources in Turkey. She even switched networks, but found no difference.
For his part, university student Ahmed Mustafa said the cost of an internet subscription increases the financial burden of studying. He added that he needs the internet for his studies and work because he is constantly dependent on it for long periods of time.
Prices are very high compared to the income level in the area, where daily wages do not exceed 100 Turkish liras (three dollars).
Power outages affect the delivery of high-quality internet to users in the city of al-Dana, northern Idlib – October 13, 2024 (Enab Baladi/Mohamed Masto)
What are the reasons?
Ahmed al-Omar, the owner of an internet network in al-Dana, said Enab Baladi that factors contributing to poor internet service include customers subscribing to limited speeds that do not meet their needs, as well as issues related to routers and cables.
He said that most customers subscribe to packages that are insufficient in terms of internet speed, such as 1 megabit, which leads to poor service.
He added that the router plays a role in signal weakness and the constant power outages have a direct impact on internet quality.
According to al-Omar, prices vary due to the depreciation of the Turkish lira against the US dollar, noting that network owners have priced packages in dollars to stabilize prices.
He added that the network receives complaints via an office number, where communication with the customer takes place to evaluate the actual speed.
If the problem is speed related, this will be increased to ensure performance; If the reason is not speed, a maintenance team will be sent to investigate any other issues.
Internet network users in al-Dana town, northern Idlib, complain of weak network connectivity – October 13, 2024 (Enab Baladi/Mohamed Masto)
Internet networks in northern Syria rely on external sources, based on importing services via cables from Turkey, due to the lack of sufficient local infrastructure.
Internet plans in northern Syria vary depending on speed and cost, and networks often offer limited speed packages starting at 1 megabit per second and going up to 10 megabits or more.
Internet networks and their operators suffered damage and losses due to the February 2023 earthquake, as did many facilities across various sectors.
In May, the Syrian Rescue Government (SSG), which operates in Idlib, announced that it would begin accepting applications for licenses to conduct internet commerce within a five-day period.
The license serves as legal permission to engage in the Internet trading profession and is granted in accordance with the laws and regulations in force by the Rescue Government.
The Public Telecommunication Corporation (PTC) oversees the telecommunications sector in Idlib and announces periodic maintenance of lines, installation of new lines and expansion of the network.
