Residents in Ghor's Tulak District Complain of Weak Telecom and Internet Services

Residents of Chaharrah village in Tulak district, Ghor province, report persistent weak telecommunications and internet services despite antennas installed by telecom companies Roshan and Etisalat in 2019. They say services remain unreliable, with frequent signal outages affecting calls, messaging, and internet access, forcing people to travel long distances for basic communication.

Noor Agha, a resident using a pseudonym, described the services as "severely weak, unstable, and unacceptable," noting that people pay for internet packages and services but receive poor quality in return. Internet is either completely unavailable or too weak to load simple pages, calls have low sound quality, and messages are delayed or undelivered.

Mohammad, another resident, said over eight years have passed since the antennas were installed, yet quality has not improved despite repeated complaints to the companies. He added that surrounding villages often lack even basic call signals and called on media to amplify their voices for urgent action.

Asad, a third resident, emphasized that Tulak residents deserve quality telecom and internet services like other Afghans but are neglected due to inattention from company officials. He said the lack of reliable services disrupts essential tasks, family contacts, and daily life, leading to widespread frustration.

Residents blame the neglect on both telecom companies and the Taliban, demanding prompt fixes, quality services, field inspections, infrastructure upgrades, transparent responses to complaints, and services matching paid fees.

Technology and communications expert Arman Rahimi attributed issues in remote districts to mountainous terrain causing "signal shadow," insufficient antennas due to high costs, lack of electricity, and outdated equipment overloading sites.

Tulak district, about 195 kilometers west of Ghor's center, has over 30,000 residents.