JDECO issued temporary licence to offer broadband over power lines

The Palestinian Ministry of Telecom and Information Technology (MTIT) has reportedly agreed to allow the Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JDECO) to offer broadband internet access over power lines, according to Ma’an News Agency. It is understood that the regulator’s decision has in part been prompted by continued complaints regarding the quality of service offered by fixed line incumbent Palestine Telecommunications Company (Paltel), and Acting Minister of Communications Mashour Abu Daqqa said Sunday that JDECO had been granted a temporary licence ‘to create a competitive atmosphere, after Paltel failed to deal adequately with the complaints of users about bad service and high prices.’ For its part Paltel will not oppose the development, with the report citing Paltel general manager Ammar Al-Ikir as saying: ‘It is important to have a clear strategy for competition rather than hasty reactions.’