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DOHA: A number of prepaid mobile users have urged the authorities to intervene to protect their rights by making some telecommunication services packages cheaper and more customer-friendly.
Prepaid mobile users in Qatar have expressed their concerns over shorter validity duration of credit balance provided by telecommunication companies for their services.
After publication of this story on The Peninsula website, a large number of people commented on the newspaper’s social media platforms. Customers expressed concerns over rates and packages, asking the authorities to look into the matter.
Abdullah Khattak wrote on Facebook, “Exactly it is very concerning. Even though it is a small amount but imagine number of people residing in the country.” Another person, Shahbaz Haider wrote, “In Qatar too much expensive internet. Now we need a third company.”
Belal Hassan, another reader, wrote, “This is a genuine concern that affects many. In the past, even a small recharge would keep the number active for months.”
The credit validity for pre-paid services for the recharge of QR10 to QR80 (for one company) and QR10 to QR99 (for the second company) is just 30 days. That means a customer’s credit balance will expire if it is not used within 30 days. The line validity is 180 days from the recharge date. The credit validity for recharge of QR100 and above is 90 days for both companies. To maintain the validity of credit balance, customers need to make a subsequent recharge within this period.
“I recharged my mobile SIM number with QR80 but I had no need of making enough calls through that credit and also did not use the mobile data due to continuous internet connectivity at my home and office but the credit balance turned zero after one month. It is a shorter duration window which should be increased,” said a customer.
The customers also demanded the extension of credit validity duration. Omar Farooque wrote, “Yes it is very short time validity should be minimum 90 days” while another customer Mohammad Omar said, “Telecom companies should consider it and extend the validity.” Maduabuchi Cyril wrote in his comment over the news, “Most times the credit just expires without usage government should look into this.”
On the Instagram account of the newspaper, people also expressed concerns over shorter credit validity duration. One reader wrote: “I was shocked too with these new policies. Honestly they make no sense and keep just spending our money recharging for nothing just to keep our lines active!!”
It is pertinent to mention that the validity period for a customer’s credit balance starts from the date of recharge. To extend the validity, a customer must make another recharge before the current validity expires; otherwise, the balance is nullified, blocking all outgoing calls and messages.
A number of customers noted that it was due to duopoly in the market. Durmush Uludogan wrote in his comment on the news, “May be market needs third telecom company another competitor.” Abhinava wrote, “It is a duopoly that is why they do not care about customers’ feedback.”
A reader wrote on Instagram that a more competitive environment could offer better choices and flexibiltiy for customers.
“Exactly!! Many people are unhappy about this matter. It’s not good at all for all kind of people. Both the companies have monopoly so they don’t care about customers,” wrote another reader on Instagram.
Industry leaders spoke to the newspaper, noting that while the market in Qatar is advanced, the short validity of prepaid services seems to be a barrier for casual users requiring flexibility without constant recharging.
“In a fast-paced market like Qatar, the constant need to recharge prepaid balances within a limited time frame is an inconvenience. It creates a situation where users are paying for services they don’t get to fully enjoy, especially those who don’t rely on their mobile services daily,” said Mariam Al Hamadi, a tech industry analyst.
She added, “Short validity on prepaid mobile services seems like a business strategy, but it’s ultimately frustrating for users. People don’t want to be forced into frequent recharges; they want flexibility, especially if they are infrequent or low-volume users.”
Experts underscore that consumers in Qatar are increasingly tech-savvy and demand more from their prepaid services and should address the limitations of short credit validity to keep up with user expectations for flexibility and convenience.
The findings by the newspaper show that frequent recharge cycles mean that users need to keep track of when their balance expires, leading to frustration, especially for those who don’t use their phones regularly. This can lead to missed calls or service disruptions if users forget to top up in time.
On the other hand, shorter validity periods often result in higher ongoing costs for customers who are forced to recharge more frequently, even if they do not consume a lot of data or minutes.
This could discourage long-term users from staying on prepaid plans and could push them towards postpaid options, which may not always offer the most suitable pricing for casual users.
Sarath Krishnan, a mobile network specialist, said “Qatar’s mobile network is robust and reliable, but when it comes to prepaid services, the short validity period creates unnecessary inconvenience for customers, especially in a fast-paced lifestyle where time and accessibility matter most.”
Prepaid users in Qatar may also find it difficult to plan their mobile usage over time.
The short validity period limits flexibility for users who may only use mobile services sparingly, like tourists or infrequent users. These users may not find value in paying for services that expire quickly without the option to extend validity without additional charges.
For users, the perception of mobile providers can become negative when they feel trapped by short validity terms. Providers could lose customers if they fail to align with the preferences for longer service validity and more customer-centric options.
“The short validity of prepaid services in Qatar creates unnecessary stress for users. Many people are caught off guard when their credit expires before they even realise it, forcing them to constantly recharge, which isn’t ideal for those with a busy lifestyle,” a telecommunications specialist said.
