The Government of Maldives has invited service providers to work together and pledge their support for the President’s initiative to ensure telecommunication and internet connectivity to alleviate daily routines within the constraints of Physical Distancing and Staying Home objectives.
Recognizing the loss of earnings and income and the additional burden on internet usage due to home stay, e-schooling and working from home we are asking service providers to pledge their support for our initiative.
The initiative asks service providers to assist their consumers in these areas for the next three months should the public health emergency status exist.
- Provision of free fast reliable internet access to all COVID19 taskforce operation centres and cells.
- Provision of free internet access for everyone during the period of mandatory isolation or quarantine.
- Recognizing the extra demand for data beyond normal usage, the government encourages service providers to considerably increase the current data caps and lower the price of data boosts.
The government expects service providers:
- to at least double the original data allowance for 70% of fixed broadband and 50% of mobile broadband customers.
Or
- to introduce daily uncapped allowances after package data limit has reached for all fixed broadband and mobile broadband customers.
Operators are encouraged to propose additional solutions that would further allow affordable access to fast internet even after reaching package cap limits.
- Government also asked service providers to offer a special data package at an affordable price that would help people stay connected during this pandemic.
The government recognizes and thanks service providers for the various initiatives that are beginning to take place, especially in the areas of e-schooling and remote working.