Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has taken several measures to limit the usage of traditional methods of mobile phones charging such as scratch cards and encourage the use of other e-charging methods. In light of the country’s efforts to establish the culture of financial inclusion, these measures were taken in coordination with mobile operators. All these efforts come within the framework of the NTRA’s keenness to boost the use of electronic transactions with the aim of facilitating the citizens’ obtainment of telecommunication services.

As per these procedures, these mobile operators are obligated to stop printing and issuing plastic scratch recharging cards of 50 pounds and more, and continue using the recharging cards of the categories currently in the market and available to merchants and distributors or purchased by users, until the expiry of the validity period of the card printed on each recharge card. Recharge cards of other categories will still be used not to mention the electronic means used in recharging the balance.

It is worth mentioning that the NTRA launched an initiative in this regard last March by agreeing with the mobile operators last March to provide users with 30 times the charged balance as free minutes or units when charging their balance using electronic payment methods.