To keep a backup SIM card during periods of poor network performance, I bought two SIMs from the only mobile operators in Lebanon, Touch and Alfa.
To my surprise, I was forcibly subscribed to a paid ringtone service on my Alfa line that I did not sign up for.
Unknown to many users, activating the Alfa SIM automatically enrolls them in the “Melody” service, a subscription that costs $0.24 per month. This is the cost of 2 minutes of local call time and 12 text messages.
When I tried to unsubscribe through the Alfa app, there was no option to do so.
I called the company’s customer support at 111 to seek further assistance, but no one answered. Instead, Alfa lists paid call center numbers in a text message. These call center numbers, 1001 and 1002, charge ridiculously high rates of 0.9 USD/min and 1 USD/min, respectively. The latter is equivalent to the cost of making an international call.
Forcing users to automatically opt-in to an unwanted paid ringtone service is not new. SMEX and other entities raised the issue in 2015, calling on mobile operators to provide a free opt-out of subscribed ringtones.
Despite these calls, Alfa was still unwilling to provide an easy and free cancellation option through its app or regular customer support channels, which seemed unfair and exploitative for the benefit of a third-party company.
Expensive yet rarely available
Lebanon has one of the highest rates for telecommunications services relative to their quality, according to a recent report by SMEX.
The incident raises serious concerns about Alfa’s practices. The company deliberately complicates the opting out of the Melody service, forcing subscribers to pay for a service they had not explicitly consented to.
This issue is not new in the country. The telecom sector has long struggled with operating at an optimal capacity, providing slow and expensive internet and cellular services, despite the immense revenue it generates.
Alfa and Touch are the only two telecom companies in Lebanon that have formed a monopoly on the sector, but they are also one of Lebanon’s most profitable industries, generating at least USD 17 billion in revenues between 2010 and 2020, as previously reported by SMEX.
Claim to the Ministry of Economy’s Consumer Protection body
I discovered that the Ministry of Economy’s Consumer Protection department launched a digital n e-platform supported by the UNDP to receive and address consumer grievances.
I decided to file a complaint against Alfa through this platform. Surprisingly, within a day, the Ministry of Economy contacted me to discuss the issue.
Soon after, Alfa contacted me, and the following day, the company canceled the forced Melody service without charging me any fees.
Alfa forced me to subscribe to the ringtone in April 2023, and it wasn’t until June 2026 that I could unsubscribe for free, and only after a complaint to the Ministry of Economy.
My experience is only one example of many highlighting how telecommunication companies exploit their customers in the absence of a competent regulatory body. Although Lebanon has a Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA), it has failed to implement changes that would have benefited the sector. Governments and telecom ministers have been eager to demonize the authority’s work, rendering it almost useless following the crisis.
The quick response from the Ministry of Economy’s Consumer Protection department in resolving my complaint was a step in the right direction in demonstrating the impact of regulatory oversight and accountability.
Alfa and its third parties should be transparent about their services, as forcefully subscribing users is considered malpractice. They should also provide free cancellation services rather than charged ones that only benefit third-party companies.
Photo: SMEX
