Mobile telephone rates and services in Lebanon are amongst the highest in the world. And the quality of these services leaves much to be desired, say netizens.

The mobile telecommunications sector in Lebanon has been run by two operators – Alfa and Touch – since 1994. With both companies monopolizing the market, it is the Lebanese consumer whose paying the heavy bill.

You can read more about the situation in these blog posts (click here, here, here and here).

This June, a campaign under the slogan of “AlloFail” was launched by young people like Hussein Dajani, who decided not just to sit and complain but rather make some tangible changes.

AlloFail logo

AlloFail started with a survey. The result show that 88 per cent of the people complained from the network coverage, 75% were not happy with prices, 61% found that there was no innovation in products or services, 59% pointed out their dissatisfaction with data consumption and 47% denounced the lack of transparency of the two operators.

AlloFail also runs a Facebook group and a Twitter account, where netizens share their problems, which the initiative founders try to voice to concerned parties.

On Twitter, the hashtag #allofail has also been trending. Some of the complaints include:

@michakhoury: I was having a phone conversation with my friend..then a 3rd line interfered with sm1 telling me sry did u cal me 5min ago walaw #allofail

@ZiadChebel: Mtc touch changed its name to @touchLebanon only since all subscribers are now TOUCHING their cell phones 24/7 to get a signal.. #AlloFail

@Cupcake_Box: Free wifi on London's underground is faster than Beirut's crappy overpriced ADSL connections #alloFAIL

According to AlloFail's mission statement (available on the Facebook page), the initiative aims to:

Foster a Mobile Telecommunication market environment that respects the basic Human Rights in terms of freedom of expression, information and information technology access,development and dissemination in Lebanon as stated in Article 19 of the World Human Rights Declaration.

Screenshot of AlloFail Facebook Group

They aim to achieve their goal through:

• Raising of Lebanese public pressure towards the Mobile Telecom operators to offer the best products and services at the best prices and quality.
• Benchmarking Lebanese Mobile Telecom market with regional and international markets in terms of, but not strictly to, transparency and products and services issues.
• Monitoring Lebanese Mobile Telecom operators’ activities in terms of, but not strictly to, transparency and products and services issues.

AlloFAIL TVC has also posted the following video on YouTube, where users complain about the various mobile telecom services on offer:

And they have recently met with Nicolas Sehanoui, Lebanon's Telecommunication Minister. The outcome of the meeting is to be revealed soon.

Commenting the initiative, Giovanni, from Ginos blog, said:

Join the AlloFail cause, go to their Facebook group and complain. Telecom providers are answering and acting upon people’s complaints, so change is actually happening (I know, hard to believe right?). Best part is, if it’s not up to the pace we want, AlloFail’s lawyers are gonna sue them for their wrongdoing and that’s gonna be a lot of fun!

Najib from Blog Baladi notes :

I am not sure how much of a difference this initiative will make but it’s worth giving it a try for sure.

On Twitter, Mohammad Jouni points:

@mojouni: Rally behind @alloFAIL. Could be the only way to trigger a bit of change in our Telecom industry.