ira

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Bezeq Israel Telecom, the country's dominant phone company, on Sunday launched a service that would block calls to porn and other "improper" destinations in a bid to attract ultra-Orthodox customers.

Bezeq had a monopoly on landline calls for decades but since September 2006 has been facing competition from the cable sector. Competition intensified in December when number portability -- the ability to switch provider while retaining phone numbers -- was introduced.

Avi Gabbay, Bezeq's chief executive officer, said at a news conference the company had invested $500,000 on the new "Kosher phone line" service, which initially will be free and has been approved by Israel's leading rabbis.

He noted that although the main market will be the ultra-Orthodox -- who typically live in their own communities and refrain from many secular activities -- the service will be open to all.

"Obviously our main customer is the ultra-Orthodox but a lot of parents don't want their children to be exposed to these kinds of numbers," said Itamar Harel, vice president of Bezeq's residential customers division.

Israel's mobile phone operators already offer similar services.

Bezeq said 90 percent of Israel's ultra-Orthodox, which is a poor sector but growing rapidly and retains heavy clout in the government, use Bezeq's services.

That's largely due to the lack of cable infrastructure in those communities. With demand for cable TV so low, HOT, Israel's cable provider, has not wired those communities and has been reluctant to do so even though they can now offer landline telephone services.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by David Holmes)

Ynhockey

Thanks. For anyone interested, here's the link to the original article:
Bezeq launches porn-free kosher phone service | Technology | Reuters

Livni

if there is one company that I hate the most after the IEC, it has to be bezeq, and I think its the one company that their service grew worse and even less competative after being privatized. I just wish them to loose their clients and go bankrupt, it would do the whole country a big favour. I HATE Bezeq!! and how much money did they waste on that stupid new logo and ugly campaign? baaa.

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Ynhockey

I think the problem in the telephony market of Israel is that there are no international competitors. If a giant communications company from another country competed with Bezeq, it would be much more interesting and the clients would ultimately win. Just look at what Orange did for cellphones in the early 2000s. Too bad now the competition in that field has stagnated as well.

ira

Your discussions about the phone company's only shows how much Israel has advanced.

In the past one had to wait till someone died to get a telephone line. I lived in Jerusalem for years without a phone. If I got a phone there was no one for me to call because all my friends didn't have phones either.

In the 1980's Kibbutzim got 10 outside lines for the whole Kibbutz.

During the 1973 war while waiting for the separation of forces they would set up phone banks so people could call home. Many soldiers had no one to call. Especially those from kibbutzim.

Things have changed a lot since then. There are now cell phones and lots of land lines everywhere. Some Israelis have discontinued there land lines altogether and rely only on a cell phone. There is also Skype INTERNET phone service. So Bezeq has to be more responsive to there customers.