Almost half of the Internet service providers in Iran have seen a 50% drop in sales due to disruptions, censorship, and Internet shutdowns by the government during protests.
The computer trade union of Tehran — or Tehran ICT Guild Organization — announced Saturday that based on a survey conducted at 104 member companies, almost half of the ISP firms have faced a 50% drop.
The union’s secretary Alireza Keshavarz Jamshidian went on to say that about half of the Internet providers lost over 500 million rials (around $1,400) a day, as sales dropped. However, he added, one-fifth of the companies say they suffered between $2,800 and $14,000 loss a day.
“We may not have complete internet outages these days, but restrictions are created through censorship. For example, WhatsApp and Instagram messengers are banned, inflicting damages on people who had a home business on these platforms,” stressed Keshavarz.
Earlier, the E-Commerce Association in Tehran announced the internet shutdown costs Iran $1.5 million per hour.