Israeli Deputy Communications Minister Promises Solutions for Ashdod Cellular Coverage Crisis

Deputy Communications Minister Israel Eichler conducted a special field visit in Ashdod on Wednesday to address the severe cellular reception problems affecting residents of Quarter Z and nearby neighborhoods. The visit was prompted by numerous complaints from locals describing the situation as a "cellular catastrophe" with frequent call failures. Eichler met with Ashdod Mayor Dr. Yehiel Lasri, local political leaders including Efraim Weber and community representatives such as Elikim Stark from the Belz Hasidic community to discuss advancing communication infrastructure and educational needs.

During the visit, Eichler toured the city's Haredi education department, where he learned from Deputy Director Yechiel Breier that over 50% of Ashdod's students are from the Haredi sector, highlighting the area's demographic growth. The delegation also visited the home of local journalist Meir Berger in Quarter Z's eastern part to witness the reception issues firsthand. Berger described the daily struggle to maintain even basic phone conversations, emphasizing the urgency of the problem.

Following the field assessment, Eichler convened an urgent conference call with senior officials from the Ministry of Communications' infrastructure division. They were tasked with developing practical short-term solutions to restore reliable cellular service. Eichler criticized the current state, stating it is unacceptable in today's era for paying customers to be unable to conduct simple phone calls from home or public spaces. He pledged close monitoring of the implementation of engineering fixes and expressed hope that the infrastructure deficiencies in Quarter Z would be resolved promptly.