Rogers, Bell waive long-distance charges to Afghanistan, Gaza, the West Bank and Israel

Rogers and Bell are waiving charges associated with calls and messaging to Gaza, the West Bank and Israel amid the ongoing conflict.

Rogers was the first to announce the measure, taking to social media to share it’s waiving long-distance and SMS charges for Rogers, Fido and Chatr customers. The telecom provider said it will also rescind roaming charges for customers.

Canadians can also donate $5 to support the Canadian Red Cross Middle East Humanitarian Crisis Appeal by texting the word ROGERS to 20222 (English) or 30333 (French). Rogers is matching all donations until October 31, 2023.

— Rogers (@Rogers) October 12, 2023

The company put a retroactive date on the measure to apply from October 7th to the 31st.

Bell announced its measures soon after. The company is waiving charges tied to long-distance calls from home phones and post-paid mobile plans, as well as SMS. Bell’s measures are also retroactive, lasting from October 7th to the 31st. Bell’s announcement doesn’t mention roaming charges.

Bell is waiving home phone and mobility post-paid long distance and SMS charges from Canada to Israel, Gaza and the West Bank from October 7 – 31, 2023. No action is required by our customers. pic.twitter.com/1nCmP5pYA4

— Bell Support (@Bell_Support) October 12, 2023

Both companies have also announced similar measures for Afghanistan. The country was recently hit with deadly earthquakes, killing thousands.

Rogers announced it will waive long-distance and SMS charges for Rogers, Chatr, and Fido customers between October 7th and 17th. There was no word on roaming charges. The company also announced a $10,000 donation for relief efforts.

Bell is waiving long-distance calls from home phones and post-paid mobile plans. The same applies to SMS charges. The measure applies from October 7th to the 17th.