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INTERNATIONAL CALL RATES INCREASE LOOMS

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MBABANE – Mobile phone users should brace themselves for an increase in international call charges.


This will be as a result of the Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications corporation having increased interconnect charges for the two mobile phone operators – Eswatini Mobile and Eswatini MTN. Interconnection is the linking of telecommunications networks so that customers of one network can communicate with customers of another network.


The Times Business Desk understands that EPTC will now charge the local mobile phone operators an amount of E2.21 from the current charge of E1.27 to call another mobile phone number in South Africa.


This is an increase of 74 per cent.
When calling a fixed line number, the mobile phone operators will be charged E1.30 from the current E0.44, which is an increase of 195 per cent.
When calling Lesotho, on both fixed  line and mobile phone, the increase is from E1.85 to E4.33, which marks an increase of 134 per cent.
When calling Botswana, EPTC will now charge the operators E3.04 from E2.53, which is a hike of 20 per cent.


For a United States call, the charge has been increased to E2.40 from E1.19, which is a hike of about 102 per cent.
For a Monaco Kosovo mobile phone call, the charge has been increased from E1.44 to E4.96, which marks a hike of 244 per cent.
For other European countries, including the United Kingdom, the charge has not been increased as it will remain at E1.54.


Agreements


For a Mauritania call, the charge has been hiked from E2.37 to E5.97, which is an increase of 93 per cent.
Additional international calls include Cuba calls which have been hiked by a massive 441 per cent from E1.44 to E7.85.
EPTC Corporate Communications Manager Nqobile Magagula when asked about the increase said such agreements were between the Corporation and its customers, suppliers and or partners and therefore of a confidential nature.


“We are not in a position to comment about them. We are bound by a supplier/customer relationship which we have to abide by,” Magagula said.
On the other hand, the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM), which is the country’s telecommunications regulator, said the increase was as a result of inter-connect settlement rates paid to transit centres.


Lindiwe Dlamini, the Director Strategy & Economic Regulation, said these rates were settled in foreign currency and were reflective of the fluctuations in the exchange rate, which in turn had an influence in the settlement price.
“Another factor is that ICASA, the communications Regulator in South Africa, opened up the traffic to other operators - a decision that resulted in a change in the charging matrix.


The Price List method is now used. It is a 7 days’ notice list of rates from each operator, and is circulated to international operators with the prices for the different destinations,” Dlamini said.


She then confirmed the worst; that the mobile operators would transfer such an increase to the consumers.
“Interconnect rates form part of the costs carried by Mobile Operators. An increase in the interconnect rates will require Mobile Operators to adjust their call tariff to factor in the increase,” Dlamini stated.


Implementation


She said the Mobile Operators, in line with their licence terms and conditions, would still be obligated to apply to the Commission for approval before they could implement any new rates arising as a result of the increase in interconnection rates.

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