Gambia Telecom Rates to Increase 50 Percent
Tariffs of telephone communications of all operators in The Gambia both fixed and mobile lines will increase with effect from February 1st 2013, the APA can report.
According to a press release from the Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory (PURA), a multi-sector utilities regulatory authority, on Tuesday, the wholesale rate of calls will increase by more than 50 percent, meaning retail prices to consumers are set to skyrocket in the process.
The increment is as a result of call termination rates to Senegal’s telecommunications giant Sonatel, which shall increase by 37 percent with effect from the appointed date.
Sonatel is Senegal’s main telecommunications operator that provides international gateway and fiber link to The Gambia.
The Senegalese firm had informed Gamtel of the impending increase since early January 2013 further to which the Gambian telecommunication giant submitted to PURA a letter dated January 7 2013 for a proposed wholesale tariff increase.
“Further to receipt of the said notification and proposal, PURA convened a consultative meeting with the licensed national operators to discuss the way forward,” the release said.
“Subsequent to the said consultations, PURA, in response and in considering the forgoing, endorsed the application submitted by Gamtel thereby allowing for an increase to their cost in relation to the Sonatel increase” it said.
In this vein, the wholesale rate of calls will increase from D6.00 to D9.27 per minute, which, PURA said would allow for a reasonable pass-through for Gamtel.
PURA pointed out that all operators have been notified of the new wholesale rate for Senegal and have been requested to ensure that their new retail tariffs are publicly displayed both at their offices and other points of service enquiry in accordance with the Information and Communications Act of The Gambia.
The new retail prices including taxes and levies should reflect the new end-user tariff.
Source African Press Agency
African News from NetNewsPublisher.com
Category: Africa
