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- Jan 20, 2016
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New data on the cost of voice calls from Kenya to several African countries indicates a sharp spike in the last three years.
Burundi, a member of the East African Community, charges the highest at an average of Sh56.25 per minute. This is more than three times the Sh13.25 per minute that subscribers were charged in 2015 when the region came together to implement the one area network (ONA).
Started by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, ONA was aimed at bringing down costs for calls originating and terminating between countries across the region, with South Sudan joining later.
“In 2017, calling charge in Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan was Sh7.50 per minute compared to Sh56.25 and Sh23.75 in Burundi and Tanzania respectively,” said the latest report by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
“This is on account of Burundi and Tanzania not operating within the ONA framework.” The high calling rates indicate that the plan to extend the network to other countries has failed to reap desired benefits.
Further, the costs are much higher than for calls to countries such as the US, China and India where consumers paid Sh3.75 per minute.
Read more at: Roaming charges high in EAC despite network deal
Burundi, a member of the East African Community, charges the highest at an average of Sh56.25 per minute. This is more than three times the Sh13.25 per minute that subscribers were charged in 2015 when the region came together to implement the one area network (ONA).
Started by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, ONA was aimed at bringing down costs for calls originating and terminating between countries across the region, with South Sudan joining later.
“In 2017, calling charge in Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan was Sh7.50 per minute compared to Sh56.25 and Sh23.75 in Burundi and Tanzania respectively,” said the latest report by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
“This is on account of Burundi and Tanzania not operating within the ONA framework.” The high calling rates indicate that the plan to extend the network to other countries has failed to reap desired benefits.
Further, the costs are much higher than for calls to countries such as the US, China and India where consumers paid Sh3.75 per minute.
Read more at: Roaming charges high in EAC despite network deal