New Investments Key To Call, Data Tariffs’ Reduction – Telcos
Apparently reacting to the federal government and millions of subscribers’ calls for downward review of data and voice calls’ tariffs, the telecom companies have said the current tariffs could only be slashed if more investments are attracted into the ICT sector.
The president of Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Engr Olusola Teniola in an exclusive chat with Daily Trust said only a sustained and increased investments in the sector can support tariff reduction.
Teniola said it was also important that Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) engages the industry to determine the applicable prices that will ensure consumers have access to quality services.
He said: “More investments are required to achieve this balance and we are just at the beginning of this journey.
“With time, effort and a collaborative approach the cost of doing business will reduce and the benefits passed onto the consumers.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, had recently urged the telcos to reduce their call and data tariffs.
The minister had pointed out in November that there were numerous complaints from Nigerians regarding illegal data deduction and high price of data, adding that he had personally experienced illegal data deduction.
He elaborated: “I am urging the management of NCC to work towards reducing the price of data in Nigeria. It is too costly and people are complaining every day.
“If you go to other countries, even countries that are not as largely populated as Nigeria, data prices are not this high. I am also a victim of some of the infractions that are so common in the industry.
You load your data but you barely use 20 per cent of it and the entire data is wiped off. “The last time I commented on the issue of illegal data deduction…This is one of the issues that worry me badly today”, Pantami lamented.
