Econet sheds crocodile tears as it is forced to reverse tariff hikes

Zimbabwe’s largest mobile phone network operator Econet was today forced to reverse tariff hikes it introduced on Wednesday and pretended to be sympathising with the consumers when it was the one that came up with the floor prices that were ultimately adopted by theoperators.

Even its chairman Strive Masiyiwa expressed outrage at the tariff hikes saying “It is my understanding that it was a directive from the telecoms regulator. I have never supported this type of regulatory approach. It makes it difficult to introduce new services such as Mobile TV, when a "floor price" is set for data. Very unusual.”

However minutes of the Telecommunications Operators Association of Zimbabwe dated 17 October 2016 chaired by Telecel boss Angeline Vere show that it was Econet, which was represented by its chief executive Douglas Mboweni and  three others, that suggested a floor price of  12 cents for voice and $0.05 for data.

Netone agreed with Econet on the data charge but initially wanted a voice tariff at 10 cents.

Telecel proposed 11 cents for voice and $0.005 for data.

Without naming the offending operator, the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) today said it was “concerned and disturbed by the conduct, double standards, negative utterances and refusal to take ownership of this decision by some Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)”.

In its public notice reversing the tariff increases ordered by the Minister of Information Communication Technology Supa Mandiwanzira, POTRAZ said: “It has become apparent to us that the service providers have decided not to own up to the fact that they engaged the Regulator regarding declining revenues which were, according to them, threatening industry viability and service roll out.

“In fact the MNOs met prior to the issuance of this determination and proposed even higher floor prices through their collective voice, the Telecommunications Operators Association of Zimbabwe (TOAZ).”

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