Zambia among 4 countries to lower roaming charges

Zambia is among four SADC countries that have agreed to lower roaming charges by mobile operators in the four countries under a roaming pilot project.

This was agreed during a meeting of senior officials from Government, national regulatory authorities, national mobile operators, and policy makers from Botswana,Namibia,Zambia and Zimbabwe held in Namibia from 5th to 6th August 2015.

Zambia Information Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) Public Relations Manager Ngabo Nankonde in a statement says the pilot project will commence among all the operators of the four countries by 1st September 2015.

Ms Nankonde says all mobile operators of the four member states participating in the pilot project are expected to begin making the necessary arrangements to implement the glide path as agreed at the meeting including amending their bi-lateral roaming agreements.

She says wholesale and retail tariffs will be reduced annually in line with the glide path as approved by the SADC ICT Ministers.

She explains that operators will not be forced to go into reduced tariff agreements with operators in countries that are no participating in the pilot project.

Ms Nankonde however, states that other member states wishing to participate in the project prior to 1st October,2015 are welcome to participate, and that mobile operators should engage with their respective mobile roaming partners to ensure their participation.

She has further clarified that operators of the four member states will not have to reduce their roaming tariffs again on 1st October 2015.

She adds that roaming customers expected to experience the same quality of service as national customers when roaming.