Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Zimbabwe Orders Cuts in Phone Rates

Zimbabwe’s telecommunications regulator has revised telephone tariffs downwards by up to 40 percent in a move meant to make communication affordable for ordinary Zimbabweans, APA learns here Saturday.

The Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) ordered service providers to slash telephone tariffs by between 25 and 40 percent pending the completion of an ongoing review of the charges.

The review is intended to balance the affordability of services by consumers and the viability of operators.

The move by POTRAZ comes after a massive hike in Zimbabwean telephone charges since January when service providers were first allowed to charge in foreign currency.

The average tariff before the latest POTRAZ order was 30 US cents per minute.

Zimbabwe has four telephone companies, three of which provide mobile telephone services.

The POTRAZ would see telephone tariffs declining to an average 20 US cents per minute.

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