This medium has been reliably informed that the proposed tariff adjustment in voice and data is due any day now, but the tariff on daily and social media data bundles used by the majority of the subscribers will not be affected by the proposed tariff review.
According to our sources, this came about after the one-day dialogue and engagement in December 2022, at the Country Lodge in Freetown with Mobile Network Operators, the Minister of Information, the Consumer Protection Agency, the media, the regulatory body of all mobile companies (NatCA), Civil Society Organizations, Okada Riders, Market Women, Kekeh Riders and other stakeholders in the country that endorsed the minimal tariff increment.
Our sources further that, this engagement was held to seek the views of members of the public on the challenges faced by the Mobile Network Operators in the country due to the astronomical increase of the exchange rate of the dollar and coupled with other challenges, adding that, it was a continuation of the engagement with the management of NatCA the regulatory body of all MNOs for the tariff review for the past four months.
Furthering that, due to the magnanimity of all Mobile Network Operators, the tariff was to review to the dollar equivalence of the tariff in 2017 but the Mobile Network Operators did not approve it because it will not be in the best interest of their subscribers, adding that, it was later agreed that the daily and social media bundles will not be affected by the new charges. Our sources went on to say that NatCA has scheduled further meetings with the management of Orange Mobile Company, Africell Mobile Company and Qcell Mobile Company to discuss on the tariff review that is expected to take effect before the weekend.
“In the next 24 hours, both MNOs and NatCRA would have reached an agreement on the final tariff,” our sources said, stating further that, in the previous engagements all Mobile Network Operators have committed that their business will continue to support the growth and development of the country.
