adminNAIROBI. – Kenya’s leading telecommunication service provider, Safaricom, has hiked call rates to neighbouring countries. The company noted that the action was necessitated by the move by other African countries that imposed new taxes and levies on all international calls coming from Kenya.
“The company has reviewed upwards international call rates to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and lastly Tanzania,” said a report from the company.
The upward revision of tariffs comes day after Safaricom wrote a letter to the Ministry of East African Affairs cautioning that the move by the four countries to impose such taxes would amount to imposing a trade barrier.
Stakeholders in the industry noted that it was cheaper to make a call to someone in the United Kingdom that it is make a call within the regional economic bloc.
The imposed levies on international calls form part of the challenges that have hampered non-tariff trade within the East African region thus making free trade almost impossible. The new call rates will be US$3,40 for international calls for international calls to Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi from an initial US$4,80.
The source further indicated that the cost of receiving calls also increased to US$3,40 from the initial US$4,80. – CAJ News.
Online Reporter