CAMA protest tariffs hike by Telecom Networks Malawi
Consumer Association of Malawi (Cama) has written the second mobile phone service company, TNM, to protest their 14 percent rise in its tariffs effective March 4.
CAMA boss John Kapito has told TNM that the tariffs hike is “pretty unjustifiable” considering the recent developments in the country’s economy.
Kapito cited the prices o fuel being reduced by 20% and that the local currency Kwachas has appreciated against the US dollar.
Malawi Stock Exchange (MSE)-listed telecommunications firm said the tariff adjustment was arrived at since the national currency, the Malawi Kwacha, has depreciated by more than 120% in the past year, resulting in significant increases in the cost base of TNM.
“The expenditure for investment in infrastructure for telecommunication and the operational costs to support the network are mainly denominated in foreign currencies and TNM has effectively seen these costs double in,” TNM said.
The mobile company adds that the cost of utilities, goods and services has significantly increased in Malawi during the past year and thus eroded the returns for telecommunication operators.
But Kapito trashed TNM, saying the consumer body is “perturbed and wondering which costs.”
Reads Kapito’s letter to TNM: “It is true that Malawi is a free market economy but as CAMA we foresee this hike adding a further burden on Malawians.
Cama has asked TNM to “suspend” the hike of tariffs “to another day and not now.”
But TNM said as a major strategic business in the Malawi economy, it must retain its ability to invest and supply services to the people of Malawi and that it aims to ensure that the level of tariffs will guarantee sustainability of the business in the future and support the ability of the company to continue investing in telecommunication in infrastructure in Malawi.
Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (Macra) is said to roll out its Consolidated ICT Regulatory Management Systems (CIRMS) famed as the “Spy Machine” which among other things is meant to check on phone tariffs.
According to Macra, the ‘spy machine’ will improve regulatory monitoring functions in four key areas of quality of service, revenue assurance, fraud management and spectrum allocation and management.
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Tingowamachira Amenewa pAmodzi ndi anzawo a Airtel onse ndi mbava zokhazokha.
kodi akapito simungangoyamika kuti a tnm abwera poyera kuneneratu anzawo aja a airtel samanena amangoti tchetcha mobisa so what! am proud 2 b a tnm customer!
leap where u did not saw. Being a poor country you expect to have reach people but cashgaters who does not bother about ordinary Malawian at the village, shame to the government that have no control measure of its services for the betterment of its pple APM your days are numbered.
I wonder why increasing the tariffs and yet we already have high prices in communication sector.
Airtel raised their tarrifs abeit silently..mwagundika kunyoza tnm apa..they are better off than Airtel..
A kapito,mukamayakhula zinazi ndibwino kufufuza mokwanila osamangosusa zilizonse,bwanji pano madzi mwanthana nawo ku BT?
THIS IS THE TIME TO JOIN AIRTEL IF YOU WERE NOT ONE OF THE AIRTEL CUSTOMER. IFE TIMADALIRA AIRTEL BASI. MUKUCHEDWA INU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AIRTEL WOYEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
I have been telling people on how expensive TNM is. Even before this hike, inali yodula kwambiri TNM. Kusamva a Malawi fe. Kupepera kwathu we just make nouse two days kenako ziii. Anatizolowera anthu amakweza zinthuwa. Amangoti “dzisiyeni dzisokose dzikatope dzikhala phee.” SHAME!!!
The main problem we have in the Telecom Industry is MACRA. This regulatory organisation is just a rubber stamp it cannot use its powers to reject these useless requests yet the services by TNM are not good. There is a lot of corruption at MACRA WHICH NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. People have always complained about the unfair practices by MULTICHOICE for a long time and up to now nothing is being done because some of the Directors at MACRA gets free subscription all year round. In other countries you pay TV subs on usage and you choose the channels you… Read more »
Komadi ndiye palibe justification. CAMA take them head on. The poorest country in the world and has the most exorbitant phone rates in the southern hemsphere imagine!!!!