Togo and Benin ink mutual free-roaming deal

Public Management

Thursday, 19 October 2023 15:06

Togo and Benin ink mutual free-roaming deal

(Togo First) - Togo and Benin inked on October 18, 2023, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Lomé for the implementation of community roaming between the two countries. The signing followed a two-day meeting on roaming regulation in the ECOWAS. The talks gathered mobile operators from Benin and Togo and the two countries' telecom regulators.

The deal enables Togolese residents traveling to Benin to enjoy the same rates as Benin’s residents for outgoing calls and messages. That is for 30 days. Within the same period, incoming calls and messages will be free.

"Reciprocally, consumers in Benin will also benefit from the same advantages and billing terms for roaming services when traveling in Togo," the regulators of both countries noted.

Under the MoU’s terms, roaming rates have been lowered as well. A minute's call to Togo for a Togolese visiting Benin will now cost CFA90, against CFA1,393 before–thus 15 times cheaper. Likewise, mobile Internet services will be billed at a maximum of CFA2.2 per MB for Togolese consumers visiting Benin, compared with up to CFA8,000 per MB –3,600 times cheaper.

The two countries also agreed to lower the rates for international calls between them. These are now capped at CFA90 per minute, against CFA225 before.

The deal will come into effect on January 1, 2024.

Esaïe Edoh

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