The telecom regulator puts “some order” in the sector to benefit consumers

Telecom
Tuesday, 26 January 2021 14:41
The telecom regulator puts “some order” in the sector to benefit consumers

(Togo First) - Togo’s post and telecommunication regulatory organ (ARCEP) has announced a number of measures regarding tariffs of communication and telecom services in the country. The measures aim to put some order in the sector and ensure transparency to favor consumers. 

In a press release dated Friday, January 22, 2021, the body recalls “the principles of fair and reasonable pricing” which must henceforth govern the offers. It thus calls on telecom actors to boost “transparency and comparability of the offers available on the market,” to “allow consumers to guide their choices.”

To this end, the Regulatory Authority “obliges operators to communicate to users, in a clear and unequivocal manner”, everything that concerns the basic tariffs for their services, in terms of costs per minute, per number of SMS messages and per megabyte.

This need for transparency is also applicable to the rates for packages and promotions, in relation to actual rates which are in CFA.

Unlimited” credit 

It is worth noting that under the ARCEP’s new rules, credit on a SIM card cannot expire anymore, as long as that SIM card is active. In effect, this cancels expiration periods of credit cards (as long as SIM cards are valid). 

A similar change is imposed on phone bundles which must now last a reasonable period, that the consumer is well aware of and is based on the subscription’s amount.

Lastly, credit transfer rates will cost “no more than 3% of the amount transferred, and cost to reach customer services cannot exceed CFA20 per call, regardless of how long the call lasts.” 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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