The National Communication Authority (NCA), in response to public concerns over excessive data rates and subpar services, has promised that data prices will drop by the end of the year.
This follows intense criticism and demands for the NCA board to be dissolved, in part because of MTN’s designation as a Significant Market Power (SMP), which some claim has resulted in an unstable data supply and exorbitant rates.
The SMP categorization is intended to encourage fair competition, not to impede MTN’s business activities, as the NCA made clear in a statement.
The Authority clarified that policies that promote competition, innovation, and consumer protection include tariff parity, technological neutrality, and uneven interconnection prices.
Dr. Joe Anokye, Director General of NCA, stated during an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News that the launch of the NGIC wholesale carrier-neutral open access network will probably result in lower data costs.
With the help of this network, which should go live by the end of the year, operators like AT, Telecel, and MTN will be able to buy large amounts of data without having to upgrade their towers or other equipment, which will enhance productivity and cut costs.
“Data prices are expected to go down, especially again with the NGIC wholesale career neutral open access, now AT, now Telecel, even MTN, they will just buy bulk; they don’t have to upgrade towers, they don’t have to buy new equipment to provide 4G, another entity is doing that,” Dr. Anokye said with optimism.
“They are supposed to launch by the last quarter of the year, and going from there we begin adding more towers. I think we should be hopeful.”
