MTN, Vodacom studying report after fingered as highest data costs providers
Mobile network giants MTN and Vodacom are studying an interim report by the Competition Commission which found the companies to be charging the highest data costs in the country.
The Competition Commission has found that MTN and Vodacom charge the highest data prices in South Africa.
The revelations were made during a preliminary release of the commission’s data services market Inquiry report in Pretoria on Wednesday.
MTN is calling for government to release spectrum to “lower the overall costs to operate and communicate.”
For its part, Vodacom says it remains committed to ongoing pricing transformation strategy to reduce the costs to communicate.
“Vodacom is going to make further submission and provide comments on the findings and recommendations in the provisional report,” says spokesperson Byron Kennedy.
In a statement MTN, says it had invested R43.6 billion in infrastructure to reach its clients and made many changes to its cost structure in the past 18 months.
Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele however believes when government released more spectrum – it doesn’t necessary mean that mobile operators will drop data costs.
He has urged government to attached a condition of free WIFI to the release of more spectrum.