Namibia: Communication Wars Continue
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New Era (Windhoek)
29 August 2008
Posted to the web 29 August 2008
Desie Heita
The war of words over communication tariffs continues between Telecom and MTC, with Telecom saying it stands by its earlier statement that MTC is overcharging consumers.
"We have stated the real and factual truth, reflecting the daylight robbery by MTC in operating on profit margins to the tune of 432 percent on off-net calls during peak times, and 273 percent during off-peak times. This truth would stand when all explanations from MTC fail," says Oiva Angula, senior spokesperson for Telecom.
Telecom issued a statement last week asking the communication regulator, Namibian Communications Commission, to bring some 'sanity' into the industry by asking MTC to lower its interconnection charge to Telecom lines and Cell One lines.
On Wednesday, MTC's spokesperson, Albertus Aochamub, responded, saying they cannot understand why Telecom opted to distort the facts and feed the public with selective information while the fact is "MTC pays a large percentage to Telecom because Tele-com enjoys unhindered statutory monopoly of this service".
MTC says its service and the costs are competitive and affordable, "since they are benchmarked along the models prevailing in the Southern Africa Development Community region and to a large extent to the European market as well".
Aochamub says the current interconnecting regime was proposed in 2003 by Telecom and was revisited between Telecom and Cell One in March last year.
"Thereafter, both parties made their proposals to MTC, which proposal was accordingly accep-ted. MTC never imposed the regime but accepted what was proposed by both Cell One and Telecom. We have on several occasions pointed out to both the Minister of Information and Communication Technology and to the Namibian Communications Commission that we prefer and support a serious dialogue between operators on the model to be agreed on under the auspices of the NCC," says Aochamub.
In response, Telecom says MTC is deliberately diverting public attention to an interconnect regime that has nothing to do with the exorbitant profit margins pushed by MTC. "Contrary to public belief that such charges emanate from the fact that such calls terminate or transit through the Telecom's network, Telecom deemed it proper to inform the public to the real and actual situation on the ground," said Angula.
As for the legality of Switch, Angula says Telecom's constituting act does not distinguish between mobile and other services, as it instructs Telecom to offer telecommunication services be they fixed-line telephony services or mobile telephony services.
MTC had asked whether Telecom has the licence to operate Switch, saying under current law Telecom has no licence to offer mobile services and it is doing so in a "desperate attempt to abuse the vacuum left by the current legislation on the telecommunications industry".
Angula says the constituting act is clear, as it requires them to provide services using the latest and efficient telecommunication systems and technology in expanding and diversifying products range.
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"This is what Telecom has to do if it wants to deliver Namibia into the information age and bridge the digital divide. Whether the statutory role and mandate of Telecom will be changed, it is ultimately a matter for our Government and Parliament to decide by means of a statute amending the current laws mandating Telecom to provide any telecommunications services, be it in the form of Switch or otherwise," said Angula.
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