The Tanzania Daily News reports that public hearings on cost-based interconnection rates for telecommunications network operators are scheduled to take place in February, instead of this month.
The report quotes the Director General of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), Professor John Nkoma, as saying the move was made to offer stakeholders more time for discussion.
This latest development follows an announcement by TCRA that it would conduct an inquiry to review the rates applied by network operators. These operators include Airtel Tanzania Ltd., Benson Informatics Limited, Dovetel Tanzania Limited, MIC Tanzania Limited and Six Telecoms Company Ltd, Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited, Vodacom Limited and Zanzibar Telecom Limited (Zantel) writes The Tanzania Daily News.
“Yes, we have postponed by one more month since we have come to realize some procedures needed to be fulfilled first,” said Professor Nkoma.
The publication reports that the proposed guide path for interconnection rates, effective March 2013 to December 31 2017, are pegged at 34.92. The rate at present reportedly stands at 7.12/-.
The Authority is also reported to have announced a ceiling transmission fee for Multiplex Operators (MUX) chargeable to Content Service Providers, effective January 01 2013.
A statement issued by TCRA says the fee would be reviewed annually, based on the multiplicity of content channels, sharing of infrastructure and value added services.
Staff Writer
