Mmegi

Regional mobile roaming tariffs lowered

Going down: Roaming tariffs are declining in six SADC countries PIC.KENNEDY RAMOKONE
Going down: Roaming tariffs are declining in six SADC countries PIC.KENNEDY RAMOKONE

The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) and five other SADC member states reached an agreement to “substantially reduce and harmonise” mobile roaming tariffs, taking their cue from an arrangement reached between Botswana and Namibia in 2024.

In a statement, BOCRA officials said the One Network Area (ONA) framework would expand beyond Botswana and Namibia to include Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The ONA initiative is aligned to efforts by SADC member states to reduce and harmonise roaming charges across the region, and it is intended to progressively expand to include other SADC Member States.

Recognising the critical role of Information and Communication Technologies in promoting trade, investment, mobility and digital inclusion, ONA seeks to harmonise roaming tariffs to ensure cost-reflective pricing and create a seamless communications environment across participating countries.

Editor's Comment
Warm relations must not come at the expense of fair trade

“I believe that free but fair trade isan absolute imperative”– John E. JamesFor two countries bound by geography, history and deep economic ties, periods of diplomatic strain serve neither side well. President Duma Boko’s efforts to restore momentum to relations with Pretoria deserve recognition, particularly at a time when Southern Africa faces shared challenges ranging from sluggish economic growth and unemployment to energy security...

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