Tigo now reacts on ‘expensive’ call rates
Dar es Salaam. The mobile telephony operator, Tigo, has clarified that 80 per cent of their customers prefer using bundles for calls and data, saying the remaining 20 per cent use on-demand tariffs or pay-as-you-go. This comes just a few days after media outlets, quoting the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), published a report indicating that Tigo has the most expensive call rates in the market.
“Tigo would like to clarify that our subscribers enjoy some of the cheapest services in the country,” said firm’s Technical and Information chief Jerome Albou, saying their rates are cheap compared to others due to various bundle structures they offer.
A report by TCRA covering the third quarter from July to September 2017 showed that Tigo customers were paying the most for calls within and outside the network, as well as internationally. It showed Tigo subscribers paid Sh360 per minute, excluding tax. The survey also revealed that the company charged Sh450 per minute excluding tax, saying subscribers paid the most when calling across networks too. For international calls Tigo was shown to charge Sh737 per minute, excluding tax.
However, Mr Albou said the company was working with the regulatory body to determine where the figures, which were published widely by the media, came from.
A spot check on the company’s website showed that on-demand tariffs were charged at Sh6 (Tigo to Tigo), Sh8 (other networks), Sh70 (local SMS) and Sh215 (international calls) per minute.
“The tariffs published by the regulator are from on-demand users,” he said, adding: “We are in talks with them (TCRA), because our business is based on customer experiences… and most of them prefer bundles,” he said
“Furthermore, Tigo has distinguished itself as the operator that most understands customers and responds to market needs,” the official asserted.
He went further to explain that, for instance, the company introduced Tumekusoma promotion, which gives customers a total of 21 minutes, elaborating that for a Sh500 bundle, the rate could be as low as Sh17.2 per minute, excluding all taxes.
For three consecutive years, Tigo has dominated market growth, becoming the second largest operator in Tanzania with over 11million customers.
Tigo also has the largest, most reliable 4G network that spans across 24 cities in Tanzania, ensuring that subscribers enjoy the best digital lifestyle.
