THE Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) has bemoaned the high cost of INTERNET bundles charged and alleged unfair conditions attached to INTERNET services by mobile service providers.
The association has since challenged Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) to discharge its mandate and protect consumers.
ZACA executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga said, “We do agree with complaints from subscribers and we want to express our utmost disappointment with telecommunication service providers who have taken advantage of exploiting consumers regarding the INTERNET bundles,” he said.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Ililonga is of the view that competition in the telecommunication industry should have order and quality customer care to immensely benefit consumers.
He said the association has observed that despite the competition in the sector, telecommunication firms are charging exorbitant high INTERNET charges and are subjecting consumers to unfair conditions.
It is alleged that subscribers using INTERNET bundles from mobile service providers are paying more for less services including forfeiting credit if it is not used within the stipulated timeframe.
Mr Ililonga urged ZICTA to perform to consumers’ expectations of protecting them. He said the performance of ZICTA is very worrisome and not to consumer’s expectations.
Mr Ililonga said telecommunication is a major driver of the economy which require all tumbling blocks to be removed.
He said the major impact arising from high cost of INTERNET bundles is the high cost of doing business which will suffocate the economy.
“ZICTA should discharge its mandate according to expectations of people and be feasible…and take action against erring companies. It should not just concentrate on money collection but protect consumers as well,” he said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
As a person with an ear in the telecom sector, part of the blame for high charges we are having is ZICTA. Yes you heard me, ZICTA! They have suddenly introduced all sort of regulator fees which all service providers are subject to pay every year thus forcing service operators to charge high rates and bundle fees to subscribers. Coincedently, management at ZICTA is divided, some support Airtel, others MTN and the rest Zamtel thus making regulator operations very difficult.
If Zambia is ever going to enjoy low rates, let ZICTA get its house in order and scrap some of their fees.
ZICTA need to do more in protecting the consumer where internet abuse is concerned (concerning exorbitance in price). AIRTEL and MTN even have 10gb dataplans going for as high as $150 which they forfeit if we don’t consume within 30 days. This has been happening for sometime and ZICTA seems to have been compromised. Lord help us.
THE MOBILE INTERNET CHARGES IN ZAMBIA IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE THAN MOST COUNTRIES IN AFRICA.AND ITS HIGH TIME THE GOVT STEPS IN TO BRING THESE COMPANIES IN LINE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.
I can predict the next 24 comments coming.
When is MCS firing squad visiting ZICTA mwe bantu. IT is the backbone and engine for growth. The cobweb at the top needs to be removed please.
ZICTA has an incompetant woman laywer as a director and she has no clue about the operations of the industry. She was just put there because of connections with RB.
She ought to be fired and we need a technocrat who understands this sector to be at the helm of that critical institution.
I just the rest in blaming ZICTA’s incompetance for the pain and ripp offs consumers are going through today.
ZACA for u to justify the cost of something, learn to quantify you argument. Do you know how much it cost the mobile companies to buy international Internet capacity let alone how much it costs to distribute to clients and how much profit remains. If u have these answers then complain quantitatively.
Even Iconnect with their iSpot. The connectivity is slow, sometimes they do not even have network in some of their so called hotspots. 100MB can elapse in 3 hours. I ahve since moved to MTN and rates affordable.
DONT KUBEBA
#6 kci: presumably you are one the beneficiaries of the exorbitant charges in question. Why is it the same companies in other African countries have lower service charges and yet they also meet the costs you have pointed out? Apply relevant economic conventions Zambia will still stand out as having high service charges.
AIRTEL……….. SUCKS
let us support the pf government if we want to live in a better zambia. communication is the corner stone for any development in any country, cheaper communication = putting money in peoples pockets and not the primitive appointments am witnessing.
Ya, we can have a lawyer to head this authority. We need an electronics/IT engineer who well understand the operations
I agree that internet bundle prices are “high”, but personally found Airtel’s bundles are much better value compared with others like iConnect, Zamnet, etc. Maybe I need to compare prices again, but I pay K125,000 for a 1G bundle and believe the other providers charge much more.
Two things that do irk me with Airtel’s service, however, are (1) the slow speed and problem of dropped connections (I could easily use more than 1G per month if the speed were better); and even more important (2) the fact they do not notify you by SMS when your bundle is finished. Instead they switch to automatically charging much higher “pay per use” rates meaning all of your talk time can get gobbled before you even know the bundle is done!I think that practice is deceptive and should be illegal.
You re very much behind, try MTN – Zaambia. 10MB K5,000, 75MB K30,000, 300MB K75,000, 500MB K90,500, 1GB K105,000 & 2GB is K185,000.
@mmc, Thanks! Looks like MTN charges K20,000 less for a 1GB bundle, but then I’d need another phone with bluetooth/dongel or something to get this to work. I also wonder how MTN compares with Airtel for speed (….probably hard to be worse?) plus I’ve got to think about coverage where I am (out in the country and don’t think the MTN signal is as good at my location). I’m not sure this means I’m “very much behind” like you say but will check it out – thanks!
Btw – Braggadocio (now 16), thanks also – only part of the problem with iConnect, Zamnet, etc. is that their signals don’t reach as far as cell phones. I tried iConnect for a while but had awful experiences with their technical support… and billing… so gave up.
Champ – they have something called the Z5 which is a wireless transmitter so more than 3 computers can access at the same time. Moved from Airtel and dongles to that and love it. But would appreciate a lower price than K185,000 for 2GB
APPOINT ILONGA AS MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS
ILONGA YAPS TOO MUCH.ASK SATA HE WILL TELL YOU THE DIFFERENCE.HE IS NOW FRIENDS WITH CHINESE
@ 11 i think iconnect and Zamnet are cheaper cos the charges are fixed and you can download anything unlike these bundles which will finish if you update your anti-virus
These companies have formed cartels to reep-off the consumer. I know they always have meetings to discuss the best way to reep out of the consumers. Its CONSPIRACY at its worst. I end here!
ZICTA is killing internet access in Zambia, on top of operating costs in this business which are high anyway, the operators have to pay high fees to the regulator ZICTA. To remain afloat and not move into the negative operators pass these costs to the consumer. Address regulatory pricing and the price of internet will come down.
#4 KCI – did you predict your own comment(s)? You Zambians complain A LOT!!!! There is nothing you don’t complain about!! Learn to accept that some things are not worth complaining about, hey! Next thing is you will start complaining about why you complain a lot!
There is a nice rant about high charges and the Myth of M4D at http://manypossibilities.net/2011/11/why-m4d-may-be-bad-for-development/ for anyone interested.
ZICTA i have always doubted it’s competency, especially the technical capabilities to handle such complex analysis. People are paid for just loafing, it’s time such bodies are adequately audited and measures taken to re-structure the authority…..possibly bring in more techinical expertise to handle the business than a complex structure enjoying free tax payers money 4 nothing….
no I did not predict mine. I certainly predicted yours 17#
Zambians must read George Orwel’s animal farm.The more you things the more they remain the same,at least for Pf at the moment!!Frankly speaking Zambians are paying too much already on many things including internet,second hand cars,food,education,rentals,passports,birth and death certificates,police clearances and even certified copies!paying for certified copy?It cant be worse than that.Internet charges should be close to minimum but here is where cyber crime blossoms in all forms including slow speed of the machines.They are slow to rob you your mulla!Any laws to protect the citizens?GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
Correction-the more you change things
Great. I pay alot and forfeit my bundles money after one month but the Internet service by MTN is erratic such that I cant finish using my bundles in the stipulated time.
I hope sense will be brought about now.
Realistically speaking current problem at ZICTA is just capacity- they are just now filling the structures and will take some time before the can have teeth to bite. Give them time as the now just garthering data about operators in the this diverse sector. ZICTA is a regulator not an operator so even a smart and beautiful lawyer can run the instutution. They are also trying to encourage local companies to dominate the sector for our empowerment.
some of the compliants also can be adressed by the competiton commission.
i will soon ambadon use of net services- please help
Yes, Internet is expensive in Zambia. In Europe you pay $100 per for 10Mbps, while the providers/operators in Zambia are buying the same capacity at $35,000. Yes, $35,000 for same thing you can buy at $100 in Europe. and how do you expect them to sale cheaply for same thing they are buying at higher price. Things are now even better, 10Mbps used to $70,000 , 4 years ago. So there is nothing, ZICTA or Operators can do. and ZACA is just making empty noise. what we need is continental policy and strategy how to bring these prices down. NEPAD, started nicely with EASy fibre cable project and promised to bring the prices down once operation. But, that promise remain the dream and being Govt (AU) thing it took its sweet time, while others such as SEACOM and TEAMs were done by private sector.
Zambia consumer association anather toothless organisation, of late we have been having problems with airtel network in Kasama, i have not heard any comments from these *****s together with airtel fools, today they are talking about internet a problem that has been there for ages, can somebody fire all the *****s at ZICTA and revoke airtel license, these fools must leave our country, infact not long ago these imbeciles were campaigning for disposed AlaaBee.
Today is the last day of my subscription and i have 400mb, if i wont use it all these *****s will take it away by tomorrow,can somebody protect us from these day time robbers.
i think the likes of Iconnect are much better than these bundle options from the Mobile phone companies. Faster and more cost effective
lets all of them improve, we are being over taxed, but zamtel is the best.. cage the MDs of these companies….. or lets just all migrate to ZAMTEL
Yah ..its a shame at this time of technology age to search for network, tell me pipo does it really happen in zambia? Oh MCS has alot of work to bring sanity to zambia in all sectors of the economy.
ZCITA IS NOT PERFORMING ACCORDING TO ITS MANDATE I AM ONE THE VICTIMS MOBILE INTERNET FRAUD. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT A BLACK BERRY PHONE I FIND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS INTERNET SERVICES MAY BE JUST A FEW DAYS IN A MONTH. EACH TIME I COMPLAIN I AM TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WILL BE SORTED OUT. I AM FED UP WITH AIRTEL SERVICES AND ONCE YOU HAVE MORE UNITS THEY SEND A LOT OF SILLY SMS TO ENTICE ONE TO PARTICIPATE AND WIN WIN WIN WIN END OF THE DAY ONE IS LEFT WITH TALKTIME UNITS. THIS BROAD DAY ROBBERY.
INFACT MUYUNDA ILILONGA HAS OVER STAYED IN THAT POSITION. HE JUST RUMBLES ABOUT WHEN HE HAS NOTHING SENSIBLE TO SPEAK. THIS MUKOLEKOLE SHOULD BE LAST PERSON TO SPEAK FOR US. GO TO BAROTSELAND AND TESTIFY BEFORE THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY.
A complete restructuring of ZICTA would do us all a great deal of good. They can start by accounting for the money they have been collecting — what are they regulating exactly; how are they spending this money?
Secondly, they need to regulate the country’s internet backbone — if each service provider needs to set-up their own backbone, then of course things will be expensive. ZICTA can oversee the set-up of one high-speed backbone running through the country, and have other providers tap from this backbone. Simple, clean, effective.
With a thick enough pipe, we can lower costs and increase speeds. We are developing, and we need to be able to communicate cheaply.
I think it is only real competition in this sector which will bring relief to consumers. In countries like the USA people have a choice (and I mean a “real” choice) to pick and choose from among a number of providers in competition with each other. I personally have AT&T, but if they screw me I can easily dump them and go with their competitor, say COMCAST, very easily.
All the govt does is make sure there is no collusion among the providers to fix prices. Government vigilance and anti trust laws do the trick here in the USA. A role I am sure ZICTA, or whatever they are called, was meant to fulfill.
Continue……
Also, what incentives have the Zambian govt given to these companies to foster competition and in the long run bring prices down for consumers? For instance the US govt has given a lot of concessions (such as not taxing parches done on line) to Telecom/Internet companies in order to keep prices low for average consumers. And what happened to fiber optic cables which were meant to bring these prices down?
As someone who is passionately interested in Telecomms i think the gov’t overlooked the potential of this sector ( ie communications) when it started merging ministries in the name of paltry ministry wage cuts; this is a very lucrative industry for the gov’t which is a billion dollar industry.You need to stein with these Network providers and let them justify their hideous tarrifs and work around a solution so that they consumer gets the best deal. Network providers will always form cartels when it comes to profit and will take advantage of any lapses in the gov’t. In Europe consumers get the best deals in the world compared to their American cousins as the EU commision is on their side; where else would you get 300mins Voice minutes, 3000 texts, 150 MB Internet for £15 on pay as go.
Ba ZICTA ni ba kabolala. As a regulator the fees they collect should be more or less symbilic while they focus on customer complaints. Instead its one big money making venture that has the counter productive result of increasing significantly operational costs for the operatos. Where does the momney gi? This is tax on top of ZRA and while this continue internet in Zambis will be expensive.
I spent a few years in the USA. One thing you learn very quickly is this “Don’t pay for what you aint getting”. What makes business gangsters think that it is OK to charge a Zambian for a service not given? I bought an internet mordem from Airtel; the quickest way to throw your money away for nothing. I am using one from MTN. Much better value for money although watch out for overheating.
Govrnment must regulate unifrom tarriffs and conditions for service providers.Because its very unfair for pipo to pay for services which they dont receive or receive partially and pay in full.It Corruption too.Especially airtel.
I dont stay in Zambia but i do come regularly, so i know what pipo are talking of.Where i am is one of the poorest countries and less developed t5han Zambia But i Pay only (K100,000) per month, if i convert this local currency and network or signal is super 24/7
Ati “exobintant” lol. The use of the English language it’s very “imbalancing”
More licenses = competitive pricing. Even Tanzania is ahead of us by miles
Most of these internet providers rely on rented technologies —–which in most cases are obtained at a high cost and passed on to consumers. The major problem with telecom regulatory institutions not only in Zambia but in most countries in Africa is that they have no deliberate policies and strategies to encourage local telecom busniesses to innovate across their business models and mitigate some of the costs that they have no control on—-and pass the benefits to customers.
What we need is PF to also see if they can reduce call rates, if they can bring down fuel, stop bread increase, then they should sort out expensive mtn, airtel
Not only are they extremely expensive but they are also robbing the clients, its a shame really that there’s nothing to write home about when it comes to Zambia and the internet.
Undeniably believe that which you said. Your favorite reason appeared to be on the web the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get irked while people consider worries that they just do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thanks