MTL tariffs adjusted up from Tuesday

Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) has adjusted its tariffs upwards following the introduction of a 1 percent levy by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra).

Macra introduced the levy in January this year taking into account that MTL Liberty phone is now mobile.

MTL communications manager Maxwell Ng’ambi said the new tariffs will start being applied this Monday.

“We have adjusted our rates because of the introduction of a 1 percent annual levy because our Liberty phone is now mobile.

“MTL has been paying a 1 percent levy on fixed lines to Macra, but now that our Liberty can be carried anywhere in the country, we are required to pay an extra 1 percent levy to Macra on top of the levy we have been paying on the fixed line service,” said Ng’ambi.

He pledged that despite the upward adjustment, MTL will remain competitive on the local market.

For calls within the same region, customers will now pay K15 from K12 per minute, representing a 25 percent increase.

Tariffs for national calls have been hiked by two percent to K30 from K29.40.

But there has been a 10 percent downward revision for calls made to mobile phone from K49.80 to K45.00 per minute. These rates apply for peak hours.

Installation fees have been adjusted to K3 500 for businesses and K2 500 for other customers.

MTL was registered as a limited company in 2000 when government split Malawi Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (MPTC) into two entities, MTL and Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) to allow them to concentrate on their core businesses.

In 2005, government through the Privatisation Commission finalised the privatisation of MTL.

This was done to develop telecommunications further in the country and allow more Malawians access to communication services.