MTN Ghana has addressed the mounting public outcry over the high cost of internet data, which has significantly impacted businesses and sparked widespread discontent on social media.
The telecommunication giant’s response comes amid growing calls for the dissolution of the National Communications Authority (NCA) board, with critics blaming the high data costs and unreliable service on regulatory policies.
During a recent visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communication, MTN Ghana’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer shed light on the reasons behind the pricing structure.
The officer emphasized that regulatory measures, specifically the designation of MTN Ghana as a Significant Market Player (SMP), are aimed at fostering competition within the telecommunications sector.
“I believe the NCA has addressed the subject as to why we have some of the data pricing we have. They have also talked about how low our prices are in the sub-region,” the officer stated.
The designation of MTN Ghana as an SMP mandates the company to maintain higher data prices compared to its competitors. This regulatory decision is intended to level the playing field and stimulate competition among telecom operators in Ghana.
“They also talked about the declaration of MTN Ghana as a significant market player which means that our data prices have to be higher than our competitors,” the officer explained.
The NCA’s strategy is designed to prevent MTN Ghana from leveraging its market dominance to undercut competitors, which could potentially stifle competition and innovation in the sector. By enforcing higher data prices for MTN Ghana, the regulatory body aims to create a more competitive environment that benefits consumers in the long run.
“I think the NCA also explained why we have the data structure the way it is, and that is to improve on competition. Those are some public interest reasons why this is the situation,” the officer added.
tigpost.co
