MTN and Ghana Gov’t trade words over hike in charges

Mobile telecoms company, MTN, and the Ghana Government are engaged in a blame game over a recent increase in data charges by the mobile company, and which has angered many of its subscribers.

300ghc, which previously gave subscribers 393.58GB on MTN fibre broadband and 332.57GB on MTN TurboNet now offers only 231.08GB on MTN fibre broadband 190.23GB on MTN TurboNet.

In a tweet to respond to some of the complains from subscribers, MTN Ghana (using the official twitter handle @MTNGhana) explained that the hike in their charges is because of a “regulatory requirement for MTN to have on net and off net parity for all voice and SMS special plans, promotions and bundle calls”. MTN further claimed that the regulator, the National Communications Authority (NCA) is implementing what it said will “enhance competition and growth in the industry.”

The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation however says the South African-owned business is deceiving its subscribers and “are on a frolic of their own”.

“Government cannot be held liable for their actions”, says Sandra Frimpong, Communications Adviser to the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, adding that “no one has instructed MTN to increase its prices.

In a Facebook response to MTN Ghana, Sandra Frimpong argued that the mobile services provider could have reduced their charges to reflect that of other networks instead of increasing the charges for their network subscribers to be at par with what they charge subscribers of their competitor’s networks. 

That is “assuming Government intended to enhance the alleged competition. That is their choice and they should be held responsible for their actions”, the Minister’s Communications Adviser retorted.

According to the Ministry the fact that on net charges must be the same as off net charges does not translate into a hike and could have been a reduction too.