Potraz gives unconvincing justification of data price hike

By Staff reporter | 06 May 2019 at 22:32hrs
Potraz
Mobile subscribers are up in arms with service providers for a steep hike in data prices, culminating into an inquiry by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information and Communication Technology and Courier Services.

The cost of surfing the internet and communication on mobile platforms is now for the well to do following the extortionate increases in data tariffs by various mobile operators last week.

Parliament today, took the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) to task by seeking justification for such increases.

The response from POTRAZ, the supposed custodian of the general subscribing public, was far less convincing with its Director General, Dr Gift Machengete saying they lack the capacity to compute how mobile operators cost their products.

This scenario obviously put the operators off the hook for any tariff hikes but comparing the cost of data with other regional countries, Dr Machengete told the committee that Zimbabwe is actually cheaper than its regional counterparts.

On other issues relating to investment in telecommunications infrastructure, the regulatory authority told the committee that massive investment is required for Zimbabwe to catch up with 4G and 5G technology which is set to spearhead global industrial and technological revolution.

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