NEWS RELEASE

ICT Authority Issues Directive for New Interconnection Usage Charges

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) today issued a Directive for the setting of new rates for interconnection on fixed and mobile networks. It follows a meeting of the ICT Board held today, 30 April 2008.

The regulator’s decision comes in the wake of a Cabinet of Ministers’ decision on 25 April 2008 pertaining to Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) and a new provision on Access Deficit Compensation (ADC).

The Directive, which defines the cost-based IUC and the mode of payment between the operators is in line with the Government’s policy for the telecommunications sector.

The decision concerns fixed, mobile and International Long Distance (ILD) operators as well as International Telephony Service Providers (ITSPs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

In real terms, today’s decision by the Authority lowers the interconnection charge on each local call made from a mobile to a fixed telephone from Rs1.25 per minute to just 38 cents per minute.

The Authority’s move is designed to prompt operators to pass on the benefits of this reduction of 87 cents to the consumer by 15 May 2008.

The Directive also leads to a drop of Rs 1.60 in the interconnection charge for international calls originating from a mobile phone and of Rs 2.12 from a fixed phone.

In the light of these reductions and in accordance with Section 31 of the ICT Act 2001, operators are required to submit their detailed tariff proposals for their services by 15 May 2008 at the latest so that Mauritian consumers may directly benefit.

30 April 2008