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http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=15995&cat=8

MOBILE phone operators NetOne and Econet have increased their tariffs for local and international calls by between 300 percent and 700 percent with effect from March 1.

This comes hardly a month after the tariffs were last reviewed.

Mobile service providers had been complaining they were incurring losses from regional and international calls and were having to subsidise their customers.

Inter-network calls on NetOne will now cost $345 per minute during the peak period, up from $90 while off peak charges which were at $76, have gone up to $295.

Intra-network calls from NetOne to both Econet and Telecel at peak hours now cost $450, up from $117.

Off-peak intra-mobile phone calls from NetOne will cost $385 up from $100 while calls to TelOne have increased to $335 from $86.

Regional calls to fixed phones will now cost $525, up from $75 during the peak period while the off peak tariffs have gone up to $499 from $72.

Regional calls to mobile phones now stand at $855 per minute, up from $124.

International calls under group two category charges have increased to $785 from $114 for calls to fixed lines while mobile charges are now $6 635 from $960.

Group three will be charged the same amount with those in group two except for fixed telephone calls, which will rise from $370 to $2 560 a unit during the peak period and from $352 to $2 432 (off peak).

"International charges will be adjusted in sympathy with TelOne charges. The new tariff hikes were adjusted in tandem with those charged by TelOne, which is the international gateway operator for the country’s communications and broadcasting,’’ read the statement.

Charges for intra-Econet calls will now range from $300 to $400 during peak and $250 to $280 off peak.

Calls to fixed phone operator TelOne will range between $260 per minute during the peak period, while off-peak calls will range from $255 to $270 depending on the brand in use.

International calls from Econet to countries under group one, two and three will range between $450 and $576, while calls to group four countries would range from $740 to $770, up from the previous charges that ranged from $65 to $85 also depending on the Econet brand in use.

Calls to group five, 3G and Premium will now cost between $2 500 and $2 600, up from $370 to $380.

Call charges to group six (satellite) will also range between $9 330 and $9 550, up from $1 350 to $1 380.

Local text messages will go up to $97 from a previous $25 while international messages go up to $332 during peak from $48.

Off-peak text messages were also increased from $23 to $97 and $46 to $315 for local and international messages respectively.

The cost of acquiring a Buddie access simpack and simcard replacement is now $19 850 which is inclusive of $11 850 worth airtime up from $5 050.

The mobile phone operators last increased their tariffs in January this year, but say the spiralling inflation made it necessary to constantly review charges.

Recently, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe threw their weight behind the tariff increases saying the adjustments were meant to bring the cost of communications in the country at par with those in the region.

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