Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a new “floor plan”, or minimum pricing, for data services by mobile operators “to address market distortions, unhealthy price wars and value erosion that could threaten the going concern of service providers”, this is according to an internal working document.
In a letter to the big operators, the NCC had directed that the floor plan for data should be 0.90k/MB effective December 1, 2016 “pending the finalisation of the study on the determination of cost-based pricing for retail broadband and data services in Nigeria”.
As virtually all the big operators were already charging below the new floor rate, the directive meant an automatic increase in charges for data services.
However, small operators and new entrants in the data market, such as Spectranet, Ntel and Smile, are still allowed to charge below 0.90k/MB.
NCC defines “small operator” as one that has less than 7.5% market share and “new entrant” as one that has operated for less than three years.
NCC believes that without a price floor, the big operators can engage in predatory pricing to drive down other operators, meaning the industry could be moving towards a monopoly.
DATA CHARGES BEFORE NOW:
Big operators average price/MB
MTN 45 kobo
Glo 21 kobo
Etisalat 94 kobo
Airtel 52 kobo
= Average 53 kobo
Small operators/new entrants average price/MB
Smile 84 kobo
Spectranet 58 kobo
Natcom 72 kobo
= Average 71 kobo
Spectranet 58 kobo
Natcom 72 kobo
= Average 71 kobo
A senior NCC official told The Cable that CDMA operators – such as Multilinks and Starcomms – were muscled out of the data business by the Big Four because of their market power.
“At the rate they are crashing data tariffs, there is every chance that they will soon kill all the small operators and new entrants. Part of the functions and duties of NCC is to check monopolistic and oligopolistic behaviours in the telecom market,” the official said.
EXAMPLE: Globacom currently charges 21k/MB apparently because of the economies of scale advantage, compared to Smile which charges 84k/MB, or four times Glo’s rate, in order to break even.
Under the new tariff regime, Smile can continue to charge 84k but Glo will have to move up to 90k/MB – a 328% increase.
Sometimes it's not necessary to join the bandwagon to insult government, until you have the details.
they are not serious
ReplyDeleteNa wa o.this is serious
ReplyDeleteAnd the details are even more ridiculous. The same criminal Smile that we threw away our three modems.
ReplyDeleteWho are these small operators? I mean, who owns these companies?They should leave the market, if they can not cope with the prices.
ReplyDeleteRubbish ncc. Protecting business men at the detriment of the poor masses
ReplyDeleteBut is the customers that will now bear the burden because big operators have eclipse the small operators?
ReplyDeleteNo matter what NCC is saying we market forces should be allowed to rule the telecommunications sector. Remember MTN in those days says per second billings was impossible, Glo came to change the game. Who is NCC protecting?
ReplyDeleteInspire recession APC government still put us in tight corner
ReplyDeleteinspite the recession APC government still put us in tight corner
ReplyDeleteWe don hear o but the masses will be greatly affected. How many of us use Smile, Nitel etc networks???
ReplyDeletejesu ooo,lol
ReplyDeleteNo Problem ...any amount we go still buy am ,,,
ReplyDeleteHmmm, dis pple jst want 2 kill us finally
ReplyDeleteThey should also consider the poor masses who are not buoyant enough to afford that, also they should consider this recession period oh with people loosing their job
ReplyDeleteNa wah o where is d money
ReplyDeleteWe don't want any increase! Those small scale abi new scale should derive means to survive. How can these guys ever think of asking this people to increase price of data. That's wickedness, not in this Buhari's period.
ReplyDeleteIt's alright..
ReplyDelete#GodSaveUsAll