The Burundi Telecommunications Regulation and Control Agency (ACRT) has introduced new roaming tariffs, which it describes as 'unique and competitive.' Mobile network operators are required to transparently communicate these tariffs for regional direct and roaming communications, and to provide detailed billing to ensure a reliable user experience.
'This will significantly reduce the costs of cross-border communications within the EAC,' stated ACRT in an official communiqué which took effect on August 1, 2024.
Burundi's integration into the One Network Area is poised to impact both telecommunications and business operations positively. Hon. Andrea Aguer Ariik, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, reaffirmed this.
'The entry of Burundi will reduce the high cost of mobile roaming charges in the region and strengthen the integration process because East Africans can now communicate more easily without fear of high billing charges on mobile calls whether at home or in another Partner State,' he remarked.
Ariik also highlighted the advantages for the business community, noting, 'The ONA also promotes easier communication among the business community who have to span the entire region while transacting merchandise or services.'
This development is expected to facilitate the free movement of persons, workers, services, and capital, as outlined in the EAC Common Market Protocol.
With Burundi's inclusion, the One Network Area now comprises six states: Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Federal Republic of Somalia, the latest members of the EAC, are yet to join this arrangement.
Ariik emphasized the importance of full participation, stating, 'The onboarding of all eight partner states would be a big boost to our journey toward an integrated East Africa.'
The harmonized EAC roaming framework was developed and approved by the 30th Meeting of the Council of Ministers in 2014 and subsequently endorsed by the EAC Heads of State in February 2015.
This framework imposes price caps on roaming charges and calls for the removal of surcharges on cross-border telecommunications traffic originating and terminating within the East African Community.
As Burundi joins this transformative initiative, the prospect of reduced costs for calls and mobile data roaming charges across the region becomes a reality, significantly enhancing connectivity and integration within East Africa.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
