South African telecommunications network provider MTN is slashing their data prices with between 25% and 50% following negotiations with the Competition Commission.
The company is taking “a set of voluntary undertakings in the form of a social compact to further address the affordability of data services for its customers and MTN remains in discussion with the CompCom on the options to formalise these elective solutions and the implementation thereof,” reports Tech Central.
MTN will be making adjustments to three main areas: The affordability of monthly prepaid bundles, the offering of free lifeline data, and zero-rating data for public-benefit service websites.
The price of monthly prepaid 1GB data bundles will decrease by 33% from R149 to R99, and any bundles below 1GB will be reduced by between 25% and 50%. The details of the other price cuts will be announced before April 15, when the changes are scheduled to take effect.
MTN customers will also be provided with 20MB free daily data, which equals 600MB per customer per month, offered through their instant messaging platform Ayoba. There will also be an open Internet browsing period between midnight and 5am, in which customers may make use of their 20MB. This will be available from July 1.
While MTN already offers zero-rated access to a number of websites, the offerings will be extended to include other public-benefit sites relating to health, public universities, vocational colleges, educational resources as well as certain employment sites. 500MB free data access will be provided monthly to access these public-benefit service websites.
This decision follows on the heels of Vodacom’s settlement with the Competition Commission, wherein they agreed to cut their data prices by at least 30%.
Also read: Vodacom SA data prices to fall by 30%
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