NCA justifies why MTN data zone bundle was suspended

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has justified why telecommunications giant, MTN Ghana’s data zone service was suspended.

According to NCA, MTN data zone bundle offered the lowest data price among its competitors thereby breaching the Significant Market Power (SMP) regulations.

Briefing journalists in Accra on Wednesday, Director General of NCA, Joe Anokye, said some market players raised concerns about MTN violating the directive and after some review, the NCA had to suspend it.

MTN Zone Bundle is a 24-hour data bundle that offered discounts of up to 35% for various data allocations.

“NCA had instructed MTN to discontinue the product until all Significant Market Power (SMP) measures were in compliance. MTN should not charge lower for voice, SMS, and data. MTN should not charge lower for off-net calls. MTN has so far been in compliance with the directive. However, in January 2023, the NCA took notice of MTN data zone bundle, the 24-hour data bundle for the various data allocations.

He added, “Some market players raised concerns about the package. NCA engaged MTN and reviewed the product. We realised that the MTN data bundle was the lowest on the market and in violation of the directive. It was directed to discontinue the service.”

Joe Anokye however noted that MTN later submitted a revised data zone bundle, which NCA approved for implementation.

MTN Ghana on April 5 suspended its data zone bundle.

MTN Ghana in a statement explained that the suspension was due to a review of the bundle offer in line with the Significant Market Power (SMP) directives applied to the telecom company in June 2020.

The telecom company added that the SMP directive ordered it not to be the lowest priced on any offer in the industry.

Source: CNR