EAC one network area expands with Burundi entry

THE East African Community One Network Area (ONA) has expanded with the entry of Burundi effective August 1st, this year

ARUSHA: THE East African Community (EAC) One Network Area (ONA) has expanded with the entry of Burundi effective August 1st, this year.

In a communiqué to the public dated July 29th, this year, the Burundi Telecommunications Regulation and Control Agency (ACRT) announced the entry into force from August 1st, this year of new tariffs for regional roaming in accordance with the directives of Decree No. 100/202 of October 2nd, this year on the accession of Burundi to the EAC ONA.

According to a statement posted on the EAC Secretariat website and signed by the Senior Public Relations Officer Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department Mr Simon Owaka, Burundi now joins Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania as partner states that have implemented the ONA that effectively reduces the high cost of telecommunication tariffs in the region.

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“These unique tariffs, competitive on a regional scale, will significantly reduce the costs of cross-border communications within the EAC,” said ACRT in its communiqué.

ACRT further directed mobile network operators to clearly communicate the applicable tariffs for regional direct and roaming framework communications and apply the detailed billing to verify the communications made and the amounts invoiced, adding that this would ensure a transparent, reliable and satisfactory user experience.

The entry of Burundi into the ONA means that six out of the eight EAC partner states have now onboarded into the arrangement that promises cheaper calls and mobile data roaming charges across the region.

The newest countries in the bloc – the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia are yet to join the ONA.

The EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Andrea Ariik, has hailed Burundi for her decision to join the network, adding that the move would ease the doing of business in East Africa and aid the free movement of persons, workers, services and capital as enshrined in the EAC Common Market Protocol.

“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,” said the DSG, who spoke on behalf of the EAC Secretary General, Ms Veronica Nduva.

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“The ONA also promotes easier communication among the business community who have to span the entire region while transacting merchandise or services.

We look forward to a time when all the eight (8) Partner States will be fully on the network. It will be a big boost on our journey to an integrated East Africa,” added Ariik.

The framework for harmonised EAC roaming was developed and approved by the 30th meeting of the Council of Ministers in 2014 and endorsed by the EAC Heads of State in February 2015.

The framework-imposed price caps on roaming charges and called for the removal of surcharges on cross-border telecommunications traffic originating and terminating within the East African Community.

The 16th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State directed the Council to expedite the implementation of the Framework for Harmonised EAC Roaming Charges, including the removal of surcharges for international telecommunications traffic originating and terminating within the EAC by July 15th, 2015.