konknaijaboy | On 25, Mar 2013

New telephone interconnection rates which can practically reduce cost of telephone calls in Nigeria have been directed by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC. According to the new rates announced last week, the Termination Rates for voice services provided by major mobile operators in Nigeria irrespective of the originating network shall be N4.90 (Four Naira Ninety Kobo) from 1st April, 2013.

That is to say that a network that is completing a telephone call will charge N4.90 to the network that originates the call. Up till now the operating rate was N8..

The Commission said this rate will change to N4.40 (Four Naira Forty Kobo) from 1st April, 2014; and N3.90 (Three Naira Ninety Kobo) from 1st April, 2015.

For smaller operators and new entrants, the Termination rate is N6.40 (Six Naira Forty Kobo) from 1st April, 2013. This rate will change to N5.20 (Five Naira Twenty Kobo) from 1st April, 2014; and N3.90 (Three Naira Ninety Kobo) from 1st April, 2015.

Smaller operators are those who have less than 7.5% market share in terms of subscriber base while new entrants are those who entered the market in less than 3 years.

These rates will remain in force for three years except the Commission reviews them.

The last review was made on December 31, 2009.