Students use the digital library at the Kenya National Library Services
in Nakuru on August 14, 2014. FILE PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH |
NATION MEDIA GROUP
Internet costs in the region are expected to drop after Kenya,
Uganda and Rwanda agreed to harmonise taxes constituting data prices.
ICT
ministers from the three countries on Tuesday said they were working
towards replicating the achievements of the One Area Network initiative,
which has resulted in lower calling costs on regional data charges.
“Our
costs are not alarmingly high but we are not satisfied. We are aware
that cost is a very significant factor when you talk about access. We
are looking at a number of ways to address this, including reviewing the
taxation regime,” Kenya ICT Fred Matiang’i said.
They
spoke on Tuesday in Mombasa at the opening Connected East Africa, a
regional forum bringing together government officials, regulators and
the private sector in ICT.
South Sudan minister for
Telecommunications and Postal Services Rebecca Okwaci said the country
would be involved in the initiative although it is yet to be admitted
into the East Africa Community.
In February, presidents of the five EAC member states gave ICT ministers up to July to harmonise roaming rates in the region.
The
directive was issued via a joint communiqué following the 16th heads of
state summit held in Nairobi. Tanzania and Burundi finally agreed to
join the drive for common roaming rates to cut the cost of calling
across borders.
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