LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s a leading mobile telecommunications provider Airtel Malawi has reduced volume of voice and data bundles following further depreciation of local currency, Kwacha.
A brief statement issued on Friday, April 5, 2024, said the second restructuring of its Voice, Data bundle, and SMS portfolios, effective April 10.
“The benefits in bundles will be reduced; effectively increasing the average price for Voice bundles by 15%, Data bundles by 23%, and SMS by 20%. Additionally, some bundles will be discontinued.
“The changes have been necessitated by the cumulative loss of value of the Malawi Kwacha by 71% since June 2023, alongside rise in General/Commercial electricity tariffs by 65% (18% in September 2023 and 40.2% in November 2023), as well as the rise in diesel prices by 42.4%,” reads part of the statement.
Airtel adds, “The rise in local and dollar-based expenses due to the above major economic changes have significantly impacted our overall operational costs.
“It is imperative that we adjust our prices to remain sustainable, continue investing and assure continued quality service delivery to our valued customers”.
The company explains further, “To share the burden of the pain with our customers, the cumulative price increases from December to date remain much lower than the impact of cost increase on our operations.
“All these changes have been approved by our regulator MACRA. Refer below outline of the revised Voice, Data and SMS portfolios”.
The voice and data bundles adjustment comes after Malawi Kwacha was devalued by 3% that is now traded at MK1,750 against US dollar.