Number of callers using mobile phones drops

The average usage of voice calls per individual has declined by 17.79 per cent in the fourth quarter ending June this year but with many people opting to short massages service (SMS).

 

According to the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) official statistics, the average expenditure on voice calls per individual dropped to 15,543/- in the quarter under review compared to 19,641/- of the previous period.

Consequently, total revenues slightly went down to 435.58bn/- in the fourth quarter compared to 529.88bn/- of the preceding period.

Despite the drop in expenditure, the report shows that the voice telecom subscription increased to 28.02 million by June this year compared to 26.97 million of the previous quarter.

The number of on net sms went up to 1.32 billion at the fourth quarter from 1.23 billion, representing 8 per cent growth. Likewise, the off net sms increased to 366.9 from 324.8 million, an equivalence of 13 per cent growth.

Tigo is leading in the national SMS shares among the telecom mobile firms by 59 per cent, followed by Vodacom ( 24 per cent), Airtel (10 per cent) and Zantel (7 per cent).

On international sms shares, Airtel is at the top by 69 per cent, followed by Tigo (16 per cent), Vodacom (12 per cent) and Zantel (3 per cent). 

The total number of on-off net traffic mobile phone calls recorded a growth of 6 per cent ( 5.17bn/-) during the quarter under review from 4.87 billion, compared to only 2.6 per cent of the preceding period.

The third quarter saw a decline of the number of on net calls to 4.63 billion from 4.76 billion of the preceding period. 

The national traffic operators market share in the quarter under review shows that Vodacom is leading by 35 per cent, then Tigo by 34 per cent, Airtel 28 per cent and Zantel 2 per cent.

On the international traffic operators market share, Vodacom leads by 49 per cent, followed by Tigo (18 per cent), Airtel (16 per cent) and Zantel (13 per cent). 

The report further shows that Zantel had the highest number of backlogs for unregistered SIM card of about 1,143,788, followed by Airtel (375,206), Tigo (103,993) and Vodacom (15,614).

Moving the 2012/13 budget estimates in Dodoma in June this year, the Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Dr William Mgimwa said the government increased taxes on mobile phone calls from two to 12 per cent.

Source: The Daily News, http://www.dailynews.co.tz, reported by Sebastian Mrindoko in Dar es Salaam

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