Malawi has most affordable internet rates in Africa, Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu said on Monday.
Kunkuyu said this at the start of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) workshop on Cost Models for Data Services and International Internet Connectivity Cost.
But it was observed during the indaba that despite the country having the cheapest internet rates on the continent, many Malawians cannot access it due to prevailing poverty levels.
The indaba is aimed at discussing the different cost models used for mobile data and international internet connectivity in different regions.
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The gathering also seeks to discuss the challenges facing regulators in emerging economies with regards to affordability of mobile data and internet connectivity.
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Kunkuyu said they would like other countries to learn from Malawi on how to keep the rates down.
Macra Director General Daud Suleman said access to the internet currently stands at 34.6 percent.
Suleman said connecting to the internet opens a whole lot of potential adding that the world has become one marketplace.
“…therefore, if we allow the other 60 percent of Malawians to connect to the internet, we unlock a new economy. We unlock new ways of doing things. Most importantly, we give an edge to our economy.
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“We are an agrobased economy and you have seen the effects of climate change. Cyclone Freddy and the way El Nino is affecting us. Without digitalisation, as a country we cannot be in a position to prepare ourselves for such eventualities. But with digitalisation, and the use of data, we will be in a position to forewarn ourselves that in the next 12 months, we are not going to have a good maize harvest. Maybe we should plant cassava,” Suleman said.
According to Suleman, Malawi needs to improve access to smartphones which would enable people to access the internet, saying currently, out of about 14 million mobile subscribers, only 1.2 million are using smartphones.
The Macra Chief said although Malawi’s internet rates are the lowest when compared with other countries in Africa, internally Malawians still find it expensive because of the state of the economy.
He said Malawi has engaged the Diplomatic Data Corridors, which is a state-to-State arrangement with Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia so that they could facilitate cheaper transit of data as it passes through those countries.
“Further to that, we have licensed Starlink which is offering very competitive internet packages. Of course the initial investment is a bit high, but when you look at the long run you will see that Starlink is providing a good option for us as Malawians to connect to the internet.
“Not only is it giving us a better option but it is also providing good competition on the market because competition is good. Competition gives us, consumers, options,” Suleman said.
ITU Standardisation Bureau Programme Coordinator Vijay Mauree said the aim of the meeting is to analyse how much it costs different countries to provide mobile data and internet and study the variations to come up with best practices that can be adopted in landlocked countries and small islands.
