Safaricom subscribers to receive calls for free while roaming in Uganda

Safaricom has discounted roaming rates for roaming calls made in Uganda following the adoption of the One Network Area initiative by the country.

This comes a few days after the cut roaming rates for its subscribers in 21 countries.

This will see Safaricom subscribers receive calls for free while roaming in Uganda as well as enjoy a flat rate of Kshs 10 for calls between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda instead of paying as high as Kshs 215 a minute.

‘This is a significant step towards greater East Africa integration. A reduction of this kind will boost trade opportunities between these two key East African nations. We remain committed to identifying more opportunities to lower roaming rates for more countries in the region,” said Bob Collymore, CEO, Safaricom.

The agreement covers calling from Kenya to Uganda, calling Kenya while roaming in Uganda, calling host networks while roaming in Uganda, calling Rwanda when roaming in Uganda, and receiving calls while roaming in Uganda.

In May 2014, a Meeting of ICT Ministers and Heads of State from the Northern Corridor countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and South Sudan resolved to establish a “One Network Area” to be implemented by 1st September 2014.

So far, operators from Kenya and Rwanda have implemented the proposed framework, with new rates implemented on 1st October 2014.

Safaricom implemented the framework with all networks in Rwanda (MTN, Airtel and Tigo), resulting in a reduction of retail roaming and international calling rates by 60 per cent.

Reduction in roaming rates has led to an increase in traffic between the two countries, with calls originated by Safaricom subscribers while roaming in Rwanda increasing by 85 per cent, while calls received by Safaricom subscribers roaming in Rwanda increased by 101 per cent.