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| Business |
| MTL limits international phone access |
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by
Business Reporter, 14 August 2003
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17:38:26
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The Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) has said it is now limiting access to international calls only to subscribers who can aford the facility, public relations officer Dora Banda has said.
The move comes in the wake of MTL failing to collect millions of kwacha in unpaid international telephone bill by subscribers.
“Most of our unpaid bills come from international calls. We are now limiting access those customers who can afford it. From this month, we will be disconnecting all those customers with high bills arising from international calls,” she said, but could not disclose how much the corporation being owed.
Inside sources, however, have said MTL is failing to pay its international partners which has resulted into difficulties to use the intenational dialing facility by many subscribers especially companies.
Banda confirmed MTL has a number of international partners it corresponds with.
“But we have not yet received any complaints from them regarding the issue. However, one of the reasons some people have been failing to reach Malawi is that after changing telephone numbers to 8 digits, people were still using old numbers or were adding the “0” which is supposed to be dropped when calling Malawi from outside,” she said.
She said defaults by subscribers have resulted into development projects not being finished on target.
“During the past five years we have embarked on projects to improve the network in Lilongwe, Blantyre, tea growing and Lower Shire districts, Mzuzu, Kasungu, Machinga and lake shore districts. Some of these projects have been finalized but others have been stalling,” she said.
MTL she added introduced the prepaid telephone system to improve the company’s revenue collection strategy.
Currently MTL is expanding its prepaid system by targeting clientele that is yet to start using the facility, especially the prepaid calling card which can be used even by people who do not necessary have to have a telephone line.
“The implementation of the first phase of the prepaid system was successful. This included putting a few customers on the system and making tests. The second stage is now to expand into other areas.
“The system has improved telephone access by many people, especially prepaid calling card users who are able to make a call from any MTL digital telephone,” Banda said.
She said the prepaid system has also enabled customers to plan their expenditure on telephone.
MTL will shortly be introducing modern telephone booths targeting rural Malawi, Improving the network in the lakeshore areas and the northern region and expanding capacities in the main cities of Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu
“Apart from the prepaid system, we are also in the process of implementing a new post-paid billing system which allows customers to choose their credit limit,” Banda said.
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