MTN slashes mobile internet rates as competition heats up

By Billy Rwothungeyo      
         
MTN Uganda has reduced the cost of mobile internet bundles as data heats up as the new frontier for competition among telecom firms.

A daily bundle of 50 MB now costs sh1000, down from sh1200. The mobile company has also introduced a new daily package of 100MB for sh1800.

50MB weekly bundle now costs sh1,800, down from sh2,500. On the monthly offers, 1GB bundle is now at sh35,000, down from sh37,500, while 2GB bundle decreases from sh60,000 to sh50,000. The prices of 3GB and 5GB monthly packages have also been revised downward.

The revision in the mobile internet rates brings MTN Uganda in the same wave length Africell Uganda’s daily packages of 50MB bundle cost sh1000, while 100MB costs sh2000. On weekly offers, 75MB costs sh2,500, 125MB costs sh5000, 250MB  with competitors. is at sh10,000.

Vodafone Uganda offers 50MB of mobile internet at sh1000 daily, weekly offers of 200MB at sh5,900, 800MB at sh22,900.
Airtel Uganda offers daily packages of 50MB at sh1000, and 100MB for sh2000. The telecom firm has weekly offers 80MB for sh2,500, 125MB for sh5,000, 250MB for sh10,000, 350MB for sh15,000.

Michael Niyitegeka, an ICT consultant says data is going to define the competition among telecom companies henceforth.
“Every telecom firm now calls themselves something related to the internet. It is no longer about the coverage—but about the services you can offer,” he says.

“Data customers are also very sensitive. They are always on the lookout for which players have the better deal, and they are not afraid to change,” he says.