The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) yesterday advised the Nigerian Communication Commission to review down the call price cap to N20. The President of NATCOMS Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo said this in Lagos.

Ogunbanjo said downward review of the price cap would affect the ongoing review of the interconnection rate.

Price cap is the maximum amount set by the telecom regulators and which operators are to charge subscribers.

Interconnection rate is the charge which one telecommunication operator charges another for terminating calls on its network.

The NATCOMS chief said the price cap of N50 in the telecom industry had been in operation since 2001, hence a need for its review.

According to him, subscribers also expect the regulatory body to reduce the interconnection rate to N5.

He said that subscribers would enjoy more talk time if the price cap was reduced to N20 and the interconnection rate reviewed to N5.

Ogunbanjo also said that subscribers would feel free to make calls to other networks and save some money.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC Dr Eugene Juwah had on February, 1 at a stakeholders' forum on New Interconnection Rate, said that the Commission had consistently reviewed the rate every three years since 2003.

Juwah said the ongoing review would take the asymmetric path in order to create an enabling environment for healthy competition in the industry.

NAN