East African Business Council recommends harmonizing roaming taxes to improve intra-EAC call costs and regional integration.

East African Community's One Network Area (ONA) aims to reduce phone call costs within the region but hasn't eliminated high costs. Calls to India and China are cheaper than intra-EAC calls, with Burundi having the highest average international rate at $0.77 per minute. Disparate tax regimes, lack of payment system integration, and grey traffic contribute to the issue. The East African Business Council recommends eliminating and harmonizing taxes on roaming services to improve communication flows, regional integration, and economic cooperation.

August 10, 2024
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