On 6 December 2011 Morocco’s National Agency of Telecommunications Regulation (ANRT) made downwards adjustments to wholesale network interconnection charges for voice telephony and SMS messaging services, initially set for the period2010-2013. Under the most recent adjustments, the regulator decided to lower mobile termination rates (MTRs) by 82% between July 2010 and December 2013, compared to the previously agreed reduction of 65% in the period. The additional reductions in MTRs will be applied from 1 January 2012. MTR fees for connecting calls on the networks of the country’s three cellcos, Maroc Telecom (IAM), Medi Telecom (Meditel) and Wana (Inwi), will fall toMAD0.202 (USD0.024) at 1 January 2013 – half the original rate ofMAD0.40 proposed in the ANRT’s original 2010-2013 wholesale framework. At that date all three mobile operator’s interconnection rates will be unified for the first time – at 1 January 2012 the three rates will stand at: Maroc Telecom MAD0.392, Meditel MAD0.452 and Inwi MAD0.554. The respective rates fall to MAD0.276,MAD0.305 and MAD0.338 at 1 July 2012 before the symmetrical fees take effect six months later.
Similar downward revision of prices has been applied to termination in fixed line (copper) and restricted mobility (CDMA-based) networks as well as SMS interconnection, all under the watchdog’s stated goal of encouraging operators to lower their retail prices to benefit consumers. Wana’s limited mobility CDMA network has an interconnection rate imposed of MAD0.228 as from 1 January 2012, sliding to MAD0.152 at the start of 2013.
Morocco, Maroc Telecom, Medi Telecom (Meditel), Agence Nationale de Reglementation de Telecom (ANRT), Wana (Inwi / Bayn), Wireless, Wireline
