" ITREALMS: Internet: Starcomms subscribers groan over hike

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Internet: Starcomms subscribers groan over hike

Subscribers of the Third Generation (3G) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) telco, Starcomms Limited are now groaning over the unexpected hike on Internet access on the network.

Investigations by Champion Infotel at the weekend, revealed that Starcomms fortnight ago increased the cost of Internet access to subscribers on its network without any announcement either through the media or on the network.

The hike, which cut across all Starcomms Internet access slots ranged between 25 and 45 per cent, according to our investigations.

It would be recalled that following the rise of competition in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, telecom operators in the country few years back began to offer Internet services as Value Added Services (VAS) to their subscribers with slash from what was obtained from the legacy Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Starcomms in this aspect seems to be leading the pack of CDMA-deployed telcos offering this service.

However, before now, Starcomms Internet access slots range from Always On (24/7) and cost N10,000 per month, Business Time (9am – 9pm) which goes for N7,000 per month and Evening Time (9pm – 9am) for N5000 monthly.

Champion Infotel revealed that Always On has been increased by 45 per cent, that is, its now N10,450 per month, Business Time now goes for N7,315 while Evening Time costs N5,225 per month.

Efforts to get management of Starcomms to respond to the latest charges proved abortive as the telephone lines of the Public Relations Manager, Ms Laura Johnson was permanently engaged.

But company sources confirmed this and said that it was not unconnected to the cost of providing service to Starcomms subscribers.

It was further gathered that Internet subscribers on Starcomms network were not excited with the increase as most of them who came to renew their access were taken unawares.

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1 comment:

Unknown said...

I think you should re-investigate, and also brush up on your calculatioin. the hike in tariff is 5% - which is related to the recent hike in VAT announced by the Government. NOT 45%.

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