Six of Somalia’s operators have enabled voice interconnection between their services.
A voice interconnection agreement signed in December 2022 was implemented last month, and TeleGeography reports that the functionality is now complete. The National Communications Authority expects the move to boost competition and deliver advantages to consumers, including lower tariffs and increased coverage.
The deal is the culmination of a series of agreements signed by the six operators across the last two years. Somalia has previously attempted to introduce interconnection deals in 2000 and 2014, with several operators signing agreements, although an absence of established regulatory frameworks has thwarted these attempts. The NCA itself was created in 2018 after a new communications law was passed.
The NCA’s GM Mustafa Yasin said: “We hope this time round it will be successful because we have the tools, such as a communications law that mandates interconnection, regulations, guidelines, and regulatory authority that has the oversight mandate.”
