Cape Town – Mobile operator MTN announced on Thursday that it concluded a memorandum of understanding with the government of Benin following a dispute with the regulatory authorities on the frequency of fees.
The MoU includes the settlement of historic frequency fees, a five-year licence extension and the addition of fibre to the loop (FTTx) to the existing licence conditions settled by the payment of XAF35bn (R796m) in May 2018 and a second payment of XAF35bn in December 2018.
Negotiations around future frequency fees are continuing and expected to be concluded by the end of June 2018, Group president and CEO Rob Shuter noted in the group’s performance for the quarter ended March 31.
This comes after a deterioration of relationships with regulatory authorities in Nigeria and Benin which date back a number of years.
Locally, MTN is engaging with authorities on the proposed amendments to the Electronic Communications Act, to deliver the “most cost-effective coverage” for South Africans and to provide “much needed” resources for the national fiscus.
Read full article at : https://www.fin24.com/Companies/ICT/mtn-is-paying-r16bn-to-make-benin-licensing-troubles-go-away-20180503
