In a blow to overstretched South African consumers, Telkom on Tuesday said it plans to adjust tariffs for its fixed broadband and voice services.
The JSE-listed company, which is 40.5% owned by the state, said in a statement that the increases are the result of “increasing operational costs and external economic pressures”. The price increases will affect the consumer and small and medium business (SMB) fixed broadband and voice portfolios and will take effect on 1 April 2025, Telkom said.
“These adjustments … are essential to maintaining Telkom’s commitment to delivering quality service while remaining competitive in the market,” it added.
The tariff adjustments will affect:
- Consumer fixed voice
- SMB fixed voice
- Copper DSL internet
- Fibre services
“Consumer fixed voice tariffs will increase by an average of 12% for legacy products and 6% for current products, while SMB fixed voice will see an average increase of 12% for legacy products, 6% for current products and 6% for PABX products. Similarly, consumer and SMB DSL services will experience an average increase of 12%, while consumer and SMB fibre tariffs will rise by an average of 6%,” Telkom said.
Lunga Siyo, who heads Telkom Consumer Business, said he “acknowledges” that price increases “can be challenging for our customers”.
“However, these adjustments are necessary to ensure we continue providing reliable, high-quality services in an evolving economic landscape. We have worked hard to keep increases to a minimum while maintaining our value-driven offerings.”
Telkom said it remains one of the “most competitive” service providers in the market, even with these price increases.
“South Africa continues to face economic challenges, including rising inflation, increasing energy costs and a weakened exchange rate, all of which put pressure on businesses across various sectors,” Telkom said in its statement.
Read: Telkom is eating its rivals’ lunch in mobile
“These macroeconomic factors drive up the cost of delivering services, particularly in industries reliant on infrastructure, technology and operational investments. As a result, adjusting tariffs becomes necessary to sustain business operations while ensuring continued investment in service quality and innovation.” — © 2025 NewsCentral Media
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