Mobile and fixed call rates alike should be lower than they were 10 years ago, due to voice deflation in South Africa.

Communications regulator Icasa began lowering interconnect fees several years ago. Interconnect fees are the rates at which mobile and fixed network providers charge each other for terminating calls on their networks.

Aligning network providers’ pricing ensured for a more competitive landscape, in an effort to reduce the cost of communication for South African consumers. Icasa’s intervention followed the historical trait of South Africa having some of the highest call rates in the world. However, this was not necessarily implemented across all network providers.

South Africa has essentially seen up to 90% decrease in interconnect termination costs over the last 10 years:

What this means for you as a consumer

If the rate you are paying for your voice services has not reduced or declined in line with the interconnect cost, then it may be time to consider a new voice service provider.

Here’s what to look out for when choosing a provider:

Pricing and services to suit your unique requirements such as per minute/per second billing, uncapped or bundled solutions;
National presence and a stable, redundant network;
24/7 support with guaranteed service-level agreement; and
Fully managed services.

To find out what Vox can offer you, visit our website at to find out more.