Ethio telecom has announced a moderate adjustment to its telecom tariffs, pointing to prevailing macroeconomic pressures and rising capital and operational costs, while reaffirming its commitment to affordability and digital inclusion.
In a statement issued on today, the state-owned operator said that over the past six years it has implemented repeated and significant tariff reductions, taking into account the purchasing power of customers while aggressively expanding telecom and digital infrastructure nationwide. These efforts helped grow its customer base to over 86 million subscribers, with telebirr users surpassing 56 million.
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However, the company noted that current macroeconomic conditions, alongside increased investment requirements for network expansion and service quality, have made a tariff adjustment unavoidable to ensure sustainability.
“The adjustment is essential to ensure continuity and quality of services, and to sustainably strengthen the ongoing expansion of telecommunications and digital infrastructure across the country,” the statement said.
Measures to Protect Affordability
To cushion customers from the impact, Ethio telecom emphasized several mitigating measures:
- telebirr Super App discount doubled: The existing 10% discount on bundle purchases via the Super App has been increased to 20%.
- No change to 38 popular bundles widely used by customers.
- Digital inclusion bundles preserved: Low-cost ETB 1, ETB 2, ETB 5, and one-hour bundles remain unchanged.
- Special bundles protected: No price adjustments for bundles designed for students, teachers, and persons with disabilities.
Sector-Wide Pricing Pressures
The move comes amid broader pricing pressures in Ethiopia’s telecom sector. Safaricom Ethiopia recently adjusted its data bundle prices as well, reflecting similar cost challenges tied to inflation, foreign exchange constraints, and heavy infrastructure investment requirements in a capital-intensive industry.
