Last June, the telecoms regulator of Burkina Faso unveiled new terms applicable to offers from mobile telephone operators. Designed in conjunction with consumer associations, the new measures were rejected by telecoms companies.
The Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Posts of Burkina Faso (ARCEP) announced, at the beginning of the week, the suspension of the new terms applicable to permanent and promotional offers from mobile telephone operators, which came into force on September 13. This decision follows the appeal for annulment made by the three mobile telephone operators to the Council of State.
“The Council of State, in its decision, rendered in summary proceedings on October 4, 2023, ordered the suspension of the execution of the decision while waiting to rule on the appeals for annulment,” explained the regulator in a communicated.
It was last June that ARCEP unveiled the conditions and terms applicable to permanent and promotional offers from mobile telephone service operators in Burkina Faso. The measures include in particular the opening of bonuses to all networks, the temporary blocking rather than the deletion of unused credits and packages upon their expiration, the progressive deduction of advantages according to the shortest validity period, and the granting a minimum period of 30 days for packages of at least 1 GB.
The decision is based on recommendations from a workshop that the regulator organized with consumer associations in August 2022. Furthermore, it comes in a context where subscribers criticize telecommunications operators for the high cost of their services, in particular ‘Mobile Internet.