Benin Telecommunications Sector Performance Review 2007

Benin
of n transfer or interconnection fee tax. Two types of pricing are actually
used in fixing the interconnection fee: tSymmetrical tariff and
aasymmetrical tariff. In Benin, it is the asymmetric tariff system that has
been used for a while now to fix the interconnection cost, to the benefit
of the new entrant GSM operators. The reason for this choice is the support
needed by GSM operators to ensure telecommunications market
development in Benin. Moreover, the incumbent operator is supposed to
have already amortised its equipment.
On 01 August 2006, Benin switched over to a symmetrical interconnection
cost system (Table 8).
TABLE 8: INTERCONNECTION COST (IN CFAF)
Interconnection 2005 2006
Cost of a call from Bénin Télécoms SA to a GSM 62 35
Cost of a call from a GSM to Bénin Télécoms SA 55 35
Cost of a GSM call to another GSM – 25
Transit Cost paid to Bénin Télécoms SA for a GSM call to another GSM 8 10
Source: Based on information from Bénin Télécoms SA
The situation is quite different with regard to international interconnection
of GSM operators. GSM operators (Moov, Areeba and Bell Bénin
Communications) do not use Bénin Télécoms for the transmission of
their international calls. They all possess international gateways in
other countries through which their calls are transmitted.
With regard to the international traffic on the Bénin Télécoms SA network,
the interconnection cost is negotiated on a case-by-case basis,
either with a group of countries within the framework of regional agreements,
or directly with each country. By way of illustration, looking at the
interconnection cost per minute, for a call from Benin to Togo or Côte
d’Ivoire Benin pays CFAF50 for a call to a fixed-line network and CFAF80
to a mobile network. For Senegal, these costs are CFAF80 and CFAF120
respectively.
LEASED LINES
Bénin Télécoms SA offers cable and wireless telephone links to its customers.
The pricing depends on the bandwidth, and costs cover a range
from 64 Kbps to 8 Mbps. The table that follows gives an overview of the
tariffs that are offered according to the type of connection and the two
extreme values of the debit rates.
34 2007 Telecommunications Sector Performance Review