Keypoints:
- Six Southern African states cut roaming charges by up to 98 percent
- Reform aims to boost regional trade and digital connectivity
- Policy expands the One Network Area telecom framework
MOBILE users travelling across Southern Africa will soon pay far less for calls, text messages and mobile data after regulators in six countries agreed to slash roaming charges by as much as 98 percent, in one of the region’s most significant telecom price reforms.
The roaming reforms, announced by the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), involve Botswana, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The policy expands the One Network Area telecom framework aimed at reducing cross-border telecom costs and strengthening digital integration across Southern Africa.
For travellers, traders and businesses that frequently cross borders, the change could dramatically reduce mobile bills. Users moving between participating countries will now be able to make calls, send messages and access mobile data at prices much closer to domestic tariffs.
Regional drive to cut telecom costs
Under the agreement, roaming charges for voice calls, SMS and mobile data will fall sharply when users travel between participating countries. According to regulators, the reductions vary by service but range from roughly 10 percent to as much as 98.6 percent, depending on the service used.
Regulators say receiving SMS messages will now be free across participating networks, while mobile data tariffs on some routes could fall by more than 90 percent.
High roaming charges have long been one of the biggest barriers to cross-border communication within Africa. Travellers often switch off mobile data or avoid making calls abroad because roaming costs can quickly accumulate.
By harmonising telecom pricing across neighbouring countries, regulators hope to make mobile connectivity more affordable and predictable for travellers.
Cheaper roaming to boost regional trade
Officials say the reforms could have wider economic benefits beyond lower phone bills.
Southern Africa experiences heavy cross-border movement each day, with traders, transport operators and migrant workers regularly travelling between neighbouring countries. Reliable mobile connectivity is increasingly essential for logistics coordination, digital payments and communication with suppliers.
Lower roaming charges could also help expand access to digital services such as mobile banking, e-commerce platforms and online business tools.
Mobile data is particularly important across Africa, where smartphones provide the main gateway to the internet for millions of users.
The reform mirrors similar telecom initiatives introduced in East Africa more than a decade ago, where reduced roaming tariffs helped expand cross-border mobile usage and stimulate regional digital markets.
Telecom operators adopt new tariffs
The roaming reforms will be implemented through cooperation between telecom regulators and mobile network operators across the participating countries.
Major regional operators including MTN, Vodacom, Airtel Africa and Econet Wireless are expected to align their roaming tariffs with the new framework, alongside national providers.
Industry analysts say lower roaming charges often lead to higher usage levels as travellers become more willing to make calls and use mobile data abroad.
Increased usage can help offset revenue losses from reduced tariffs while expanding the overall telecom market.
The policy also supports broader government efforts to reduce the cost of internet access and accelerate digital infrastructure development across the region, alongside reforms such Ghana’s telecom and startup regulatory changes designed to strengthen digital governance and connectivity.
Regional telecom integration expands
The latest agreement builds on earlier roaming reforms introduced in Southern Africa. Botswana and Namibia previously implemented harmonised roaming charges in 2024 under the One Network Area framework.
Regulators say those earlier reforms demonstrated that reducing roaming tariffs can significantly increase telecom usage without severely affecting operator revenues.
Encouraged by that experience, additional countries have now joined the programme.
Officials say the long-term objective is to expand the model across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which includes 16 member states.
Regional telecom cooperation is increasingly tied to wider economic integration efforts across the continent, including initiatives aimed at strengthening regional trade blocs and policy coordination such as regional integration efforts across the Sahel.
What are roaming charges?
Roaming charges are fees mobile network operators apply when a user’s phone connects to a foreign network outside their home country. Travellers typically pay higher prices for calls, SMS and mobile data because their provider must route traffic through a partner operator abroad.
In Africa, roaming charges have historically been among the highest telecom costs faced by travellers, prompting regulators across several regions to introduce agreements that lower tariffs and allow mobile users to access services at near-local rates.
