The National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Somali telecommunication companies signed an interconnection agreement, allowing customers of the various telecom operators in the country to call each other seamlessly across different networks. The agreement was signed by NCA General Manager Mustafa Yasin Sheikh and network operators’ representatives and was also consulted with the Office of Attorney General, Federal Republic of Somalia.
The interconnection agreement will go into effect on January 10, 2023, and the interconnection process will be completed by February 2023. According to Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, the arrangement issue was one of the most important aspects of the National Communications Law, and the authority has completed all the necessary regulations and technical guidelines in order to assist the operators in implementing the interconnection in a fair manner while protecting the consumer interests.
“In addition to the interconnection agreement being a requirement and a right for the customer, it is also an important benchmark for the growth of the telecommunications market and the investment in technology and innovation, and I hope that this agreement will put an end to discussions that have lasted since the inception of telecom companies in the country,” said Mustafa.
According to the Minister of Communications and Technology, H.E. Jama Hassan Khalif, the deal breaks the walls between the mobile operators in Somalia, a restriction that has long impeded the Somali citizen’s ability to communicate more efficiently.
The telecom operators’ representatives who signed the agreement praised the results of the lengthy discussions over the issue and the agreement which is an important requirement by the National Communications Law, the consumer’s needs, and the international standards for interconnecting mobile operators, which will now be implemented in a short amount of time.
This deal is another important milestone that will help Somalia’s rising position in the telecommunication sector on the African continent and throughout the globe, as well as paves the way for new opportunities for mobile operators while also improving people’s lives and communication.
