Uganda Telecom has said it does not owe MTN Uganda the 20 billion shillings that MTN Uganda claimed has caused it to consider terminating interconnection calls with UTL.
UTL MTN feud to affect customers
Uganda Telecom today issued a statement saying they have paid all interconnection fees due to MTN in November 2010 and January 2011.
“There is however legal proceedings that are in court where Uganda Telecom disputes invoiced figures from MTN of Ushs 3.8bn and we await court ruling on 28th April 2011. There is an additional Ushs 2.4 bn which is in dispute but not in court. Interconnect fees for the year 2010 is pending due to the reconciliation minutes not being approved by both parties at present,” UTL Markerting and Communications Manager, Mark Kaheru said.
MTN yesterday said UTL subscribers will from March 14th 2011 not be able t make calls to MTN numbers because of failure by UTL to pay over a 20 billion shillings debt that has accumulated unpaid over a period of three years.
“UTL has continuously defaulted on the settlement of these payments. Interconnect fees are pre-paid by customers, especially since the number of pre-paid customers by far form the majority of subscribers. UTL has failed to justify over the years why they are not remitting these payments,” MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer, Themba M. Khumalo said yesterday.
Many people are left wondering who is telling the truth and how two high profile companies reached this far of washing their dirty linen in public.
The sector regulator, the Uganda Communications Commission to which the two sides say they unsuccessfully submitted their disputes is yet to pronounce itself on the matter that will affect more than 1.5 million UTL subscribers unable to make calls to MTN numbers.
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