South Sudan Joins Project for Cheaper Cross Border Calls

(JUBA) – The Government of South Sudan has pledged its support for the proposed One Network Area (ONA) initiative led by the East African Communication Organisation (EACO).

The plan aims to reduce the cost of cross border communication within East Africa by lowering roaming charges and improving network cooperation across member states.

The Minister of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services, Michael Makuei Lueth, made the commitment during a meeting in Juba with the visiting Executive Director of EACO, Caroline Koech.

The minister said the government recognises the importance of affordable communication services in strengthening trade, social ties and movement across the region.

EACO is working with member states to create a shared telecommunication framework that would allow people to make calls across borders without facing high roaming fees.

The organisation argues that the current system places a financial burden on citizens and limits ease of communication between neighbouring communities and traders.

Caroline Koech stated that the One Network Area would make it cheaper for travellers and cross border businesses to stay connected.

She said the initiative is especially relevant in border regions where communities interact daily and rely on mobile communication for trade and family communication.

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed challenges affecting telecommunication along border areas. These include frequency interference and cases of false roaming, where mobile phones pick up foreign signals even when users have not crossed the border.

The minister acknowledged that such issues disrupt service and cause unnecessary costs for customers.

Minister Makuei said the government will work with telecommunication operators and regional bodies to ensure cooperation, technical coordination and fair pricing across network providers.

He noted that communication is a key part of economic and social development and should be accessible to all citizens.

EACO and South Sudan Address Roaming Challenges

The discussions are expected to continue through technical working groups and upcoming East African communication forums, according to a press statement from the ICTPS Ministry in Juba.