The Southern African Telecommunications Association (SATA) has set its sights on introducing a standardised flat data roaming fee across the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The initiative, modelled after the European Union’s “roam like at home” policy, seeks to eliminate the disproportionate costs associated with mobile data usage while travelling across member states.
The announcement was made at the opening session of the Sata2025 conference held in Johannesburg, where Telkom Group CEO Serame Taukobong outlined a multi-pronged strategy to enhance digital cohesion across the region. The conference brought together delegates and stakeholders from various SADC nations including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia, and will continue through to the end of the week.
At the centre of the association’s proposed reforms is the One SADC roaming flat tariff — a policy aimed at harmonising cross-border communication fees by offering mobile subscribers the ability to access data services seamlessly while travelling across the region. Taukobong emphasised that the objective is to do away with the need for users to purchase local SIM cards upon entering a new country, a practice that is both inconvenient and expensive under the current roaming fee structures.
Currently, travellers in SADC countries can face data roaming charges that are up to 100 times higher than their domestic rates. The initiative also includes the development of a borderless fibre network ecosystem interlinking all 14 SADC countries, from South Africa to Angola, and the establishment of a Tier-4 regional data centre hub powered by Telkom’s Openserve fibre infrastructure. These infrastructural investments are expected to bolster regional digital transformation and create the foundation for the roaming reform.
While the concept is not entirely novel — with Botswana and Namibia already engaging in bilateral agreements to slash roaming costs by up to 60% — the proposed multilateral approach would extend these benefits across the entire SADC region. Such integration is anticipated to catalyse intra-regional trade and economic activity by fostering affordable, reliable communication systems.
This shift in telecommunications policy mirrors the European Union’s decade-long effort to phase out roaming charges. Beginning in 2007, EU regulators gradually dismantled roaming tariffs, culminating in 2017 with full implementation of the “roam like at home” directive. The EU experience provides both a precedent and a cautionary tale. A 2023 study in the International Journal of Industrial Organisation found that while the policy increased consumer welfare and data usage, it concurrently led to a reduction in the average revenue per user (ARPU) for mobile operators, especially in countries with high levels of tourism.
Taukobong acknowledged that similar economic pressures could emerge in Southern Africa. He underscored the necessity for operators to collaborate in ways that empower users without undermining the commercial viability of network infrastructure. “By removing unnecessary costs and establishing a framework that ensures affordable rates, we will be able to deepen digital access,” he said.
However, significant regulatory hurdles remain. A spokesperson for Vodacom pointed out that, unlike the EU, the SADC bloc lacks a supranational regulatory body with jurisdiction over member states’ telecommunications policies. “Participation would either be voluntary or rely on moral persuasion,” the spokesperson noted. Additional barriers include the considerable variation in data rates across different markets, which would complicate the establishment of a uniform tariff. The spokesperson added that any regional flat rate would need to account for the most expensive data market to avoid undercutting operators’ revenue models.
Despite these concerns, the rising volume of regional movement highlights the urgent need for reform. South Africa’s Border Management Authority reported that over 1.1 million travellers passed through the country’s 71 ports of entry during the 2024 Easter period — a 24% year-on-year increase. The movement reflects not just tourism, but also labour migration, with many individuals residing outside their home countries for extended periods due to work.
The leadership baton of SATA will soon pass from Botswana’s BoFiNet to Telkom’s Openserve, marking a pivotal moment for policy advocacy in the region’s telecommunications landscape. As data becomes the dominant medium of communication, efforts to cut roaming fees are increasingly viewed as critical to driving both digital inclusion and economic integration across Southern Africa.
Whether the region can replicate the EU’s success will depend on the political will of member states, the cooperation of private mobile operators, and the establishment of a robust framework to oversee implementation. Nonetheless, the proposed flat-rate roaming policy represents a bold step toward a more unified and digitally connected Southern Africa.
