The Communications Authority has invited foreign experts to study the new call rates set by telecom companies.

In December 2015, the mobile phone service providers raised the rates from 16 to 64 piasters per minute after the Central Bank floated the exchange rate.

The US dollar rose from 3.17 in the commercial banks to 18.55.

The authority and the companies have disagreed on the new rates, with the companies insisting that they were conforming to the value of the pound.

“If making inflation gives the lower tariffs and they go out of business, then the country will be in problem. So we are trying to be fair on that,” said Dr Wani Ladu, director of the authority.

The authority may recommend reduction of taxes on the companies if the experts find that the rise was fair.

“We may have to reduce the taxes by 20% if we really prove the adjustment they have done is based on the devaluation,” Dr Ladu added.