Noel Lipipa Asks Network Providers to Remove Expiry Date on Bundles for Effective E-Learning

Legislator for Blantyre City South Constituency Noel Lipipa has asked network providers in the country to suspend expiration of data bundles for effective e-learning.

The call has been made following the move taken by the Ministry of Education which has introduced online learning following closure of schools due to Coronavirus pandemic.

Member of Parliament for Blantyre City South Constituency, Noel Lipipa, has called on all Telecommunication Companies in Malawi to suspend the expiration of data bundles.

On April 22, the Minister of Education, William Susuwele- Banda, signed a memorandum with TNM to launch the e-learning initiative.

Following the development, Lipipa urged telecommunications companies to remove expiry of data bundles.

“Time has come for we the people, through MACRA, to order that Airtel and TNM must prominently display the current data tariffs on their website,” he said.

“The companies must immediately stop depriving consumers’ unused data based on the data expiry model.”

Lipipa added; “As long as the SIM card is active and the consumer keeps recharging; data bundles are not qualified as perishable goods if we are serious about e-learning”

In Malawi, network consumers are only allowed to use data bundles within a specified period of time.

Once the period is over, the network providers suspend the use of internet until the consumer buys a new bundle.