Cabinet which met  on Monday  has approved the issuance of a Statutory Instrument (SI) that will facilitate the introduction of a 30 Ngwee a day tariff to be charged through mobile phone operators and internet providers on internet phone calls.

At the 12th Cabinet Meeting held on Monday at State House, chaired by President Edgar Lungu, three substantive Items were discussed as the Patriotic Front Government continues to provide its policy direction aimed at improving the general living standards of the people through improved service delivery.

On the tariff on internet phone calls, government has noted an increase in the use of internet phone calls at the expense of traditional phone calls. Government is of the view that this development threatens the telecommunications industry and jobs in companies such as Zamtel, Airtel and MTN. Government has, therefore, introduced a 30 Ngwee a day tariff on internet phone calls.

Research shows that 80 per cent of the citizens are using WhatsApp, skype, and Viber to make phone calls.