Compare services offered by local telecoms providers with the MCA’s telecosts.com

During the launch of a new service by the Malta Communications Authority via a new website, telecosts.com, Economy and Industry Minister Silvio Schembri said the Government aspires towards an MCA that is more focused on consumer needs.

Entitled TeleCosts, “this will lead to a stronger telecom service for consumers, operators and the industry, with regards to information tools on the bundled packages available on the market, for a better-informed choice”.

When visiting the website, consumers can conveniently compare all local tariff plans available for mobile telephony, fixed telephony, internet, as well as bundled services for telephony, internet and TV.

Consumers can also filter options in local telecommunication services in accordance with their personal needs. Consumers are then provided with a list of the cheapest services offered on the market, in accordance to their preferences and needs.

During this launch, Minister Schembri announced the Government's vision for the MCA, which through proactive work should lead to Malta “having a more inclusive digital society, where the benefits of digital technology are felt by society at large. He mentioned the ongoing investment in telecommunications”.

These include an investment by the MCA, in monitoring and training facilities in the field of telecommunications, including a state-of-the-art system with monitoring facilities strategically located around the island, over a period of three years.

Minister Schembri noted how Malta is currently benefiting from three mobile telephony network providers offering 4.5G services nationwide, with one of the operators already investing in 5G-ready infrastructure.

He added that, following the success of the ‘eBiznify’ project in recent years through which almost 200 micro and SMEs have been trained, the MCA will continue to invest more in this e-commerce online training program and through an investment of €90 thousand, it will expand further over the coming year to attract an even wider audience.

Mr Jesmond Bugeja, Chief Executive of the MCA, highlighted how the TeleCosts service will be useful in helping consumers get the most value out of their chosen service plan, by providing transparent, up-to-date and comparable information by all local service providers.

He added that, in view of the changing needs of consumers, the MCA regularly monitors electronic communications to identify the main trends shaping the market.

 In its most recent data collection exercise for Q3 2020, the MCA recorded a total of 211,060 fixed broadband subscriptions as of September 2020, which translates into a 5.4 per cent increase over the year before. Meanwhile, with nearly 19,000 new takeovers from the previous quarter, mobile subscriptions reached 635,040 by the end of the reporting period.

Main Image: DOI Photo - MCA CEO Jesmond Bugeja