Zambian consumer welfare organisation the Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) has requested that Airtel Zambia reverse the recently implemented price increase on data bundles - this as subscribers continue to accuse the operator of exploitation.

The organisation says affordability remains critical as consumers continue to rely on the internet amid difficult socio-economic conditions.

High prices could impact the ability of consumers to purchase data bundles, the organisation added.

CUTS-Zambia research assistant Ngosa Mutupa said mobile phone service providers must create more appealing data price offers for consumers.

Mutupa was quoted by the local TechWatch News newspaper as saying, “Airtel Zambia must also improve on their service delivery by providing uninterrupted fast internet supply and run more attractive and affordable promotions and data packages as incentives to the consumers as we are living in harsh economic conditions.”

According to the new data bundle ‘TONSE’, unveiled by the company‘s marketing director Hussam Baday, ZMK5 can now buy 350Mb of data, while ZMK10 will purchase 1.2Gb.

Baday said, “We will continue on our trajectory, to make our products and services available and affordable to every one of our customers and the “TONSE” data bundles, will as per the name, be available to everyone who is an Airtel customer.”

Subscribers have taken to social media to complain and called on the company to revert to previous prices, as well as for the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) to intervene.