New-look CANTV to cut call costs

Following the swearing-in of the new executive board of the recently-nationalised CANTV earlier this week, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez announced a plan to cut call tariffs at the incumbent’s fixed line and mobile units. The per-minute price of mobile calls will be cut in two phases, with 10% cuts taking effect on 15 June and 15 August, said Chávez, whilst as of July the price of calls from land lines to any mobile operator will be cut by 20%. CANTV’s interconnection charges to cellular networks will drop by 30% under the plan, and fixed line local and long-distance call rates will also be lowered by 10% and 15% respectively. A new scheme labelled the CANTV Social Plan has introduced ‘solidarity phone prices’ to benefit low-income families.