MTN Lonestar’s operating licence to be suspended over interconnection breach

Liberia’s telecom regulator has announced that it will be suspending the operating licence held by MTN Lonestar for two weeks after the mobile operator suspended interconnection with its smaller rival, Comium over a dispute about unpaid termination fees.

MTN Lonestar had accused Comium of failing to pay outstanding invoices for termination fees and suspended connection between the two networks. The regulator responded by saying that suspending interconnection was a breach of MTN Lonestar’s operating licence.

As shutting down the network for two weeks would have a significant impact on the company’s one million customers, the regulator said that it is still working out the details of how to enforce the licence suspension.

"Following this consultation process, the LTA will notify Lonestar and the public of the effective date for the beginning of the suspension, to enable Lonestar subscribers to migrate (temporarily or otherwise) to other networks," the regulator said in a notice.

MTN Lonestar has denied that its actions breached its operating licence. The dispute about outstanding invoices has also not been settled and the regulator also confirmed that it may take action against Comium if the dispute is not resolved.