TNM, Zain migrate to local currency usage

The companies then switched from US dollars to units.

Although TNM organised a press briefing on 29 July 2010 after subsequent media adverts announcing the switch, Zain surprised consumers when it likewise silently changed to kwacha as well.

Expensive or not

"We will become the first local mobile phone company to be charging airtime in Malawi kwacha," declared TNM's chief technical officer David Chetty, which was never to be though because Zain also did likewise.

Most subscribers have hailed the move saying they are now able to see the value of each time they use.

"Initially I never used to know the value of my phone calls because it was not easy to value units, now I know, for example when I called today using my Zain line for 49 seconds, I discovered that I had consumed K27.20," explained a high school student Victoria Malindi.

Other consumers said they will now be able to know if mobile phone services are expensive or not in Malawi.