Mobile operator MTN has announced an increase to its contract prices for the first time in over a decade.

In an official press statement released this afternoon, MTN cites loadshedding and the need to outfit its base stations with measures to ensure they remain operational during loadshedding as one of several reasons for the increase.

In the statement, MTN said that it “…has not increased contract subscription prices for over a decade despite rising operational costs, distribution costs, transport costs, handset price increases, infrastructural costs, falling exchange rates and an increase in taxes.

“Recently, MTN has had to invest substantially in generators and back-up batteries to power its base stations during power outages. All these cumulative costs have compelled the operator to review its pricing as the last resort.”

Prices are set to increase in 20 days from the announcement, allowed under the Consumer Protection Act and provisions within MTN’s own Subscriber Agreement terms and conditions. You may recall Vodacom did the same thing to its contract subscribers late last month.

Below you’ll find the table MTN sent over detailing the new prices.