Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), has fined all the three mobile telecommunication companies for failing to meet the quality of service – QoS standards.
According to a statement made available to Zambian Business Times – ZBT, ZICTA Manager of corporate communication Ngabo Nankonde has disclosed that they have finned the three Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)- Airtel Zambia Plc, MTN Limited and Zamtel.
Airtel has been fined the highest amount with a total of ZMW 4.8 million for failing to meet the Qos peremeters. Some of the specific reasons relate to poor service in Kalulushi and Lusaka, the call Drop Rate in Ndola, Chipata and Lusaka, HTTP download call set up success rate in Chipata and rate on 3G download in Chisamba
Zamtel received the second highest fine. The state owned MNO has been fined with a total of K450,000 for failing to meet the QoS parameter, i.e. Call setup success rate in Chingola, Lusaka and Kitwe and HTTP successful internet Log-ins in Chingola,Chipata and Kitwe.
MTN has been fine K225,000 for failing to meet the HTTP success internet log-in in Chipata, Ndola and Chisamba. MTN received the lowest fine of the three operating MNOs.
“In imposing these fines, the Authority took into account the MNO’s efforts to improve the quality of Service on their respective networks. The fines were imposed on the MNO’s on August 26, 2020 and a period of seven days was given within which the MNO’s should pay the fines.
ZBT had exclusively reported some lapse in the monitoring of QoS parameters in most districts which is only done periodically by “drive through process”. ZICTA further disclosed that some areas are not monitored monthly but on a quarterly basis which further confirmed the complaints coming from users in various towns and cities. ZICTA itself needs to do more and invest more to timely and efficiently monitor the quality of service across the country.
