Mobile operators to be penalised for poor network

THE government has gazetted quality of service regulations that will penalise mobile operators who offer shoddy services to subscribers.

Minister of Information, Communication and Technology and Courier Services Supa Mandiwanzira said recently that his ministry was receiving a lot of complaints from subscribers over poor service delivery.

Journalists in Bulawayo had quizzed him on measures his ministry was taking to address unjustified 'disappearance' of air and data bundles from cellphones from certain mobile companies.

Minister Mandiwanzira jokingly said subscribers should leave telecommunications companies who offer them shoddy services.

"Last week Potraz or the ministry gazetted quality of service regulations meant to penalise any poor service on the kind of things that you've spoken about, where consumers are receiving shoddy services or being over charged. They'll be penalised. Fines or penalties will be applied to those networks. But we also think that consumers can vote with their feet by running away from those kind of operators and go to operators who respect their subscribers, who respect their customers," said Minister Mandiwanzira.

He said the ministry was also working to close the rural/urban digital gap through using funds accessed through the universal services fund.

Minister Mandiwanzira said through universal services fund Potraz will be responsible for constructing network boosters in areas where mobile operators have neglected.

"It's the responsibility of universal services fund under Potraz to then go to that community and put up base station towers that can be shared by all networks. This will be done at almost next to nothing in terms of rentals to allow people in that area to have access. There's a programme right now where they're rolling such infrastructure," said Minister Mandiwanzira.

He urged mobile operators to consider building network base stations in rural areas as most of the country's population resides there.