News / National
Zim telecom regulator to audit mobile phone quality of service
24 Jan 2012 at 07:46hrs | Views
THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority is carrying out a national quality of service measurement to penalise mobile phone operators offering services below standard.
Potraz director-general Engineer Charles Sibanda said this was in response to the authority's apparent failure to crack the whip on errant mobile phone operators.
This comes after an outcry from the public that the country's mobile operators were short-changing them by providing poor services, as shown by cross lines, dropped calls, slow Internet connectivity, high cost of service and the unavailability of network.
The regulatory authority is empowered to ensure compliance of telecommunications statutory requirements by operators.
Eng Sibanda said the authority has already hired a consultant to carry out the QoS measurements.
"This year, the authority intends to purchase its own equipment so that it can carry out QoS measurements regularly and penalise any operators with levels below acceptable standards, provided such poor quality is not caused by factors beyond the operator's control," Eng Sibanda said.
He said Potraz would continue to carry out random checks to verify billing integrity and accuracy.
"As Potraz, we often do random checks to verify billing integrity and accuracy. So far, the tests we have carried out have shown that the operators are charging what was approved," said Eng Sibanda.
Potraz director-general Engineer Charles Sibanda said this was in response to the authority's apparent failure to crack the whip on errant mobile phone operators.
This comes after an outcry from the public that the country's mobile operators were short-changing them by providing poor services, as shown by cross lines, dropped calls, slow Internet connectivity, high cost of service and the unavailability of network.
The regulatory authority is empowered to ensure compliance of telecommunications statutory requirements by operators.
"This year, the authority intends to purchase its own equipment so that it can carry out QoS measurements regularly and penalise any operators with levels below acceptable standards, provided such poor quality is not caused by factors beyond the operator's control," Eng Sibanda said.
He said Potraz would continue to carry out random checks to verify billing integrity and accuracy.
"As Potraz, we often do random checks to verify billing integrity and accuracy. So far, the tests we have carried out have shown that the operators are charging what was approved," said Eng Sibanda.
Source - TH
