Zimbabwe Telecos Face Penalties for Poor Service Quality
New regulations have been introduced, aiming to improve the quality of services provided by firms like Econet, NetOne, Liquid Telecom, and TelOne.
Zimbabwe Telecos Face Penalties for Poor Service Quality
The Zimbabwean government is stepping up its game to ensure better service from telecommunications companies and internet service providers. New regulations have been introduced, aiming to improve the quality of services provided by firms like Econet, NetOne, Liquid Telecom, and TelOne. These companies now face hefty fines if they fail to meet the new standards, with penalties reaching up to a whopping US$5,000.
Last Friday, Information Communication Technology Minister Tatenda Mavetera announced these changes, which are part of Statutory Instrument 154 of 2024, known as the Postal and Telecommunications (Quality of Service) (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (No. 1). The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) will be in charge of enforcing these new rules.
Zimbabwe Telecos Face Penalties for Poor Service Quality
Telecom companies will be evaluated based on several key performance indicators over a three-month period. These indicators include service quality for SMS, fixed data, and internet, interconnection links, and overall network performance. If companies fall short, they will face fines of US$200 per breach for issues like high call drop rates, call setup failures, and poor data service success rates.
For SMS services, any breaches in delivery times and success rates will also result in a US$200 penalty per violation. Internet service providers that fail to meet speed requirements could be hit with fines of up to US$5,000 per infringement.
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These new regulations are designed to ensure that customers receive reliable and high-quality service, holding telecom companies accountable for their performance.
