Mobile phone operators on the spot over provision of poor service

Lawmakers are demanding stiffer penalties for mobile phone operators who defraud Kenyans through substandard services.

On the spot are leading service providers, Safaricom, Orange and yuMobile who were named in a quality assessment report as having failed to meet quality targets. The report was tabled in Parliament on Friday.

The three were fined Sh500,000 each for substandard service provision, an amount the lawmaker’s feel is too lenient given the amount of profits the telecom firms make annually.

Several MPs have recently used the floor of the House to complain about poor service by mobile service providers.

On Thursday, Nominated MP Millie Odhiambo said she was ripped off Sh1,000 which she loaded on one of the provider’s Internet service.

“I loaded from Safaricom and, immediately, the Sh1,000 was gone. If that is done to every Kenyan, it is way above Sh500,000. Are you dealing with the ripping off of Kenyans by those mobile providers... why are you not meting out stiffer penalties on them for ripping off Kenyans?” She said.

Information and Communications Minister Samuel Phoghisio said he was dissatisfied with the performance of mobile phone operators in the country, too.

“Most of them did not achieve the set target for the eight qualities of service performance parameters as set out by the Communication Commission of Kenya,” he noted.

CCK has, however, taken several measures and action on some of the companies which fail to meet the quality service targets and given them a period within which any contraventions have to be rectified.

The Minister tabled the 2010/2011 Cellular Mobile Quality of Service Performance Assessment Report which is the latest survey on performance for all mobile phone operators.

The report evaluates mobile phone operators based on eight quality of service performance parameters set out by the CCK.

The regulator levelled penalties on those that do not meet quality targets and according to the Communication minister, there was a remarkable improvement in performance after the punishment was meted on those falling short of requirements.

“The actions taken by the CCK are expected to yield more improved results and ensure that Kenyans get value for their money,” he said.

Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo who raised the matter on the floor via a question filed to the Information and Communications minister said he must ensure that Kenyans get value for every cent spent on the mobile networks.

Mr Gumbo said mobile phone operators take consumers for a ride. “The quality of service is very low and this concerns all the mobile phone service providers,” he said, urging the minister to crack the whip and make them comply with requirements of what they have been licensed to do.

The MP cited the speech quality service which he said none of the four mobile service providers in Kenya has attained the required minimum standard.

“When the minister comes here to say that a company like Safaricom is being charged Sh500,000 for the violations which actually negate the terms of the licences that they have been given, I think it is very unfortunate,” said the MP.

Isiolo South MP Ali Bahari said apart from the sub-standard quality of service, mobile providers have also snubbed remote parts of the country, locking out a huge number of Kenyans from the mobile service network.

“I agree with the Members that these operators make money on the basis that the people expect better quality of services. We consume things without sometimes questioning how we are treated in the process of consumption. So we are going to be very particular and keen on these things.

He also said the Government has just formed the Universal Service Fund that will be used to charge the phone operators a certain percentage of their income to be used to expand services on their behalf in areas they lack presence.

“That is a new thing and we hope that, that will now attract them to go there and do it themselves,” he said.