Public Administration News
Share
 |
Rwanda: Rura to Assess Services of Telecom Companies |
| Source: |
Rwanda Focus (Kigali) |
| Source Date: |
Monday, May 21, 2012 |
| Focus: |
ICT for MDGs
|
| Country: |
Rwanda |
| Created: |
May 23, 2012 |
|
|
At the end of this month, the Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority (RURA) will publish a report assessing the services offered by telecom companies since the beginning of this year.
Findings of the report, according to Jean Baptiste Mutabazi, RURA's head of communication and media regulation department, will be based on several indicators including voice network, data and customer care.
He further pointed out that similar reports will be released every three months in order to show consumers the performance of their service providers and encourage the latter to improve in weak areas highlighted in the report. "Consumers have a right to know the kind of services they get and it is in our mandate to educate the public on their rights as consumers while also encouraging operators to improve their delivery," Mutabazi said.
Beata Mukagabo, RURA's head of the corporate, legal and industrial affairs department, noted that her institution is yet to enforce stringent measures meant to improve security and better services towards cell phone users. In this respect, she encouraged mobile phone operators to register their clients' SIM cards in order to avoid fraudulent activities.
"Recently in Gisenyi town, some people swapped a number of a businessman without his consent, then they forged his signature and try to withdraw a large amount of money from his account; when the cashier called the businessman's phone number to verify the transaction, it was one of the swindlers who replied and approved," Mukagabo said. "So you see how easy it for the conman to masquerade as the businessman, and it has been hard for investigators to track the offenders since the business number wasn't registered."
Mukagabo explained that with SIM registration, this would be almost impossible.
Damien Ndizeye, the chairman of ADECOR, a newly formed consumer rights union, agreed that cell phone operators should enhance their services. He added that the majority of complaints brought to his union are issues relating to poor service rendered by telecom companies.
Responding to such matters, MTN's representative Norman Munyampundu said that MTN is going to step up its program of registering SIM cards as a measure to curb fraudulent activities.
In terms of making tariffs more affordable, Mukagabo noted that RURA is negotiating with cell phone operators to gradually reduce interconnection fees from Frw 40 to Frw 20 in the next three years. Representatives from the telecom companies agreed that reduction of calling tarrifs with better network quality was among their objectives.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Tag This |
Rwanda: Rura to Assess Services of Telecom Companies At the end of this month the Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority RURA will publish a report assessing the services offered by telecom companies since the beginning of this year
 Tell A Friend |
 del.icio.us digg this Slashdot |
| Rate: |
0 ratings
|
Views: |
73 |
| Comments: |
0 |
Bookmarked: |
0 |
Tagged: |
0 |
|
|
|
|