Macra urges telephone operators to improve
The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) has urged telephone operators—Airtel, TNM, and Access Communications Limited (ACL)—to improve their service delivery in specific key areas.
Macra in its third quarter quality of service report published in The Nation on Monday has said that while generally the aggregated performance indicators for the quarter look good on paper the communications regulator is aware that consumers are not getting the best from operators in some areas of service delivery.
The regulator has, however, assured consumers that regardless of poor quality in some of the services provided by telephone companies, it will ensure that they get the best.
Specifically, Macra notes that Airtel needs to improve on network availability because its performance on the indicator was below acceptable levels.
The regulator has also urged TNM to improve its performance on call success rate, congestion, hand over success rate and network availability. Macra notes that the operator’s performance in these indicators was below acceptable levels.
In the report Macra has also advised ACL to improve on some of its key performance indicators.
But Macra commends Airtel and TNM for the performance indicators that they managed to achieve which include call drop rate and SMS success rate.
The regulator has, however, encouraged MTL to submit all its data as requested.
But the government in the Economic Recovery plan launched in 2012 acknowledges the importance of Information Communications Technology (ICT).
The ERP notes that poor information technology discourages movement of vital information that is necessary for improvement of trade and thus government will aim at improving infrastructure development programmes focusing on including ICT.
Government under the ERP commits that it will aim at improving usage and adoption of electronic and online services; availability of service; geographical coverage; and usage of modern broadcasting technology and reducing communication costs by improving the regulatory framework for the sector.
