04/02/2018
Mascom..
MASCOM MOST CONTROVERSIAL CELL PHONE SERVICE PROVIDER - BOCRA
Mascom Wireless is the most contentious cellular phone service provider in Botswana a new report by telecoms regulator Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has revealed.
BOCRA has received more complaints from aggrieved cell phone users against Mascom, followed by Orange most over their billing system.
The report compiled between April and September last year shows that be-Mobile is the least controversial cell phone service provider.
“During the period under review, BOCRA received 37 complaints from consumers of communications services,” said BOCRA.
According to BOCRA, the complaints concerned, among others, billing, missing airtime and data bundles, faulty telephone lines, slow internet speeds, mobile money and termination of contracts.
“Five out of thirty-seven complaints were ongoing as at the end of the reporting period,” said BOCRA.
The report indicates that billing complaints were dominant during the reporting period with Mascom Wireless receiving most of them, followed by Orange Botswana and beMobile.
Most of the complaints were related to billing for data services including roaming charges. Also, a significant number of complaints related to Mobile Money service offered by Orange Botswana.
Consumers decried the inconvenience caused by the minimum waiting period they have to endure before they could receive refunds for money that was not dispensed by the
ATMs.
BOCRA continued to mandate operators to avail relevant information to consumers in the form of accessible and transparent terms and conditions for billing, service levels, contracts cancellation and payments.
According to the report, the complaints escalated to BOCRA for the period April to September 2017.
The BOCRA report further states that that five (5) complaints were still in the process resolution as at the end of the reporting period.
BOCRA said it continues to mandate operators to ensure that complaints are amicably and fully resolved to the satisfaction of all stakeholders involved.
BOCRA is mandated by Section 6 (2) of the Communications Regulatory Authority Act, 2012 (CRA Act) to protect and promote the interests of consumers, purchasers and other users of the services in the regulated sectors, particularly in respect of the prices charged for, and the availability, quality and variety of services and products.
It is also empowered by the same section to where appropriate ensure that the variety of services and products offered throughout Botswana satisfy all reasonable demands for those services and products.
BOCRA is also mandated to hear complaints and disputes from consumers and regulated suppliers and resolve these, or facilitate their resolution.
Khonani Ontebetse
29 Jan 2018
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