Telecoms with poor service quality will soon start to pay 10 per cent of their gross income in penalties, if the communications regulator goes ahead to implement a new penalties schedule that seeks to curb the continued deterioration in service provision.
Uganda Communications Commission told Daily Monitor yesterday that in consultation with stakeholders, the regulator had formulated a penalties schedule for telecoms that have failed to meet contractual obligations.
Mr Fred Ottunu, the UCC communications and consumer affairs manager, told Daily Monitor that effective next month, there shall be a schedule indicating fines to be paid for poor services.
“We are in consultations with all telecoms to come up with a detailed report indicating how much to be fined for which offense. The law allows us fines of up to 10 per cent in comparison to gross income,” Mr Ottunu said.
Network failure applies to all core telecom services including; dropped and blocked calls, failure in sending and receiving Sms and related services like mobile money and internet.
Public outcry
UCC said public outcry regarding the detoriating quality of service for telecoms had forced the commission to devise means of bettering the services.
However, telecoms argue that they have not reached any conclusion on the matter and do not expect penalties to come in form of fines.
Mr Shailendra Naidu, the Warid chief commercial officer, said: “There is nothing conclusive yet and I hope the commission will first consult widely before it introduces penalties.”
Mr Themba Khumalo, the MTN Uganda chief executive officer, declined to comment saying, he was yet to receive information regarding the matter.
Utl’s Jamal Sultan said: “Even as UCC’s recent Quality of Service report placed Utl in the lead in terms of service, we have not tired of laying strategies for improving our services.”
By Flavia Nalubega, Daily Monitor
