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Tonderai Rutsito Techspot
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe said it will act on complaints lodged by subscribers against mobile services providers. Speaking during consumer awareness roadshows in Kwekwe and Gweru recently, Potraz public relations manager Mrs Sibonginkosi Muteyiwa that

they want to ensure that mobile service providers abide by the regulations and observe consumer rights.

“We will take stern measures against any operator found to be flouting or violating regulations or these consumer rights.”

“We urge all subscribers to raise their complaints with their operator first and if there is no remedy bring the issue to us for the appropriate action,” she said.

She added that they have in the past imposed penalties and corrective measures on errant mobile services providers.

She, however, emphasised that consumers should also act responsibly and ensure that they properly maintain and pay for services they get from the mobile companies.

On the road shows she said: “These consumer awareness campaigns are meant to help subscribers understand their consumer rights and complaint procedure to help them make informed de- cisions.”

She also indicated that they are currently working on introducing top-of-the-range equipment to work on Quality of Service (QOS) monitoring equipment which is already going through the tendering process.

“Zimbabwe will see the introduction of state-of- the-art QOS monitoring equipment to make sure that issues of poor network provision, voice clarity, call drops and call success rates can be easily monitored.”

In addition to the QOS, Potraz is going to introduce the Telecommunications Traffic Monitoring System (TTMS).

This new state-of-the-art technology will make sure that all players are easily and centrally monitored from one clearing house without relying on data presented by them.

The regulatory body is hopeful that the new system will also help them curb industry malpractices such as colluding operators who may be submitting understated values to evade Universal Service Funds (USF) calculated on the total number of subscribers served.

• The writer is the Editor for TechnoMag. www.technomag.co.zw. Follow us on Twitter at TechnoMagZw and on www.facebook.com/technomagzw