Telcos fined Sh311 million for poor service

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has fined three mobile operators Ksh 311 million for failing to meet the Quality of Service (QoS) standards for the 2015/2016 financial year.

According to the QoS report by the CA, neither Safaricom, Airtel nor Telkom Kenya achieved the 80% minimum threshold set for compliance with a number of QoS parameters for the fourth year running.

In the latest report, Safaricom scored 62.5%, while Airtel and Telkom Kenya Ltd were rated at 75% each. However, with an industry average of 70%, the 2015/2016 score is an improvement, compared to the 62.5% average for the preceding year.

The Authority issued the licensees with warning notices for non-compliance and also fined them a sum equivalent to 0.15% of their individual latest financial returns for the period prior to 30^thJune 2017.

The report also details comparative performance over the past three years thus giving indicators on the relative performance of the operators over time in line with the Kenya Information and Communication Act, 1998, the attendant Regulations and licence conditions in relation to QoS.

The operators were rated on QoS standards expressed in terms of a select set of Parameters/Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A mobile operator is rated compliant when they attain 80% of the set QoS KPIs.

READ: Seven KU students in court over Sh84 property arson case

The Authority said in a statement it has continuously invested in systems and infrastructure to better improve the performance of the sector and its assessment methods.  Additionally, a new QoS framework has been developed in collaboration with stakeholders as part of efforts to continually improve the assessment of compliance by the operators.

The new framework will see the Authority assess both data and voice services and increase its sampling rates countrywide.

The Authority has also initiated measures to enhance its capacity to ensure that it is able to effectively respond to emerging technologies and changing consumer service preferences.