Price, quality of service and access are the most common complaints about telecoms services in Africa, says a new research report by Balancing Act.
The study aimed to assess the level of consumer activity in the telecoms and Internet sectors in Africa. Thirty countries, including SA, Angola, Namibia and Ivory Coast, took part in the research. The study also includes case studies of SA, Kenya and Senegal.
According to the report, only 21 out of 53 independent African countries are likely to have some form of telecoms consumer legislation in the next three years.
The researchers say complaints data was hard to obtain as all operators interviewed viewed this information as confidential commercial data that would be of advantage to their competitors. Also, no regulations compel the operators to publish this data, the report says.
In SA, Telkom says it undertakes comprehensive tracking of consumer complaints, with an extensive breakdown of who complains and the substance of the complaint. This information is analysed in detail at weekly meetings, and used to strategic effect, the report says.
Cell C says the majority of complaints come from its literate, comparatively well-resourced postpaid subscribers rather than from its prepaid customers, according to the report.
Vodacom agrees and says its highest proportion of complainants comes from the postpaid market. It is clear that consumers who are better off are likely to complain more, states the report. MTN declined to participate in the research project.
The report also looks at data collected by hellopeter.com, a Web site that allows consumers to air their views on any supplier. While hellopeter`s figures should be not treated as definitive, the site does provide an interesting window on consumer attitudes to telecommunications and Internet service providers, the report says.
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