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Why mobile companies might soon start paying Kenyans for bad services

Authors:

Mumbi Mutuko

Customers to be paid for bad network

A person using their mobile phone (Twitter)
A person using their mobile phone (Twitter)

A new amendment has been proposed by Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo that could see mobile companies pay their customers Sh10 each for every call dropped on their networks.

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The proposed amendment seeking to slap mobile firms with these penalties is seen as part of a renewed attempt to push them to improve their quality of services.

“Amend the Kenya Information and Communications Act to make provision for quality of service to consumers making calls by compelling licensees to invest in infrastructure that will guarantee the quality of service for consumers making calls,” the Gem MP stated.

Liable to compensate   

However, the fines will be limited to three per day for every customer.

Notably, mobile companies will not be liable to compensate a consumer where a call gets cut off due to third party interference on the licensee’s connection lines, inevitable accident.

Currently, the Communication Authority levies a fine of 0.1 per cent of the gross annual revenue of a firm for failing to meet quality standards.

People using their smart phones (Twitter)
People using their smart phones (Twitter) Pulse Live Kenya

Hefty fines

However, the CA director general Francis Wangusi says these penalties are too low for telcos to feel the pinch.

The amendment also seeks to have telcos allowed to do other businesses other than what they are currently licensed to do as long as they split them from their communication business.

In 2018, Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) said that telcos would be paying hefty fines for network downtime.

Authors:

Mumbi Mutuko

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