MINPOSTEL promises to “systematically sanction” network operators for poor services

Minister Minette Libom Likeng said MINPOSTEL stands with consumers and will ensure their right to quality services is protected. Another laudable decision taken at the meeting was that the network operators will have to reimburse users for subscribed data credits that were not consumed due to poor network performance.

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, MINPOSTEL, Minette Libom Li Likeng, has resolved to “systematically sanction” Cameroon’s network operators if they record “any failure” in the future with the quality of their services.

This was one of the key resolutions taken during a meeting with the General Managers of Orange and MTN, the main network service providers in the country, after a nationwide outcry from consumers about poor network services.

The emergency meeting was convened on April 25 and held at MINPOSTEL’s conference hall in Yaounde on Thursday, April 27.

Minister Minette Libom Likeng said MINPOSTEL stands with consumers and will ensure their right to quality services is protected.

Another laudable decision taken at the meeting was that the network operators will have to reimburse users with subscribed data credit that was not consumed due to poor network.

“The consumer will be systematically informed of the uplink and downlink speed corresponding to the data plan subscribed. The consumer will have at his disposal a comparative tool of the prices of the offers, the coverage, and the performance of the network for each operator,” Minister Minette Libom Likeng said in a release on Friday.

The above measures are going to be effective “immediately”, she said. Meanwhile, a series of medium and long-term measures have also been taken to better the quality of network services.

Among them is the reduction in the tariffs and costs of network services.

“This aims to stimulate competition between operators and lead to more competitive prices for consumers. These measures constitute an important first step in improving the quality of telecommunications services offered to the population,” Minister Minette Libom said.

The series of emergency measures to augment Cameroon’s network service quality came amid a protest by users who boycotted network services over poor quality.