Telecom consumers in Nigeria should note some very key points from the Complaints Categories and Service Level Agreements (CC/SLA), which was reviewed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in collaboration with operators and other stakeholders in 2019.
In the reviewed document tagged: Complaints Categories and Service Level Agreements (CC/SLA) and available on the NCC’s website, Timeline for consumers complaints have been reviewed and streamline into categories and establishing applicable sanctions on operators that fail to meet the timelines stated for resolving issues related to the services delivery to their consumers.
Here are some key take away
- When a telecom subscriber experiences fluctuation in service, such as instability in the Internet services, the subscriber shall be contacted by the service provider within four hours of reporting the incident and the disruption shall be restored within 72 hours.
- If the matter is escalated to the Commission, the consumer is expected to receive feedback within two hours, while the Commission ensures the issue is resolved within 48 hours.
- The subscriber shall be offered an apology and the expiry date of his data bundle shall be extended by the number of days the disruption lasted.
- ‘Billing’, complaints connected to any unexplained change in account balance resulting in a drop in balance, due to overcharging subscriber’s account for calls, Short Messaging Services (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), shall be resolved by the operator within 24 hours.
- Should there be a need by the subscriber to escalate the complaint to NCC, the Commission shall ensure the matter is resolved within 12 hours. The subscriber shall be notified of resolution and where applicable, compensated with five percent of the overcharged amount which is payable daily to the consumer for every 24hrs of default.
- When there is call interference or challenge with voice clarity, resulting in the inability of a subscriber to carry out an uninterrupted conversation, the subscriber shall receive a response from the service provider within four hours of reporting the incident and the service provider shall ensure the challenge is resolved within 72 hours.
- Should there be a basis for the subscriber to escalate the matter to NCC, the Commission shall revert to the subscriber within two hours of receiving the report and ensure that the matter is resolved within 48 hours in line with the Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations and the subscriber shall be communicated.
- In the case of Sales Promotion and Advertisement, when a subscriber does not receive (within the stipulated time) bonus or incentives won during promotions, the service provider shall resolve the matter within 12 hours of receiving the complaints, instead of 24 hours as stipulated in the hitherto existing categorisation and agreement.
- Should the matter be escalated to NCC, Commission shall ensure it is resolved within six hours in line with the Guidelines on Advertisement and Promotions. As in all cases, the subscriber shall be communicated on steps taken towards the resolution of complaints.
- The NCC agreed with stakeholders that when a subscriber is unable to connect to Call Center or Service Provider Help Line, the matter shall be treated by the Service Provider within four hours of receiving the report.
- Where the matter is escalated to the Commission, NCC shall ensure that the issue is resolved within two hours of receiving the complaints, and steps taken towards resolution shall be communicated to the subscriber in all circumstances.
- On matters connected to faulty terminals, such as defective devices that stifle a subscriber’s ability to use phones, modems, routers and related devices appropriately, the Commission said such incidents shall be resolved based on Terms and Conditions for all devices.
- Matters relating to Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), such as problems arising from installation and location of base stations, masts or towers, shall be resolved by the concerned operator(s) within the 48 hours, as stated in the revised CC/SLA.
- In case the Commission is notified by the affected consumer, the matter shall be referred, immediately to the Commission’s Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Department, which shall ensure resolution of the matter within 48 hours and inform the complainant accordingly.
