SA’s cellular network operators have been found wanting over service quality levels by their regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa).
On Friday, Icasa announced the results of a quality-of-service survey it conducted recently. It found Vodacom, MTN and Cell C have failed to meet the minimum requirements it expects of them.
Icasa used two measures to assess the networks: call set-up success rate (CSSR) and dropped call rate (DCR). CSSR refers to the fraction of the attempts to make a call that fail. DCR, on the other hand, refers calls that are dropped without either party having ended them.
Icasa conducted the tests between 10 and 15 November 2010 in parts of Gauteng. They focused on network performance in terms of accessibility and retention of voice calls.
MTN was the only network that did not meet the target in terms of CSSR. However, all three operators failed to meet the DCR targets.
The Electronic Communications Act mandates Icasa to promote the interests of consumers with regard to price, quality and the variety of electronic communications services and as such Icasca prescribes regulations setting out minimum standards for quality of service. The regulations require service and network licensees to submit six-monthly reports on quality of service and standards to Icasa.
The quality-of-service monitoring was conducted through drive-testing, using something called the “TEMS investigation tool”. Icasa continues to conduct drive-tests around the country. These reports will also be published to allow consumers to make “informed choices when selecting a service provider”.
Icasa says it is publishing this report, the first in a planned series, “to point operators to gaps in their service offerings”. It says that should networks fail to comply with the requisite standards they will in future be referred to the Complaints and Compliance Committee for adjudication and sanctioning. — Staff reporter, TechCentral
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