Telecom coys Quality of Service very low, Lagos residents lament

Many telecom subscribers in Lagos State say that the four major networks, namely MTN, Airtel, Globacom and 9mobile, are failing them with respect to Quality of Service (QoS).

The dissatisfaction among subscribers became obvious after a series of interviews carried out on some Lagos residents by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

All the subscribers interviewed said that the QoS by telecommunications companies had become worse in spite of the fact that the companies had recently hiked both their data and call tariffs.

The overwhelming sentiment among respondents is that the tariff hike has had a severe impact on their already strained financial resources, and that a reversal to the previous rates would provide a relief.

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NAN recalls that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had on Jan. 20 announced that it had approved a 50 per cent tariff adjustment for telecom operators, citing rising operational costs and the need to sustain the industry and improve on the QoS.

Telcos argue that the 50 per cent hike approved by the NCC was necessary to sustain their businesses.

They have argued that the NCC-approved tariff hike was a market-led decision driven by the need to reflect the current economic realities.

They point to the rising costs of operation, including increased taxes, regulatory fees, and inflation.

Telcos also argue that the 50 per cent hike is necessary to invest in network upgrades and expansion, which will ultimately benefit subscribers.

An MTN subscriber and civil servant, Mrs Nkieruka Onuegbu, decried the quality of the MTN network’s service, saying that it was characterised by dropped calls, bad network, crackling lines and incredibly fast data depletion, among others.

Onuegbu said that she was particularly pained  because the impact of the tariff hike was biting hard.

“The situation is no longer funny as N5,000 data plan which used to be enough for me can no longer last for a month.

“As if that is not enough, anytime I make a call now, I am usually anxious. The call may cut while I am still talking or suddenly I cease to hear what the called party is saying or the phone lines begin to crackle.

“In fact, there should be a reversal of the tariff hike because I can’t see its impact on service quality,” Onuegbu said.

Another MTN subscriber and a lawyer, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Azu, said that his experience was similar to Onuegbu’s experience.

Azu said that he was disappointed in MTN because he believed that the reason for the hike was in order to improve service quality but the reverse was the case, currently.

He said that he had never had experiences that were as bad as he was having with his MTN line.

A MTN subscriber and a journalist, Miss Okanlawon Olajesuni, agreed and said she had a slightly different opinion.

Olajesuni said that it was too early to expect immediate transformation from the service providers, as they probably had issues which they had been grappling with before the tariff hike.

“There is a need to give time to the network providers, before we can begin to experience good quality service.

“Some people think I am an hopeless optimist but I feel we should give the networks about six months after the tariff increase before we expect to see an improvement in their services,” Olajesuni said.

Another MTN subscriber and businessman, Mr Peter Okereke, told NAN that he had two phones with which he subscribed to three networks, which he used for his business and private calls.

“I have discovered that the bad quality of service goes beyond MTN, all the networks are guilty. I have considered discarding my MTN line for Airtel or Globacom solely but realised that MTN is still a little better than the other networks,” Okereke said.

An Airtel subscriber, Bolade Adeleye, expressed disappointment over the recent tariff increment, saying it had compounded the economic hardship in the country.

Adeleye decried that the increased cost of data subscription had made it difficult for him to afford his usual data bundle, forcing him to spend more money to stay connected.

He cited a personal experience, saying that a 7GB Airtel data bundle, which normally lasted for a week, got depleted within a day.

“Before the tariff hike, the country was already grappling with inflation. Unfortunately, this increase has worsened the situation, making it difficult for ordinary Nigerians to access affordable internet services,” Adeleye said.

Similarly, a trader, Mr Dotun Adegbile, expressed dissatisfaction with Airtel’s services since the recent tariff hike, saying that he had been experiencing rapid data depletion and poor network quality.

Recounting his ordeal, Adegbile said that a 30-day data subscription he purchased was abruptly exhausted within three days.

“This is unacceptable. I expected better value for my money, especially considering the increased cost of subscription,” he said.

While acknowledging that the tariff hike was long overdue, due to inflation and other factors, Adegbile, however, said that the network needed to be fair to its subscribers.

“If I’m paying N10,000 for a data bundle, I expect to get value for my money, but instead, the data is depleted almost immediately,” he said.

Adegbile also expressed disappointment with the poor network quality, which he said, had not improved  in spite of the tariff hike.

“In fact, one of the promises they made before implementing the hike was that the network quality will improve, but that has not been the case,” he said.

Adegbile said one could not port to other networks as they were not better.

“I cannot say I want to port to MTN because its own is even more cutthroat when compared to Airtel. The other two options, Globacom and 9mobile, have extremely terrible network, “Adegbile said.

Another Airtel subscriber and an Information and Communication Technology Expert (ICT), Justice Unah, advised fellow subscribers to adopt effective data management strategies following the 50 per cent tariff hike.

Unah said that he had learned to manage his data usage.

“I only use data when necessary, I have become more mindful of my usage to avoid unnecessary depletion.”

He emphasised the need for telecommunications companies to educate subscribers on data management best practices.

“Telcos need to sensitise users on why their data finishes quickly. Often, people have unused apps running in the background, causing faster data depletion,” Unah explained.

While expressing dissatisfaction with adapting to the new tariff, Unah noted that Airtel’s network quality had been inconsistent.

“To be fair, it is not only Airtel. All networks have been inconsistent asides that, I don’t have any major complaints,” he added.

An undergraduate and Airtel subscriber, Amaka Oparaku, also expressed frustration over the recent tariff hike by telecommunications companies, saying it had made life harder for her.

Oparaku lamented that despite the increased cost of data subscription, telcos still wipe out customers’ data without usage.

“They increased the tariff, yet they are still stealing our data. It’s unfair,” she said.

She appealed to the government to intervene in the matter, adding that the government needed to step in and address the issue.

A Glo subscriber and 200-level Student of the University of Lagos, Miss Anthonia Onyinyechukwu told NAN that there were pockets of poor connectivity with the network in spite of the tariff hike.

Onyinyechukwu noted that Glo 7Gb data for two days at N500 now cost 4Gb for a day and 3.5GB at night at N500.

She said the hike was not a welcome development in anyway, as it had put so much strain on her ability to effectively use the internet, especially with the introduction of online classes by the school.

Another Glo subscriber, Chukwufumnaya Emmanuel, said that even with the increment the network connectivity was extremely epileptic.

Emmanuel said that he would have adopted other alternatives, but the options were non-existent.

He said that internet service providers such as Spectranet, Smile, among others, could not be used for calls.

Another Glo customer and an Human Resources Manager, Mr Olayinka Olabintan, said that he believed that his expenditure on Glo recharge credit was a waste.

Olabintan said that many times he would not be able to make calls with the network, or while making calls the call drops and he ceases to hear the called party speaking.

“This phenomenon has become a recurring decimal for the Glo network, so I intend to port to another network soon.

“The situation in the telecommunications sector has become dire and critical, and the trend is becoming a disincentive to subscribers.

“What is most disturbing is that the regulatory body has been quiet about subscribers’ complaints. There must be checks and balances. The telecoms companies cannot be lords unto themselves with nobody to check their performances and activities,” he said.

NAN was only able to get few residents who currently subscribe to 9mobile.

Many residents said that they had abandoned 9mobile and ported to other networks because of its frequent network outages.

Reacting to the numerous complaints about the sector’s Big Four companies, the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) attributed the current network challenges in the country to subscriber mobility between networks.

ATCON is a professional, non-profit, non-political umbrella organisation of telecommunications companies in Nigeria.

The President, ATCON, Mr.Tony Emoekpere, told NAN that the movement of subscribers from one network to another had put a strain on some networks and affected the Quality of Service.

Emoekpere said that as subscribers moved to new networks, the networks had to absorb the new subscribers, which required upgrading their infrastructure to meet the increased demand.

He said that this process was not immediate, as it involved purchasing equipment, installing it, and getting it up and running, which took time.

“We have been clamouring for this for a long time. When we say this, people don’t understand. It’s not like you can snap your fingers and get it done.

”It is a process that takes time,” he said.

The expert advised that subscribers should be patient and give the networks time to upgrade their infrastructure to meet the increased demand.

Emoekpere said that the movement of subscribers between networks was not a new phenomenon, but rather a normal part of the telecommunications industry.

He, however, emphasised that the networks were working hard to improve their services and meet subscribers’ needs.