Cameroon’s posts and telecommunications minister has undertaken a field visit to Douala to begin a technical inspection of telecoms network infrastructure, as voice and data services disruptions persist in the country.

On her trip, minister Minette Libom Li Likeng will assess the installations of mobile network operators MTN Cameroon and Orange Cameroun, before returning to Yaounde on Friday to inspect those of the state-run Cameroon Telecommunications (Camtel).

According to officials of the telecoms ministry, the minister’s outing, which is happening shortly after that of the regulator, is to assess the level of implementation of commitments taken by the mobile network operators, including a joint infrastructure investment worth CFA 156 billion (circa $260 million).

The visit also aims to evaluate compliance with recommendations given by government to ameliorate the quality of service.

Recently, there has been widespread complaints over the deterioration of the quality of voice and date services, which are often slow, shaky or unavailable.

Operators have traded blame for the recurrent disruptions, with MTN Cameroon and Orange Cameroun attributing the poor service quality on Camtel's fibre optic connectivity for their networks. Camtel denies full responsibility.

A preliminary assessment by the regulator Telecommunications Regulatory Board shows that the deterioration in the quality of services is due mainly to three factors: acts of vandalism and sabotage on telecoms infrastructure, public works operations, and power-supply challenges.

Camtel’s appeal

Camtel, which holds the monopoly over the deployment and management of the national fibre optic backbone, said it was grappling with an increase in acts of vandalism on its network infrastructure. The telco registered 42 incidents between August and September alone.

Against this backdrop, Camtel’s board of directors have recently appealed to national consciousness, calling on everyone to mobilise and protect telecoms infrastructure, which are a vital national asset for Cameroon's digital economy and social development.

Camtel wants culprits to be punished, as the applicable laws provide for severe penalties against any person or entity found guilty of damaging telecommunications infrastructure.

“Protecting this infrastructure is a civic duty that requires the involvement and vigilance of all,” said Eric Benjamin Lamere, Camtel’s head of institutional and communication division.