Zimbabwe’s telecommunications sector regulator, the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz), plans to carry out a survey into operators’ services customer satisfaction.

Various consumer groups in Zimbabwe have in the past complained about the quality of telecommunications services. The Zimbabwean Competition Commission has also previously taken up the complaints with Potraz.

However, the complaints and concerns over telecommunications companies’ services quality have grown louder this year. The complaints have centred on dropped calls, call interference, supposedly high tariffs and slow mobile internet connectivity.

Potraz said this week that it was calling for bids for consultancy services by companies for the “carrying out of customer satisfaction survey in telecommunications”. The survey will also look into customer satisfaction for postal and courier services companies.Potraz recently threatened to clamp down on mobile phone operators offering shoddy services to clients.

"We are not happy with the quality of service. Last year we commissioned a consultant to carry out measurements on the quality of service being offered by the network providers and since this is a first measurement, we will not penalise any of them, but rather we gave them time to rectify before we carry out a second assessment," said Potraz networks and standards manager Nicholas Muzhuzha.

Two of Zimbabwe’s mobile operators, Econet and Telecel will have their licenses renewed next year and Potraz is likely to tie renewal with requirements such as infrastructure sharing. The regulator, according to sources, will also make room for the fining of poor standards.

“The survey comes at a time when some of the licenses are up for renewal and there will be stiffer penalties for poor quality of services because it is the customers who are getting short-changed. We have seen Potraz slowly acting in an industry that has gone largely unchecked in the past years,” said one knowledgeable source.