NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – Safaricom is challenging the Communications Commission of Kenya to contract an independent firm to carry out future Quality of Service (QoS) tests.
This comes after the operator openly criticised the regulator on the criteria used to carry out the tests sighting inconsistency.
QoS comprises requirements on aspects of telecommunication connection such as speech quality, call block rate, percentage of completed calls, call set up success rate, call drop rate, hand over success rate and cross-talk.
Safaricom Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore said an independent report would ensure greater transparency as well as standards that meet those of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
Mr Collymore said the timing of the report was also wrong as it came at a time when there was considerable change in the market.
“Since August we have witnessed a reduction in calling rates that has seen an increase in the volume of customers as well as the number of calls being made at any one time,” Mr Collymore said.
He said operators should contribute to the financing of the report as well as engage with the Communications Commission of Kenya on the parameters to be used in future reports.
According to the findings of the report, Airtel Kenya passed seven of the eight parameters used to gauge quality of the mobile phone services, followed by Yu, which complied with four of the parameters.
Safaricom and Telkom Kenya trailed, complying in just three out of the eight parameters.
The regulator has however stood by its report saying it was one of the measures being taken to ensure consumers are aware and benefit from better quality of mobile phone services.
The CCK has even gone a step further to warn that it may penalize mobile operators who do not meet its quality of service rating.
Mr Collymore said Safaricom would continue to invest in its infrastructure, to improve services for its customers.
