Telcos Cheating Customers

The telecommunications companies, otherwise known as telcos, are taking Ghanaians for a ride. It appears that they do not care about the services they provide for the people because of the false perception that many people cannot do without mobile phones. Ghana happens to be one of the few countries where individuals use more than one handset, largely because of the unreliability of the networks. That is why many people carry three or four phones as if that is a badge of honour. We do not know how the number portability issue is faring, but if people are not ready to port their numbers, it may be because "nowhere cool". In other words, all the telcos are providing poor services. From the 1990s when the first network, Mobitel (now tiGO) started its operations in the country, we now have six networks and the roll call goes like this � tiGO, MTN, Vodafone, Expresso, Airtel and Glo. The frustration among mobile phone users is exacerbated by the inability of the regulator, the National Communications Authority (NCA), to compel the networks to give their customers value for money. While some of these companies boast of belonging to blue chip organisations and providing the best corporate social responsibilities, their customers who pay money every day for the companies to pay their staff and engage in other activities are always complaining of poor services. On some occasions, these customers have cried loud to the virtually moribund Consumer Protection Association which lacks the muscle to mobilise consumers to boycott service providers such as the telcos. The Daily Graphic thinks that the time has come for users of mobile phones to take very revolutionary actions to compel the telcos to realise that the customer is king or queen and that his or her needs must always factor into the agenda of tiGO, MTN, Vodafone, Expresso, Airtel and Glo. Customers have become just too familiar with the refrain of why the telcos are unable to deliver to the satisfaction of their customers. When the telcos are given any platform to explain their challenges, they always cite cable theft, destruction of cables by contractors, high cost of rent and many levies charged on antennas by district assemblies. We want to tell the Ghana Telecoms Chamber that these challenges have now become excuses for poor services and customers of the telcos are no longer enthused. These challenges are real and the telcos must act now to resolve them. The Daily Graphic knows that in the past the telcos treated some of these concerns with contempt, as nothing or very little was done to make the use of mobile phones a pleasurable experience as it is in the most advanced societies in the world where the use of data and voice has helped to improve lifestyles. We concede, though, that ICT and, indeed, telephone services have helped to create jobs and wealth in our country, but the "I don�tcarism" towards the concerns of their customers should end. The Daily Graphic calls on the telcos to pay heed to the challenges that their customers are facing, so that their contribution to national development will meet the expectations of all Ghanaians, including those customers.