Mobile Subscribers Demand Lower Price Tariffs, Quality Service in 2013

Insideafrik
NEWS, NIGERIA

                       NCC, CEO Eugene Juwah

Mobile telecommunication subscribers in Nigeria have called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to sit on telecoms providers to ensure better service delivery and lower tariffs in 2013.

According to a recent survey conducted by the NOI Polls on the perception of the Mobile networks operators’ service across the country, Nigerian subscribers lamented the fact that they have to use dual lines or more, in order to avert the teething issues of service quality.

NOI Polls is one of the world's leading opinion research and knowledge management organisation, which provides timely and relevant information on people’s perspectives on a variety of socio-economic issues; the results are based on a nationwide telephone survey of 758 randomly selected phone-owning adults.

Majority of respondents that spoke to NOI (placed at about 45 per cent), stated that they use dual lines, while the minority, about 26 per cent use a single line.

The total number of respondents is down from 96 per cent that had one line in a similar survey conducted by NOI polls in 2010, or multiple lines (29 per cent: more than 2 lines).

The NOI report showed that amongst the majority of subscribers who use dual lines, majority of this group (34 per cent) use a combination of MTN and Etisalat lines, 31 per cent uses MTN and Glo while 29 per cent uses MTN and Airtel lines. A common thread observed is that most dual and multiple line users always have an MTN line in addition to others.

The report further stated that among the respondents that use only one line (26 per cent of the total) 89 per cent use MTN lines, followed by Airtel with 5 per cent, Glo with 4 per cent and Etisalat with 2 per cent.

The respondents noted that the use of dual or multiple lines was due to continued deteriorating network, and a lack of network reliability on all networks tied to the ease of switching to another line in the event of a network failure.
They pointed out stated that the use affordable tariffs on competing networks that allow for longer talk time was another reason for the use of dual lines.

Rating the network, a majority of subscribers (31 per cent), rated the Etisalat Network very good versus a majority of MTN subscribers (40 per cent) who rated the Network average on performance.
Forty three per cent of Airtel subscribers rate the Airtel performance as good while a majority of Glo subscribers (45 per cent) rated their network operator as average.

The result indicated that Etisalat subscribers rate their mobile number operator higher than other subscribers of other mobile number operator, clearly placing the network at a higher value.
The subscribers however bemoaned the value they attain from using their various networks.

According to the report, 55 per cent of respondents asked if they got value for money from their main network provider, expressed dissatisfaction.

The subscribers who tied value perception to three key indicators: network/service quality (44 per cent), bonus credit tariff offers (34 per cent) and cheaper tariffs (14 per cent), placed little to promotional offers, internet bundles or family/friends bundles.

The report further stated that telecoms subscriber’s measure value for money and preference networks by service quality and affordable tariff rates.

“Telecoms operators should concentrate their efforts on improving the quality of their service and consider a downward review of the present tariff rates, and show more firmness in mandating the telecoms operators to improve on the quality of their services, and also move further to sanction operators that are not adhering to service quality standards,” the report said.