from ARNOLD MULENGA in Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia Bureau
LUSAKA, (CAJ News) – ZAMBIA Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has ordered Airtel to compensate, to the tune of K4 million (US$142 23110), clients affected by its latest network outage.
Compensation is usually in the form of airtime or/and data.
Following the outage on Sunday, ZICTA has also directed the operator to fast-track the upgrade of its network infrastructure, particularly at its critical data centres to improve network resilience by February 28.
The telecommunications provider has also been ordered to put in place mechanisms to resolve the recurring network outages and to strictly adhere to Consumer Protection Guidelines.
The compensation is under the Consumer Protection Guidelines.
ZICTA said it was concerned by the recurrent service disruptions on the Airtel network.
The regulator hinted at further sanctions.
“ZICTA remains committed to protecting the interests of consumers and ensuring reliable communication services. The authority assures the public that corrective measures are being undertaken to prevent future occurrences,” said Hanford Chaaba, ZICTA Head of Corporate Affairs.
The latest outage affected customers in Central, Eastern, Lusaka, Southern and Western provinces.
Airtel has since reported the restoration of the network.
Airtel, the largest telco in the Southern African country, suffered a series of outages late in 2023.
ZICTA imposed a fine of an undisclosed amount and ordered it to compensate clients.
– CAJ News