ICASA to engage consumers of communications service in celebration of World Consumer Rights Day
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa is yet again taking consumer issues forward in celebration of the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) this year. WCRD is an annual event celebrated on 15 March every year to promote the rights of consumers across all sectors of the economy including Information and Communication Technologies.
This year’s theme of Fix Our Phone Rights directly addresses the challenges faced by consumers. The WCRD events will be spread across all nine (9) Provinces from 14 to 28 March 2014 to ensure that consumer issues are informed about their rights and responsibilities when using communication services.
In addressing consumer-related matters, the Authority commissioned a study into the quality of experience in the telecommunications sector. The purpose of the Quality of Experience survey was to assess consumer satisfaction levels with the quality of service received from licensed fixed and mobile telecommunication service providers in South Africa.
To this end, the survey examined the following broad aspects based on the customers’ experience and satisfaction with the service providers:
1. Product & Service Information;
2. Product & Service Quality;
3. Customer Service Quality; and
4. Pricing & Billing.
Under each of the four broad pillars mentioned were several specific product and service sub attributes that were assessed in the survey. Considering that consumers will generally be satisfied or dissatisfied depending on the degree to which their expectations have been met or not met. The survey did not only measure customer satisfaction but also established customer expectations to enable some performance gap analysis to assess the extent to which customer expectations were being met by the telecommunications service providers.
The findings of this survey confirmed that the Authority and the country as a whole is concerned about the high costs of telephony in South Africa with the most affected being mobile prepaid users. In terms of contracts, consumers complained about the 24-month contracts which adversely affected them, especially those who find themselves unemployed. In this case consumers indicated that they would like to be able to end contracts before the end of the term without penalties should they find themselves without jobs. Their call was for greater flexibility on the duration of contracts.
ICASA is working hard to make sure that consumer rights are protected and has developed regulations for this. It is important that consumers know their rights so they can exercise these rights.
Important facts that you must know about communications or voice and data services:
Contracts
- Service providers will hold you to the terms and conditions of your contract, so make sure that you know what’s in the contract.
- Always make sure that you get a copy of your contract even if you take the contract over the phone.
- Ask your service provider to send you a copy before you go to sign the contact, so that you know what it says.
- If you don’t understand something, ask.
- Make sure that you understand what happens when your contract ends. For example, do you have to tell the service provider in writing that you don’t want the service anymore? What happens to the charges after the contract ends?
Get your money’s worth
- To make sure that you have the best service possible, make sure that the service provider that you choose has coverage in your area. Not all service providers may have coverage in your area.
Ask!
- Ask your service providers, what they do when you call drops. Do they reconnect you for free for a period? What do they do?
- If you are on pre-paid, make sure that understand the rules of how long the airtime is valid, when it expires, when you need to recharge
Fair and transparent billing
- Make sure that you know what you are paying for.
- Check your bill monthly and if there is a problem or you wish query, tell your service provider.
- Don’t stop paying your bills, when you are disputing something.
Credit Limits
- Service providers are not credit providers so credit limits on contracts work differently.
- Make sure that you understand how the credit limit works. You may be responsible for the full amount of account, if you exceed the credit limit.
Promotions
- When you sign-up for a promotion, do you know what you get?
- Are you using all or most of the benefits of the promotion?
- Do know what the cost difference is between what you get on your tariff plan and what you get on the promotion?
- What happens when the promotion is over?
Data Services
- Make sure that you understand how your smart device works. If you don’t, you could rack up high data charges.
- Find out how to manage your costs and look for the packages that best suit your needs. Packages that don’t match your usage patterns could result in you paying more than you should.
Applications (APPS) and Services
- Do you know how much you are paying for your APP?
- Do you know how the charges work?
- If you don’t, ask your service provider.
Have power over your own information
You are responsible for the protection of your information. Make sure that you NEVER sign a blank application form for the service agent to complete for you.
Complaints
When you have a complaint, you must approach your service provider first and try to resolve that complaint. Make sure that you get a reference number – that’s the best way to be able to track your complaint.
Service Providers have 14 working days to resolve the complaint. If, you are still unhappy or your service provider didn’t respond to you, you can call ICASA for intervention and provide proof that there has been prior engagement with the service provider.
For more information contact:
Consumer Affairs
Tel: 011 566 3000
E-mail: consumer@icasa.org.za
Direct all media enquiries to:
Paseka Maleka
Tel: 011 566 3455
Cell: 079 509 0702
E-mail: pmaleka@icasa.org.za
