Telecoms Services: Quality Vs Quantity?

In the last 13 years since the advent of GSM to Nigeria, we have seen prices of SIM lines, calls and internet data bundle plans drop significantly. It boggles the mind how a SIM pack initially sold for over a hundred thousand naira is now being sold for a paltry sum of N100. Same goes for call rates which used to be pegged at N50 per minute with no per seconds billing option until Globacom pioneered the friendly billing, a feat that won it a market share in the sector. It took time for other networks to follow suit. Thus, it can be concluded that so much has changed so far.

With Nigeria’s teledensity being estimated at 70% penetration, one cannot but stop to wonder what quality is being enjoyed in terms of excellent service delivery. While quantity abounds in terms of call rate drop, huge subscriber base, the experience with quality is very questionable.

What is the point offering cheap call rate if we can’t successfully make a call as a result of bad network? Cheap internet data rate and wide coverage but annoyingly slow or crawling internet speed. Excellent internet speed but no network coverage in one’s house or office. BIS cost slashed to half its initial price but pings take forever to deliver. A customer relating his experience says: “I can hardly put a call through in my room, in fact it is as bad as I have to move to strategic positions in my house just to ping.”

One wonders if there is actually a service provider that stands out amongst all in terms of service quality, as one person relates his/her challenges on a network for instance, another customer nods in agreement. It is obvious that the experience of bad quality of service is one thing that is common to telecoms subscribers across all networks throughout the nation.

What we actually need is quality, not just quantity as it where. The cry of Nigerians to telecoms service providers is “Give us quality! We can afford it.” Telecoms Compare, the voice of the people, is using this medium to say Nigerians want quality, which is the true value for their money. Acknowledging that Quality + Quantity is what makes a full and total package.

•By Telecoms Compare. http://www.telecomscompare.com/