Doha: On the World Consumer Rights Day, which is marked on March 15, the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) published the resolution results of telecom consumers’ complaints received in 2020.
CRA received 1,303 complaints and inquiries from consumers about telecom services in Qatar. These complaints were evaluated by CRA based on a set of criteria to determine their validity to CRA’s complaint process; 696 were valid complaints, and CRA resolved 95% of the total complaints and inquiries received. Also, CRA is working with Ooredoo Qatar and Vodafone Qatar to finalise the related investigation of the remaining ones.
“One of CRA’s responsibilities is ensuring the balance between consumers’ and telecom service providers’ rights through various aspects. Issuing the needed instruments to regulate the sector effectively, monitoring the service providers’ compliance and the quality of telecom networks and services provided to consumers, enhancing the sustainable competition between service providers to ensure the provision of innovative and high-quality services and finally resolving consumers’ complaints if not resolved by the telecom service providers or if consumers are not satisfied with the provided resolution,” said CRA Director of Consumer Affairs Department, Amel Salem Al Hanawi.
The statistics indicate that 71% of all received complaints were related to mobile services. Billing post-paid services complaints accounted for the highest percentage of complaints, while the other main complaints were related to mobile packages, networks coverage, and mobile number portability service. As for fixed-line services, the statistics indicate that they were 29% of the total complaints; out of these complaints, the billing and service disconnections complaints were the most received.
It is worth mentioning that under CRA’s telecom complaint resolution process, consumers with a complaint are free to approach the CRA if their complaint is lodged directly to their service provider about a mobile service disconnection that remains open or unresolved for 48 hours or 72 hours in case of fixed-line disconnection. Also, if the complaint is not related to a service disconnection and remains unresolved for 30 calendar days or if the complaint is closed at any time and they were dissatisfied with the offered resolution.
Consumers can complain to CRA through different channels: CRA’s 24/7 hotline number (103), email address [email protected], CRA’s Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram accounts @CRAqatar, CRA’s Mobile App “Arsel”, or by filling CRA’s complaint form on the website www.cra.gov.qa.
