PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will hold telecommunications companies (telcos) responsible for poor mobile network coverage.
“We will get the service providers to address the coverage issue,” it said in reference to theSun’s front page report, “Mobile coverage snag”, yesterday.
Mobile users had highlighted poor connectivity in many areas in the country, including the Klang Valley.
“Action will be taken if they fail to comply with Mandatory Standards for Quality of Service,” MCMC said when contacted.
MCMC has issued 107 compound notices amounting to RM3.83 million to telcos as of July 31 last year.
The compound notices involved various offences such as non-compliance with the Guidelines on Registration of End-Users of Prepaid Public Cellular Services, General Consumer Code and Mandatory Standards.
“MCMC’s action in issuing compound notices for non-compliance among telcos shows its commitment and seriousness in handling issues related to consumers’ interest.
“This is also MCMC’s continued effort in ensuring telcos deliver superior customer service with good quality, as well as protecting and strengthening consumer rights,” the commission said.
Reacting to theSun’s report, a reader emailed to share his experience with mobile network connectivity at the city centre.
“You may be surprised many of my colleagues and I get only one bar or no signal at all from our offices at the higher-level offices of the KLCC (the Petronas Twin Towers),” the reader said.
He pointed out that the headquarters of the telco of the network he is using is just next door.
“We either have to use the landline or walk about to locate a spot with sufficient signal strength.”
Meanwhile, the National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) said the third highest number of complaints it received last year was on the telco sector. The most was on e-commerce, followed by the retail services.
NCCC senior manager of Legal and Policy Division, Shabana Naseer, said the biggest chunk of the telecommunication complaints was about poor network coverage.
“Consumers are upset and are not satisfied they can’t enjoy the service provided despite several complaints lodged against the service providers after paying so much,” she said.
When 4G was introduced, the internet speed was fast but when more users shifted to it, they started facing problems connecting to the same network, Shabana said.
“There are not enough ports to meet the demand,” she added.
“There’s a need to develop and expand network infrastructure, including in the outskirts, and this has to be perfected before 5G comes into place.”
