The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) announced the settlement of 99 percent of the total number of complaints it received regarding telecom services during the past year. In a statement, the CRA said that 99 percent of complaints received from telecommunications services consumers during the past year were settled, in conjunction with the World Consumer Rights Day, which falls on March 15 of each year.
During 2022, CRA received 2,389 complaints and inquiries from consumers about telecom services in Qatar. Complaints were evaluated by CRA based on a set of criteria to determine their validity to CRA's complaint process; 844 were valid complaints and CRA resolved 99 percent of the total valid complaints received. Also, CRA is working with the telecom Service Providers; Ooredoo Qatar QPSC and Vodafone Qatar PQSC to finalize the related investigation of the remaining ones.
The statistics indicate that 76 percent of all received complaints were related to mobile services and the highest percentage of received complaints were related to packages issues, mobile number portability service, and billing of post-paid services. As for fixed-line services, the statistics indicate that they were 24 percent of the total complaints, and the most received complaints were related to internet service disconnection, internet speed, and billing complaints.
CRA Director of Consumer Affairs Amel Salem al-Hanawi said: "We mark World Consumer Rights Day by reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that telecom consumers in the State of Qatar have their rights protected. Also in line with CRA's keenness to enhance transparency, we will continue publishing the data related to consumer complaints."
She added: "CRA ensures protecting consumers' rights by developing proper regulatory instruments, granting the telecom service providers the necessary licenses, determining the necessary obligations on them, monitoring their compliance with these obligations, and resolving consumers' complaints if not resolved by the Service Providers or if consumers are not satisfied with the provided resolution. In addition to enhancing the sustainable competition between the Service Providers to ensure the provision of innovative and high-quality services."
Under CRA's telecom complaint resolution process, consumers with a complaint are free to approach the CRA if their complaint lodged directly to their service provider about a mobile service disconnection 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.