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Mobile network operator Orange Guinea SA has been fined GNF9.5 billion (US$1.09 million) by the country’s Regulatory Authority for Post and Telecommunications (L’Autoritie de Regulation des Postes et Telecommunications, ARPT), for ‘failing to meet its service availability obligations’.
This was announced by the regulator, who explained that Orange had experienced network disruptions between 30 June and 1 July which caused some services, including SMS, Orange Money and E-Recharge, to be unavailable for more than 30 hours.
According to the ARPT, this ‘serious’ failure violates the service availability, continuity and quality obligations contained in the operator’s licence agreement, and it has therefore taken steps to compensate subscribers for the significant inconvenience caused.
“We estimate that the regulator has heeded the population’s plea. If I am not mistaken, this is the first time a telecom operator is subjected to such a heavy fine. I think this will serve as an example for other operators and compel them to be mindful of our fundamental rights,” said Ousmane Keïta, chairman of the Guinean consumers’ association UCG.
The fine comes hot on the heels of Togo operator Togocom getting fined $3.7 million by the regulator for network services breaches over a lengthy period.
More recently, network service providers in Tanzania received warnings to upgrade their services of face similar punishment for network breaches.
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