Egypt’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (NTRA) has partnered with the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) to develop a joint digital platform to simplify and expedite user complaint resolution.
The platform will feature an automated system designed to facilitate the exchange of complaint data, maintain a database for CPA-received complaints related to telecom services, and provide a digital system for submitting complaints.
The data collected through this platform will be stored in a database accessible to both the CPA and telecom operators, facilitating quicker complaint resolution.
This development comes after the two agencies signed a cooperation protocol to strengthen mechanisms for protecting telecom users’ rights, establish coordination and collaboration frameworks in this field, and exchange information on mutually beneficial topics.
The protocol is part of efforts to enhance collaboration among entities focused on user rights and service efficiency in Egypt’s telecom market. It aims to automate complaint processing for timely responses, greater transparency, and improved digital transformation, while ensuring a user experience that meets global standards.
The protocol sets up a framework for coordination and collaboration to tackle practices that could undermine the protection of telecom users’ rights. This includes creating an action plan to educate users about their rights and responsibilities in the telecom sector.
It also promotes a culture of governance and development by forming a joint executive committee to oversee the implementation of shared responsibilities. This committee will establish the necessary mechanisms, controls, and procedures to ensure these goals are met.
Currently, telecom customers in Egypt can submit complaints directly to their service providers or, if unresolved, through the NTRA’s contact centre, website, WhatsApp channel, and the MyNTRA app.
Recent statistics from the NTRA show that the regulator received over 322,000 complaints in 2023. 81% were submitted via the call centre, 8% through WhatsApp, 7% through the website, and 4% via the MyNTRA app. The NTRA reported a 90% response rate from operators to complaints in 2023, with an average response time of 2.6 days.
The regulator said in the telecom-user complaints report for 2023 that EGP 2.3 million ($47,196) were imposed on mobile operators that year for trespassing the standards of response to mobile users’ complaints.
According to the NTRA, “seamless coordination with operators, with respect to receiving and responding to complaints, resulted in their compliance with the criteria of receiving and resolving complaints, consequently leading to a decrease in violations by 48% during 2023 in comparison to 2022.”
