Most telecom complaints were about postpaid billing, packages, and service disconnection
Telecom authority received 1,344 complaints during 2023; 73% of complaints related to mobile services
NT Bureau
DOHA: The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) in Qatar received 1,344 complaints and inquiries from consumers about telecom services during 2023.
This was revealed by CRA as part of World Consumer Rights Day, which occurs every year on March 15. The CRA published the resolution results of telecom consumers’ complaints received in 2023.
Complaints were evaluated by CRA based on a set of criteria to determine their validity to CRA’s complaint process; 535 were valid complaints and CRA resolved around 98 percentof the total valid complaints received. Also, CRA is working with the telecom Service Providers: Ooredoo Qatar QPSCand Vodafone Qatar PQSCto finalize the related investigation of the remaining ones.
The statistics indicate that 73 percent of all received complaints were related to mobile services and the highest percentage of received complaints were related to postpaid billing, packages, and service disconnection. As for fixed-line services, the statistics indicate that they were 27 percentof the total complaints, and the most received complaints were related to internet, landline, and TV service interruptions and billing.
Amel Salem Al Hanawi, Director of Consumer Affairs Department, CRA said: “We mark World Consumer Rights Day by reaffirming our ongoing 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 and sharing the data related to consumers’ complaints.”
Under CRA’s telecom complaint resolution process, consumers with a complaint are free to approach 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.
Consumers can lodge a complaint to CRA through different channels: CRA’s 24/7 hotline number (103), email address consumervoice@cra.gov.qa, CRA’s Facebook, Instagram, or X accounts (@CRAqatar), CRA’s Mobile App “Arsel”, or by filling CRA’s complaint form on the website www.cra.gov.qa.
