In the frame of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority’s “NTRA” keenness on improving the quality of telecom services provided to citizens, NTRA subordinate National Telecommunication Center for Quality of Service Monitoring, has today issued its report on the First Quarter measures (Q1) of 2021 (from January to March 2021).

The report covers the voice and internet service quality indicators as provided by the telecom operators working in Egypt’s market; whereas quality measuring tests were conducted on mobile phone service, over 81 cities and districts. Technical capacities were boosted during the Q1 of 2021 to conduct field measures, with an aim to achieve Level 3 of Administration at roads, cities, and districts. This procedure was conducted using measure vehicles for distances of about 100 thousand kilometers over the three said months. 

It was monitored that 6 areas had witnessed an improvement in service quality during Q1 of 2021, as a result of collaboration with operators to solve the issues of quality. It is worth noting that 44 areas are still suffering from poor-quality services where work is currently underway with operators to improve the quality of service, through accelerating the mechanisms of cell-site establish, and equipping current networks with the new frequencies. This would contribute to raise the quality of service for users at such areas.

Below is the total number of cities and districts where voice service quality issues were monitored in Q1 of 2021

Vodafone: 21 cities and districts, out of 81, were monitored to have voice and data service quality issues; with Delta on top, followed by Upper Egypt and Suez Canal.

Orange: 31 cities and districts, out of 81, were monitored to have voice and data service quality issues; with Delta on top followed by Cairo and Alexandria.

Etisalat: 37 cities and districts, out of 81, were monitored to have voice and data service quality issues; with Upper Egypt on top followed by Delta and Alexandria.

WE: 54 cities and districts, out of 81, were monitored to have voice and data service quality issues; with Cairo on top followed by Upper Egypt and Delta.

• Voice Service Quality Measure Indicators:
•   Call Block Indicator:

The total number of areas reported to have voice service quality issues, with regard to Call Block:

• 73 areas in January divided as follow: (9 areas for Vodafone – 12 areas for Orange, 17 areas for Etisalat, 35 areas for WE)
• 65 areas in February divided as follow: (12 areas for Vodafone – 13 areas for Orange – 13 areas for Etisalat, 27 areas for WE)
• 57 areas in March divided as follow: (7 areas for Vodafone – 20 areas for Orange, 11 areas for Etisalat, 19 areas for WE)

An improvement in the total number of areas having Call Block issues, with regard to Vodafone, Etisalat and WE was reported in March 2021, compared to January 2021. Meanwhile, the total number of areas with Call Block issues, with regard to Orange, increased in March 2021 when compared to January 2021.

• Call Voice Indicator:

The total number of areas reported to have voice service quality issues, with regard to Call Voice Indicator, was as follow:

• 12 areas in January divided as follow: (6 areas for Vodafone –2 areas for Orange – 1 area for Etisalat – 3 areas for WE)
• 7 areas in February divided as follow: (4 areas for Vodafone – 2 areas for Orange – 1 area for WE)
• 8 areas in March divided as follow: (2 areas for Vodafone – 3 areas for Orange – 1 area for Etisalat – 2 areas for WE)

A noticeable improvement in the total number of areas having call voice issues with respect to WE and Vodafone was reported, to record 2 only in March 2021, while the number of affected areas did not change for Etisalat. Meanwhile, the total number of affected areas with respect to Orange was reportedly high in March 2021 compared to January 2021.

•   Call Drop Indicator:

The total number of areas reported to have voice service quality issues, with regard to Call Drop:

• 21 areas in January divided as follow: (1 area for Vodafone –4 areas for Orange, 12 areas for Etisalat and 4 areas for WE)
• 17 areas in February divided as follow: (2 areas for Vodafone – 2 areas for Orange – 7 areas for Etisalat and 6 areas for WE)
• 10 areas in March divided as follow: (1 area for Vodafone – 6 areas for Etisalat and 3 areas for WE).

The number of areas suffering from service quality issues in terms of Call Drop witnessed a decline for Orange, Etisalat and WE in March 2021, compared to January 2021. On the other hand, the number of affected areas remained unchanged for Vodafone.

• Download Speed Indicator
• Average download speed

Average download speed for Vodafone and Etisalat was noticeably slow in March compared to January, while, Orange and WE maintained stable figures during the same period as follow:

• Vodafone data download average speed witnessed a decline in March with 24 Mbps/ second, compared to 25 Mbps/ second back in January
• Orange data download average speed remained stable at 24 Mbps/ second in March, compared to January.
• Etisalat data download average speed witnessed a decline in March with 19 Mbps/ second, compared to 20 Mbps/ second back in January
• WE data download average speed remained stable at 21 Mbps/ second in March, compared to January.

It’s worth mentioning that the lowest download speed per operator (for 10% only of measuring samples), given the minimum limit accepted which is 5 Mbps, was as follows: 

• Vodafone: 4Mbps/ second from January to March 2021
• Orange: 6 Mbps/ second from January to March 2021
• Etisalat: 5 Mbps from January to March 2021
• WE: 5Mbps/ second from January to March 2021

Procedures taken by NTRA to raise the service quality level for users:

1.  Doubling the capacity of user-complaint center

Doubling the capacity of telecom-user complaint center (155) to work over the entire week for 14 hours daily. This would ensure receiving quality complaints throughout the day, which usually exceed 50 thousand complaints within a single Quarter.

2. Doubling the fines imposed on operators with respect to any decline in service quality indicators for users, compared to the standards set forth

Penal regulations on telecom service quality, provided by operators to users, were amended by NTRA. Consequently, the fines imposed were doubled and the operators were notified with the implementation of the new regulations as of the second half of 2021.

3. Adopting a new mechanism to monitor the time taken for resolving user complaints with respect to telecom service quality

NTRA adopted a new mechanism for measuring the time taken to resolve user complaints, upon raised to the operator. The new mechanism also entails imposing fines with regard to complaints exceeding the maximum time for getting resolved, in accordance with the type of each complaint. In fact, the aforementioned procedure will be taken as of the second half of 2021, if any increase in the number of unresolved complaints, post being raised to operators, is recorded.

4. Enabling users to inquire about or cancel entertainment services

NTRA launched the free code service (#155*) to reduce subscriptions to services without the knowledge of users or against their will. This new service enables users to inquire about or cancel the value-added services of the four operators, if they wish to. Entertainment services include promotional contests, news or sport services, or e-games etc. Moreover, the total number of inquiries/ cancellation requests using this service has reached 5.5 million since the first time it was launched on 1 January.