In 2023, the Cameroonian telecommunications landscape saw a significant investment from three major players: Camtel, Orange, and MTN. Together, they poured CFA185 billion into network improvements, a figure that surpassed the initial forecast of CFA156 billion from the previous year. This financial commitment was a clear indication of the operators’ intent to enhance the quality of service provided to consumers.
Despite this substantial investment, the quality of service has not met expectations. Customers continue to experience frequent network interruptions, slow internet speeds, dropped calls, and poor voice quality. These issues have persisted and even intensified, leading to widespread consumer frustration.
The reasons for this disconnect between investment and service quality are multifaceted. External factors such as power outages, fuel shortages, and disruptions to the fiber optic network managed by Camtel have been cited. Internally, the telecom companies face challenges with expanding fiber connections, insufficient investment in critical areas, poor maintenance of infrastructure, slow response to customer complaints, and overloaded networks in urban areas.
In response to these ongoing issues, Minette Libom Li Likeng, Cameroon’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, has laid out a series of measures aimed at improving the telecom sector. These include enforcing stricter compliance with operator contracts, improving collaboration between operators and regulators, upgrading consumer complaint management systems, and enhancing the monitoring of the operators’ infrastructure.
For Orange and MTN, the government has recommended increasing investments in priority areas, targeting key regions with strategic equipment, optimizing the use of the dark fiber provided by Camtel, improving customer service, and implementing real-time monitoring of network sites. Additionally, there is an emphasis on educating customers on how to use available services effectively.
Camtel, the state-owned telecom company, led the investment with CFA117 billion, followed by Orange with CFA38 billion and MTN with CFA30 billion. Despite these figures, the results have been disappointing, raising questions about the effectiveness of the investments and the strategic approach taken by these companies.
Looking ahead, Camtel has planned a further investment of CFA109 billion for 2024. The minister has urged the company to meet its contractual obligations, protect its infrastructure with physical surveillance mechanisms, offer transparent pricing, and expand its international connectivity options.
The situation highlights the complexity of improving service quality in the telecommunications sector. It is not merely a matter of financial investment but also requires a strategic and coordinated approach that addresses both internal and external challenges. The Cameroonian government’s involvement and the outlined measures suggest a move towards a more regulated and quality-focused telecom industry. Consumers, however, will be watching closely to see if these efforts translate into the improved service quality they have been promised.
