Telecom Companies, Second Term Penalty

According to provisions of telecom law, one of the functions of Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) is to monitor and inspect quality of telecom services. Fortunately, this authority has the ability today to measure, inspect and monitor quality of telecom service of the telecom companies in accordance with prescribed standards or criteria of the issued licenses and this includes call blocking, verification of failed calls, etc, using advanced equipments. It is worth mentioning that internationally accepted and organized standards have been predicted in the issued licenses to the telecom companies for provision of telecom services with good quality and in order to provide telecom services to the subscribers, observing prescribed standards.

Not withstanding, telecom companies are obliged to submit report of telecom services quality to ATRA at the end of every quarter in accordance with conditions of relevant licenses, this authority controls and inspects quality of telecom services in accordance with provisions of law and conditions of relevant licenses during every quarter in order to investigate complaints of the consumers, using its technical possibilities.

According to provisions of the law, companies which of quality of services are not in conformity with predicted standards of the license they are obliged to pay cash fine. ATRA monitored and measured quality of telecom services during third and fourth quarters by drive test device besides sent reports of quality service of the relevant companies.


Consequently, it was proved that quality of services of AWCC, MTN and ETISLAT companies were not at reasonable level. According to conditions of issued licenses and provisions of telecom law, ETISLAT Company has been fined 7,50000 Afghani in every quarter, AWCC Company has been fined 1, 750000 Afghani in every quarter, and MTN Company has been fined 2, 500,000 Afghani in every quarter. Totally, ETISALAT Company has been fined 1,500000 Afghani in two quarters, AWCC Company has been fined 3, 500000 Afghani in two quarters, and MTN Company has been fined 5,000000 Afghani in two quarters.


According to provisions of law, telecom companies process of the quality of telecom services of the will be continued regularly and continuously in accordance with action plan in the future. Those companies which do not pay attention again on enhancement of their quality of services they are fined in every quarter.


Addrassig the media Eng.Khir Mohammad Faizi Acting Secretary General of ATRA and Eng.Ata Mohammad Yari member of ATRA Board said" if the telecom companies are not succeeding in offering of the good quality services they will be fined and followed according to the telecommunications law" since all companies have already informed of their fines and incase they are not agree with their fines they can refer to the Financial Complained Hearing Commission with their documents. Else this decision will be the final one and the fine must be paid in a very short time.


Last but not least, repeating the mentioned penalty by telecom companies will case the eliminating of their licenses and this is the right and authority of Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA).