Complaints related to telecommunication services increasing, says MCMC

LANGKAWI: Change in the way consumers use telecommunication services has resulted in the recent resurgence of complaints received by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

MCMC chairman Datuk Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek said most of the complaints were no longer related to Internet coverage but instead focused on the quality of services offered by telecommunication service providers.

"We monitor the number of complaints received for example during the MCO (movement control order), both Internet usage and complaints were high. However, when we implemented the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela) the complaints decreased.

"Now complaints are rising again and this is because the way users use it has changed where in the past users might only need 1 Megabit per second (Mbps), but now they need more than that to use certain applications on smartphones," he told reporters at the ‘Meet-the-Customer Day’ programme organised by MCMC here on Wednesday (May 18).

He said last month MCMC received around 4,000 complaints related to telecommunication services compared to about 30,000 complaints during the MCO period.

To ensure consumers get satisfactory telecommunication services, Fadhlullah Suhaimi said MCMC set periodic quality level for Internet speed based on the average current needs of users.

He added that MCMC was holding a series of ‘Meet-the-Customer Day’ tours nationwide to find solutions to telecommunication problems faced by them.

"Today's programme in Langkawi is the first and we aim to have about 30 similar programmes nationwide. There may be one programme in each small state but for large states, we may have two to five programmes," he said.

All the grievances expressed by consumers will help MCMC and service providers improve and enhance the response to the issues that arise more efficiently, he said.- Bernama