NTA, the regulator of telecom sector in Nepal, has planned to implement new telecom QoS guideline/ bylaw from Shrawan 1.  Earlier we posted news about the finalization of new NTA guideline which has some strict criteria to direct/penalize the service providers for bad quality and compensate subscribers for the call drop. In a bid to pressurize telcos/ ISPs to increase their focus on the quality of service, ultimately enhancing the telecom quality in Nepal, NTA has come up with the new regulation with a bylaw called NTA QoS bylaw.

Improving QoS will have a bigger impact on the customer satisfaction of the telecom and internet services. NTA has the motive to enforce customer satisfaction through the new and strict QoS bylaw.

The regulator has sought feedback from the telcos regarding the implementation of the new QoS guideline/bylaw, after which it will be in effect from Shrawan 1. Now that the guideline/ bylaw is already available on NTA website, we are here to provide some features.

Features of the new NTA QoS guideline (regulation)

• Network entities should be up and running with the network downtime of less than 1 % (Fewer faults)
• Fast call connection time.
• Highly Successful calls both ON-net and OFF-net.
• Call drop ratio of less than 2 %.
• Voice quality should be good (High MOS: Mean opinion score).
• 99% Mobile network availability
• Fast service activation and provisioning
• Smooth data flow, download and upload link success rate more than 80 and 75 % respectively.
• Data speed to be equal to or more than 75 % of committed speed.
• Data latency to be less than 250 ms.
• Very few unreasonable billing issues and to resolve soon.
• 95 % Customer complains to be resolved soon.

The QoS regulation includes the above items for voice, data, billing /complaint issues in fixed, wireless and broadband of Telecom or Internet service providers. The telecom operators / ISPs needs to submit the reports from their system or the driving test or other quality check mechanisms. NTA will also have their own test and analysis. Based on which, NTA shall direct the telcos/ ISPs to solve the issues within some period. Their inability to resolve the issue will even entitle to penalty as per the existing rules.

Compensation for call drop: Free call for call drop due to the network issue

The most strict feature of the guideline is to make the operators compensate the subscribers for a call drop due to a network. Call drop is the most annoying network quality issue, especially in mobile networks. Now, the regulator has put a mandatory provision that the operator needs to provide the cost of the total pulse of a call made to their account if the call drop happens due to the network issue. So, it can be said that the call drop due to the network will make the whole call free of cost.

As this is a new requirement from the regulator, it is not known if they can make it happen from the existing network. Or they will establish this system from new network on-wards. But it seems the regulator is pushing hard for the quality of service issue and is highly beneficial to the customers in long term. Earlier NTA had launched an NTA QoS app to seek feedback from the customers regarding the quality of service of different telecom operators.

Tell us what do you think of the new NTA QoS bylaw. If you have any comments/ feedback, do comment below.