Cellular operators service quality claims proved false

Every cellular operator in Pakistan claims to be the best network for services and rates throughout the year. But it proves all false, when a crisis situation tests their credibility.
No doubt the flash floods have destroyed the network of cellular operators unprecedented in many cities, however, repair operations have
been continued to restore the network.
As per assessment report issued by Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), there are more than 2,900 cellular sites affected by floods and rains, which were claimed to be restored later by cellular operators on the directives of regulator.
However, more than 300 sites have been destroyed in different cities as of August 18. The number of sites could exceed on their inspection in the undiscovered flood hit areas.
In contrast, complaints are widespread on the poor services quality of the cellular operators in floods-hit areas. Even, the cellular phones are dead in many areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa, the province hit hardly by flash floods.
The first week of flooding in KP rendered everyone helpless; no calls could be made in and out of the city, it is reported.
Mobilink
According to the reports, Mobilink and Warid services are very poor in flood-hit areas despite their management have been asked to repair the damages of network infrastructure.
Mobilink 1,688 sites affected have been restored in different cities. 65 BTS have been inundated, the ministry report said.
However, analyst said Mobilink as market leader is an older network and its network quality is not very sophisticated in specific areas particularly in mountainous regions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa, Gilgit-Balistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Warid
Warid 332 sites were affected in northern part of the country and its 49 sites were destroyed completely by flash floods.
Ufone
Ufone BTS and DC Power Equipment also hit damages in 16 locations of KP province but it services are reported to be quite better in some parts.
Telenor
Telenor’s infrastructure was hit the worst in the wake of flash floods and heavy rains in northern parts of the country. Its 86 BTS destructed.
But it is reported that its’ services is still better in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa, Gilgit-Balistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir because of its past exclusive strategies to penetrate in these region.
Zong
Similarly, Zong has captured its good market in the cities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa, Gilgit-Balistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, therefore, its network and infrastructure is strong enough there despite its  96 BTS damaged completely and 229 sites affected by rains and floods.
Another one possibly is to setup free phone call booths, nationwide, as a CSR activity from all telecom brands.
Demands of Communication through Cellular phones
It is said that rapid information sharing is essential in disasters and humanitarian crisis to rescue flood-hit affectees from food shortage and water-borne disease.
International Organization of Migration (IOM), NGO, believes that formal and informal communication channels to disseminate life-save information to the affectees in their areas of displacement on policies, health, food, shelter, protection, is an important task in the relief operation.
Maria Ahmad, IOM spokesperson, in an exclusive interview with Telecom Recorder, recalled the tough situation affectees faced few weeks ago in flood hit areas owing to the absence of possible communication system and telephony services.
The repeated floods in KP cities caused trouble to the affectees once again in the absence of any communication as majority of the people could not ascertain to protect themselves in emergency.
She explained that the communication is a psychological need as much as a plan of action. It helps people to find out their loved ones, therefore, the services unavailability, she added. “The first week of flooding in KP rendered everyone helpless; no calls could be made in and out of the city.”
In case of emergencies, these needs are magnified by the isolation and sense of utter deprivation. A rapid assessment conducted last week in Punjab, KP and Sindh shows that more than 70 percent flood affectees have cell phones but people only know how to make calls, if their respective networks are operational in the areas.
Cellular operators not only restore their network on war footing but also play an important role to provide affectees free services for limited time, she urged.
Crisis although affects many but it always invites opportunities for many as well. In Chinese language, the word “crisis” or “危机; wēijī” is composed on two words danger and opportunity.
It is now high time for cellular operators to restore their networks in flood-affected areas and provided free connections and services to the workers of NGO and affectees of flood-hit areas.
This is a time for them to kill two birds in one shot, that is, helping flood-affected people in the moment when they are looking for their assistance, and making them subscribers of the company in future.
Setting up free phone call booths, provision of free handset and SIMs are the easiest way for operators as a CSR activity in the flood-hit relief operations.
IOM, the NGO, has contacted Telenor, Ufone and Zong in this regard.
The NGO has launched Humanitarian SMS Service is supported by China Mobile’s carrier Zong and bears the cost of all outgoing SMSes. In addition, Zong has recently provided 100 free Zong phones with the capacity to make more than a million phone calls. Affectees can reach family members or helplines free of cost.