ADDRESS EXPIRING DATA BUNDLE ISSUE, ZICTA URGED
By OLIVER SAMBOKO
GOVERNMENT through the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) should immediately implement measures to address the issue of DATA bundle expiry to protect consumers from exploitation, Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) has demanded.
Some MTN customers have complained that their data had been expiring without being fully utilized during periods when network is poor.
ZACA Executive Secretary Zuba Sakala said in an interview that the behavior by Mobile Service Providers to impose unrealistic terms and conditions on consumers amount to daylight robbery, which should be stopped.
He said while in opposition the current government supported people’s call to stop mobile service providers from imposing unfair terms and conditions, and therefore it’s important that the UPND should compel the providers to act in the best interest of the Zambians.
Mr Sakala said one of the people who pushed for the removal of the expiry date on data, is the current Minister of Home Affairs and National security, honorable Jack Mwiimbu, and therefore he should spearhead for its implementation.
“Since we have the new dawn government, let them act to protect the citizens from unfair tariffing in data,” he said.
He said Zambians people have suffered in enough in terms of poor service and conditions and terms that are only meant to benefit the mobile service providers.
In 2019, then Nalikwanda Member of Parliament Geoffrey Lungwangwa moved a motion in Parliament which was anonymously supported seeking to prevent internet providers from prescribing the expiry dates on internet bundles which are bought by clients.
Professor Lungwangwa said citizens needed to be protected from internet providers.
He contended that it was unfair for the providers to grab the data bundles if a client fails to utilize them within a specified period.
Professor Lungwangwa suggested that data bundles be transferable to avoid loss of money by clients.
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