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OUR OPERATIONS>>>NATCOM Consumer Parliament
A. EDUCATION IS THE CONSUMER'S FIRST LINE OF EMPOWERMENT
The Consumer Parliament of the National Telecommunications Commission was initiated as a national forum made up of the stakeholders in the telecommunications industry to INFORM, EDUCATE and PROTECT consumers/users of telecommunications services in the country. The Consumer Parliament functions as a unique strategy employed by the Commission in the fulfilment of its mandate to serve as the industry's watchdog, charged with the responsibility of educating, informing and protecting consumers in a professional and well-mannered way that ensures a healthy flow of information. The Commission's overriding Goal in this regard is to provide consumers or users of telecoms with appropriate and timely advice in its statutory capacity as a principal source of information in the performance of its key functions of consumer protector, consumer educator and conflict solver for all telecommunications services in Sierra Leone.
B. BENEFITS OF THE CONSUMER PARLIAMENT
The Consumer Parliament: " Provides an opportunity for Consumers to have access to Mobile Phone Operators (GSM/CDMA); Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and the Regulator (NATCOM); " Raises awareness on the Rights of Consumers and the Obligations of the Service Providers; and serves as a platform that will enable Operators and Service Providers to clarify issues pertaining to service delivery and related matters; " Enables the Operators and ISPs to publicly give account of their operations and services to the Consumers and Users of the services/products they provide; " Enhances the role of the Regulator (NATCOM) in creating an enabling environment that ensures fair competition and transparency in the industry; " Promotes quality and efficient service delivery throughout Sierra Leone; and Establishes a medium for dialogue and interaction among all the stakeholders in the Industry in a bid to ensure prompt, qualitative and affordable services for all. C. COMPOSITION
The NATCOM Consumer Parliament is structured and composed as follows:-
i. The Speaker: Ideally, the Speaker is elected from among Consumer Parliamentarians. The Commission can however, recommend a suitably competent personality to serve in that capacity as and when necessary. ii. Consumer Parliamentarians: The Consumer Parliamentarians are registered randomly across a particular region where the Parliament is holding, who meet NATCOM criteria for a Parliamentary Ticket. iii. The Clerk of the House: The Clerk of the House acts as rapporteur assisted by a representative of the Commission. iv. The High Table: The High Table is made up of the Chairman/Commissioner of NATCOM, Officials of the Ministry of Information and Communication and invited dignitaries. v. Operators and Service Providers: The Operators and ISPs occupy a separately strategic table visible to all and are obliged to respond to issues raised and/or questions asked by the Parliamentarians. Both the Speaker and the Clerk of the House are ideally elected from among Members of the Consumer Parliament. One can only serve as a Consumer Parliamentarian once, as it is a one day experience. It is the desire of the Commission that Consumers benefit from the forum by attempting to influence the trends and strategies in the market; and as a resource pool for both the industry and Regulator. CRITERIA TO BE A MEMBER OF NATCOM CONSUMER PARLIAMENT
" Must be 18 and over
" Must own a mobile phone or be a user of the internet
" In both cases above, must show proof of active subscription
" Members must understand English, being the officially recognised medium of communication of the country
REGISTRATION Registration is FREE; and registration forms and tickets for admission as a Consumer Parliamentarians can be obtained from strategic locations designated by the Commission, which would naturally include one of the Commission's Zonal (Branch) Offices in the provinces at a time-. Being limited, tickets are issued on a 'first come first serve' basis as long as the applicant meets the criteria above. Applicants must come with a valid Identity Card to identify your name, age and evidence of subscription to either mobile phone operators and/or ISPs. Limited seats not exceeding thirty will be available for the press, Observers and members of the public. This and subsequent sessions will be broadcast live over the radio or television networks so that consumers at home and the general public will follow the trend and benefit from the exercise. ISSUES FOR PARLIAMENTRY DISCUSSION
" Predatory marketing and Unfair service contracts
" Inflated or unexplained post-paid billing charges,
" Malpractices in pre-paid charges
" Scratch-card and Voucher failures
" Loss of unused credits
" Loss of credit for unsuccessful/un-terminated calls
" Charges on lost/drop-calls
" Tariff manipulations (publishing low rates and taking high charges)
" Call quality and efficiency
" Etc.
TO REGISTER AS A CONSUMER PARLIAMENTARIAN IN THE CONSUMER PARLIAMENT PLEASE call on + 232 78 991143 or + 232 33 144111.
THE CONSUMER PARLIAMENT BRINGS TOGETHER CONSUMERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS OPERATORS AND THE REGULATOR TO RESOLVE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND ADRESS THEIR CONCERNS. View Pictures of the past Consumer Parliament held in Freetown, BO, and Makeni
EVENT REPORT: View 3rd Consumer Parliament held in BO, 17th May 2010
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