By Paul Nyathi

Giant government owned mobile phone service provider Netone has refunded over 180 000 subscribers data bundles that allegedly disappeared from their mobile phones unused.

The refunds follow a Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) directive to NetOne ordering the mobile network operator to refund subscriber’s funds which “disappeared” when using OneFusion in January and February this year.

The authority had reported that it had received numerous complaints from subscribers and decided to take action.

Netone is refunding 150 Megabytes data to all the 180 000 subscribers starting Wednesday morning.

We publish the authority’s letter which was sent to Netone in February in full below:

RE: BILLING COMPLAINTS ON NETONE DATA BUNDLES

We refer to the above matter.

The Authority has noted the billing challenges you are facing with the Onefusion product. We have also noted that you have sent a communication to your subscribers advising and admitting the same challenges. Given the extent and magnitude of complaints raised to the Regulator by the subscribers, we hereby direct you to compensate the affected consumers in accordance with the prejudice they endured. This is done in the spirit of promoting the consumers’ right to complain and redress.

Accordingly, you are further requested to provide the Authority with a database of affected subscribers that provides details of the subscriber including the name, number, and the extent to which each of them was affected in monetary terms and the compensation levels extended to the affected subscribers. The database will enable us to conduct an audit trail on whether all affected subscribers have been compensated accordingly. The database should be submitted to the Authority by 28 February 2018. You are also advised to furnish the authority with measures that you have put in place to ensure that challenges of this nature will not recur.