Grace Ashiru
Cameroon’s telecommunications authority has imposed fines amounting to roughly 2.6 billion CFA francs (approximately US $4.6 million) on MTN Cameroon and Orange Cameroun, citing ongoing shortcomings in service delivery and breaches of regulatory standards.
Inspections conducted between April and May 2024 across major cities and key transport routes including Yaoundé, Douala, Mbalmayo, Ebolowa, and Kyé-Ossi found that both MTN Cameroon and Orange Cameroun had failed to meet the minimum coverage and service standards outlined in their licenses. The Telecommunications Regulatory Board (TRB) reported widespread issues such as unreliable voice and data services, frequent outages, and uneven network availability. Additionally, Orange Cameroun violated pricing transparency regulations and had faulty opt-out mechanisms for value-added services, while MTN Cameroon was flagged for poor network performance.
As a result, the Telecommunications Regulatory Board (TRB) imposed a fine of 1.4 billion CFA francs (approximately US $2.5 million) on Orange Cameroun for breaches related to service delivery and pricing. An additional penalty of 200 million CFA francs (around US $357,600) was levied for non-compliance with pricing standards. MTN Cameroon was also sanctioned, receiving a fine of 1 billion CFA francs (about US $1.8 million) for deficiencies in network coverage and overall service quality.
TRB Director General, Philémon Zo’o Zame, emphasized that the penalties reflect the agency’s commitment to upholding contractual standards and highlight the critical role of dependable telecom services in national development. “This move delivers a clear message to operators: regulatory compliance is non-negotiable,” he stated.
The penalties come in the wake of growing public frustration and repeated calls from the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications to improve deteriorating service quality. This is despite the fact that Camtel, Orange, and MTN collectively invested over CFA 185 billion in network infrastructure in 2023. Consumers have consistently voiced concerns over recurring network failures, sluggish internet, and dropped calls issues frequently attributed to unstable fiber networks, inconsistent power supply, and inadequate maintenance and response systems.
Our monitoring of complaint patterns on local forums, including feedback from users in Douala and Yaoundé, reflects widespread dissatisfaction many users report that network performance remains unreliable, even in major urban areas.
The telecom regulator has committed to intensifying oversight of service providers, tightening enforcement of compliance standards, enhancing customer complaint mechanisms, and conducting thorough infrastructure audits. Officials have also warned that continued non-compliance may lead to additional penalties, including possible reductions in license validity periods.
This represents a significant enforcement step in Cameroon’s push to uphold service quality within its digital economy, reinforcing expectations that telecom providers meet their contractual obligations to consumers.
