(Ecofin Agency) - The mobile operators Airtel Congo and MTN Congo have again been penalised for bad quality of service. This time, the term of their 2G and 3G telecom licence, set for 15 years, has been reduced by a year. This sanction, according to the Congo Posts and Electronic communications Regulatory Agency (ARPCE), stems from the failure of the two operators to supply a service of satisfactory quality following tests undertaken by the telecom regulatory agency for a month.

These tests were meant to evaluate the quality of services after a 12-month deferment given to the two companies since April 2014 to conform to key performance indicators.

During the press conference organised on 6 August 2015, Yves Castanou, Managing director for ARPCE, himself stressed that “the network quality of operators Airtel Congo and MTN Congo is not still satisfactory with regards to international standards, particularly on the sound quality”. In February 2015, Yves Castanou has warned the two companies though of new sanctions if they failed to comply with the duties of supplying a service of irreproachable quality in the Republic of Congo, as required by the specifications.

The reduction of the licence term of Airtel and MTN by a year follows the global fine of over FCfa 2 billion imposed to the two telecom services suppliers in April 2014. This amount represented 1% of each company’s revenue.