Dhaka: Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association (BMPCA) on Saturday called for effective measures and stronger oversight to prevent customer harassment over international roaming services provided by mobile operators. In a statement, BMPCA President Mohiuddin Ahmed highlighted the growing difficulties faced by consumers with international roaming services of Bangladeshi mobile operators while traveling abroad.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the complaints include delays in activating roaming packages after purchase, failure to connect to networks abroad, extremely slow internet speeds, unclear package validity and benefits, and difficulties in obtaining effective customer support during emergencies. Mohiuddin Ahmed recounted personal experiences and complaints from businesspeople who faced such issues during a recent visit to China. He emphasized that mobile connectivity abroad is essential for various critical functions, including banking, office work, and emergency communication.
The BMPCA statement also detailed an incident where a Bangladeshi traveler in India faced difficulties due to a failed roaming package activation from Grameenphone. Despite contacting the operator, the issue was not resolved, prompting the customer to purchase another package to access the internet temporarily. The association stressed that while this was an individual complaint, similar experiences by multiple customers should not be dismissed as isolated grievances.
The BMPCA called for a review of international roaming services and customer support at the regulatory level. They noted that mobile operators are actively promoting various international roaming packages and technologies. However, when customers purchase a package, they expect uninterrupted communication services. The association urged operators to take responsibility for ensuring effective service delivery.
The BMPCA also urged the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to ensure prompt confirmation of successful roaming package activation for customers and called for automatic refunds for packages that fail to activate. Additionally, they demanded clear information on partner networks, supported technologies, and expected service quality in each country.
The association advocated for a 24-hour international roaming support system to provide prompt technical assistance to customers abroad. They emphasized the need for operators to regularly inform the regulator about roaming-related complaints and the resolution times. The BMPCA also called for identifying underlying technical causes when similar roaming issues recur, rather than advising customers to purchase additional packages.
Furthermore, the BMPCA highlighted the importance of addressing consumer rights and emergency communication in the context of international roaming, noting that existing guidelines already provide for consumer-friendly complaint mechanisms. They pointed out that while 5G is being discussed in Bangladesh, Grameenphone's current roaming information does not include 5G availability.
In conclusion, the BMPCA urged the BTRC and mobile operators to assess and improve the quality of international roaming services, stressing that the real question for customers is the reliability of the package abroad, beyond the mere act of purchasing it.