The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) is commemorating World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) by organising an outreach event on March 17 and 18.
CRA is using the occasion to engage with telecom consumers in Qatar and create awareness about their rights and responsibilities to help make informed decisions, the authority has said in a statement. To mark WCRD, CRA has also relaunched its newly revamped, award-winning mobile app – Arsel – as an additional tool to manage consumer complaints.
The event will be held at Villaggio via entrance No 4. CRA’s team will be on hand to provide consumer tips to help visitors better understand their rights and responsibilities and know more about CRA’s complaints resolution process. Visitors will also be able to lodge telecom complaints against their service providers onsite.
“CRA continues to pursue its goal of ensuring that all telecom consumers in Qatar have access to a broad range of innovative and reasonably priced communications services, and is constantly looking for ways to improve their experience. The award-winning Arsel app is a key element of this and an important part of CRA’s strategy of ensuring that people have the right tools and technology at their fingertips to contribute to achieve the vision of a smarter Qatar,” said Amel Salam al-Hanawi, manager, consumer affairs department.
“I would like to invite you all to come and join us to celebrate this day. CRA is here to help and enable telecom consumers in Qatar. By downloading CRA’s mobile app, you will be empowered to communicate with us directly when you need our help,” she added.
Arsel, which was recognised as the Best Mobile App for ICT Sector last month, has been recently updated with a new “user-friendly interface and an extensive range of useful features”, the statement notes. The app gives users the ability to check if there are any network coverage issues that have been reported in their area and can be filtered by service provider. Additionally the speed test functionality allows users to check Internet speed (mobile/Wi-Fi) and report this directly to the CRA.
The app also allows users to lodge complaints against the service providers using accurate location-based information, follow up on their complaints, send relevant documents and receive updates. The app takes users through a detailed step-by-step telecom consumer complaints process.
CRA explained that it followed a certain resolution process for telecom complaints; consumers with a complaint are free to approach the authority if a complaint lodged directly to their service provider remains unresolved for 30 calendar days, or if they are dissatisfied with the resolution offered.
Complaints are then assessed by the CRA against a set of criteria to determine if they are valid or not. CRA receives and investigates complaints by working with both consumers and service providers to find a fair and mutually acceptable resolution.
Consumers can contact the CRA through the 24/7 hotline number - 103, e-mail - CRA at [email protected], the Arsel mobile application, by tweeting directly to @CRAqatar, or by visiting the CRA headquarters at Al Nasr Tower B.