Disruptions in internet connection, calls: Telecommunications Regulatory Board says CAMTEL not solely responsible.

As sole provider of fibre optic in the country, CAMTEL, was in the people’s tribunal in recent weeks when subscribers of different telecoms operators began facing recurrent disruptions in services.

Some privately-owned telecoms operators, had even gone as far as publicly putting the blame squarely at the doorstep of CAMTEL.

But when a fact-finding team from the Telecommunications Regulatory Board, popularly kown by its French abbreviation, ART, which is the police of the sector, went down to field, the findings were sharply contrary to what other actors in the sector had been peddling.

The ART team which visited CAMTEL’s installations had not only given the state-run corporation a pat on the back but also praised the institution for its huge infrastructure development.

It emerged from the visit that regular acts of vandalism on CAMTEL’s installations and ongoing road construction works were at the origin of the disruptions.

During the inspection visit it was revealed that several reasons account for the disruption in network connection.

The Director of Recovery at ART, Jules Essoh Kambo explained that: “When road projects are being done, there sometimes cut optic fibre lines. There is also the permanent vandalism of CAMTEL’s optic fibre that is causing the service to deteriorate”.

During the visit, the server room of the telecoms operator was also inspected. According to CAMTEL, the data storage device at the facility has not been corrupted.

“CAMTEL had minimal internal dysfunction. We wish that operators continue to invest and mobilise persons in the maintenance of fibre optic. We hope that they work hand in hand for this national cause which is the provision of quality service. We want to encourage CAMTEL to continue seeking investments to improve on the quality of services, and also wish that CAMTEL builds an environment of trust with other operators so together, they can better manage and maintain fibre optic,” the ART official urged.

The inspection mission came at the behest of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. It was part of the implementation of resolutions that were arrived at during a meeting held after the 2023 ‘Flight Mode’ social media protest.

The poor quality of mobile communication services had aroused indignation among citizens.

Meanwhile, the Douala inspection visit of CAMTEL’s installations came on the heels of an audience granted a delegation from ART. The delegation was led by ART’s Deputy Director General, Zourmba Aboubakar.

The delegation was received at CAMTEL's head office by the corporation’s General Manager, Judith Yah Sunday epse Achidi.

The visit, which took place in two phases, included a working session between teams from the two institutions and an inspection of CAMTEL's technical facilities.

The aim of the meeting was to hold in-depth discussions on the state and development of CAMTEL's network, to assess the challenges encountered in managing telecommunications infrastructures, particularly those linked to fibre optics, and to make recommendations for improving the quality of telecommunications services in Cameroon.

At the end of the visit, CAMTEL's General Manager had expressed her satisfaction with the quality of the discussions and the relevance of the observations made by ART.

“This visit marks an important step in our commitment to provide quality services to Cameroonians. Collaboration between CAMTEL and ART is essential to meet the challenges we face, particularly in terms of protecting telecommunications infrastructure and combating vandalism. We remain committed to working closely with ART to ensure an efficient and secure telecommunications sector,” said CAMTEL's General Manager.

For his part, ART's Deputy Director General, Zourmba Aboubakar, had welcomed CAMTEL's commitment to complying with regulatory standards and instructed increased investment in order to constantly improve the quality of its services.

“Our discussions were fruitful and we were able to identify concrete avenues for improvement. ART will continue to support CAMTEL, which plays a strategic role in Cameroon's telecommunications ecosystem, in its efforts to offer reliable and accessible connectivity to all Cameroonians,” he pledged.

Target of repeated acts of vandalism

The Cameroon Telecommunications, CAMTEL, has been a victim of repeated acts of vandalism on its infrastructures.

In a recent outing, CAMTEL had decried what its officials said are acts of sabotage and vandalism on its fibre optic network essential to the functioning of key enterprises nationwide.

The outing of the institution came in the wake of service interruptions that had provoked concerns nationwide. 

In addition to an earlier statement CAMTEL issued clarifying other technical details for which some of its partners bear responsibility, the company maintained that the attacks were moves intended to derail its lead role in the country’s digital transformation agenda.

With a 12,000-kilometer fiber optic infrastructure that would soon witness an additional 4,000-kilometer extension, sources say, demonstrates CAMTEL's commitment to serve the nation to diverse ways.

Being the boss of the fiber optic which is the backbone of Cameroon’s electronic communications, CAMTEL, its officials say, has remained

Being a key player in the nation’s digital adjustment to provide key infrastructure required for development efforts, CAMTEL has shown multiform resilience.

Amid its resilience, connectivity issues have always come to the fore, but CAMTEL officials say the company has the capacity and wherewithal to shoulder on and meet the digital infrastructure service needs of the Cameroonian society, the Central African Sub region and beyond.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3249 of Friday October 04, 2024