afrol News, 12 November - Telecommunication services in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea are going from bad to worse, the government complains. Coverage is being limited, telephone calls suddenly are interrupted and other services offered by Guinea Ecuatorial de Telecomunicaciones (Getesa) are failing.

According to official sources in the capital Malabo, Equatorial Guinea's Deputy Technology and Telecommunications Minister Carmelo Martín Modu earlier this week had a meeting with the leaders of the country's monopoly telecom provider Getesa. The Deputy Minister had called for the meeting to discuss "the poor quality end worsening service" the company is offering its customers.

The poor quality of Getesa products "consists of lack of coverage, the interruption of phone calls and other abnormalities in its services," said an official government note, to which afrol News was given access.

The telecom provider however claims the situation is soon to improve. The Getesa leadership during the meeting had told government that the company is currently realising works on its networks to "improve the quality" of its services.

Deputy Minister Martín Modu during the meeting reminded Getesa leaders of the wording of the Equatoguinean General Telecommunications Act, which defines the telecom sector as a public service, saying that "the non-compliance and non-justifies interruptions are considered grave infringement." Leaning on this Act, the Deputy Minister obliged the telecom company to issue an official statement, explaining customers the reasons behind the problems experienced.

Since 1987, Getesa has been the only telecom operator in the country, thus holding a monopoly on such services. The Equatoguinean government holds 60 percent of shares in Getesa, while France Télécom controls the remaining 40 percent.

This is not the first time government is complaining about the poor quality of the monopoly holder's service provision. Only least year, Equatoguinean Prime Minister Ricardo Mangué Obama Nfubea convened the Getesa board to an urgent meeting, where he warned the company of consequences if the many dysfunctions were not improved.

"I have received more than hundred complaints myself," the Prime Minister said after last year's meeting with Getesa leaders. "The ministers are complaining, companies are complaining. Fact is that services provided by Getesa have worsened in quality," he added. One year later, government officials must take note that the situation has even worsened.

By staff writers

© afrol News

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