Cameroon’s telecom regulator fines Orange and MTN nearly €4M over substandard network coverage, service quality failures, pricing violations, and breaches of consumer rights, despite prior penalties and promised improvements.

The Cameroonian Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ART) has imposed fines amounting to nearly 4 million euros on the local branches of multinational companies Orange and MTN due to violations, particularly concerning service quality. In a statement released to the press on Monday, ART indicated that these penalties stem from inspections carried out in April and May 2024, which revealed significant shortcomings in the performance of both companies. Among the key issues highlighted were coverage rates falling below the thresholds outlined in the operators' specifications.

The regulatory body also pointed to notable "malfunctions" within Orange Cameroon's service structure, especially concerning the process for unsubscribing from certain services. These issues were labeled a “clear violation of consumer rights,” underlining ART’s dissatisfaction with how Orange has handled customer-related processes. Consequently, Orange Cameroon has been fined approximately 2.44 million euros for not fulfilling its obligations regarding coverage and service quality, in addition to a separate penalty of about 304,898 euros for breaching pricing regulations.

In the case of MTN Cameroon, the agency has levied a fine of 1 billion FCFA, equivalent to roughly 1.52 million euros, citing similar deficiencies in network coverage and service standards. The two companies—Orange, headquartered in France, and MTN, based in South Africa—together dominate more than 80% of Cameroon’s telecommunications market.

Despite their dominant market positions, both companies have frequently been targets of criticism from consumers and watchdog groups due to the persistently poor quality of service. Access to reliable digital infrastructure is increasingly viewed as a vital economic and social concern in Cameroon, adding to public pressure for improvement.

This latest action by ART is not unprecedented. In May 2023, all four telecom operators in the country were collectively fined approximately 9.15 million euros for similar infractions. Although these companies have announced significant investments aimed at improving their infrastructure, many users continue to express dissatisfaction with the quality and reliability of their network services.

The regulator expressed hope that the newly issued penalties will serve as a strong message to all telecom operators. It emphasized the expectation that these firms will step up their efforts to meet their service obligations and substantially enhance the experience for consumers across the country.