Daily Independent Online.
*
Tuesday, August 24, 2004.
NITEL rolls out pre-paid cards
for land lines
By Tom Chiahemen
Senior
Correspondent, Abuja
The Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), has
commissioned a fleet of newly acquired maintenance vehicles at the cost of N130
million, as a major step towards addressing customer complaints.
At the
commissioning of the vehicles in Abuja on Monday, its Chief Executive Officer
(CEO), Mr. Rein Zwolsman, said one major concern to the present management was
the avalanche of customer complaints.
"This showed that down-time per line was high due
mainly to the fact that maintenance staff were not adequately equipped,"
he regretted.
He said the NITEL pre-paid service for land line users would
be launched next week, as part of a comprehensivce package to addressing
several areas of its operations.
He also said the company was expanding customers' access to
national network by opening more channels and linkages, besides the provision
of ADSL fast Internet and Wholesale Internet services.
According to Zwolsman, a comprehensive business plan had
already been approved for the telecom company, whose features include the
reduction of NITEL's International call tariff by about 55 per cent and local
call tariff by about 50 per cent.
He added that NITEL was re-establishing a cordial relationship with
other telecom services providers to enhance intra-industry cooperation and
understanding.
He said a massive cable rehabilitation programme was
currently being implemented nation-wide, promising that customer records and
bills were being cleaned and re-formatted to ensure correct data and reliable
bills, besides the newly completed Mediation Billing project which would
enhance revenue collection.
ENDS
