Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) has ordered local telecommunications company MTN Rwandacell Plc to solve all problems related to its call services.

In a statement released on Monday, August 23, the utilities regulator said sanctions will be taken if MTN Rwanda fails to comply with the directive.

"The Regulatory Board hereby issues an Enforcement Notice directing MTN RWANDACELL PLC to solve all network connection issues related to poor calls connections (first attempts failures), drop calls and silent/garbled-speech calls,” RURA said in a statement dated August 19.

The notice added that MTN Rwanda had to comply with 2019 regulations determining the quality of cellular network services by October 29, 2021 in Kigali City and by November 30, 2021 in the rest of the country.

In case the deadlines are missed, the utilities regulator warned that "further regulatory sanctions, including the monetary sanction shall be applied immediately.”

Members of the public have over the past months been raising concerns about MTN Rwanda’s call and internet connections services.

However, RURA’s statement said nothing about the telecom company’s internet services, which have also been criticized by the public, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic when they were obliged to use digital means to access most services or attend meetings.

MTN Rwanda, which started in 1998, boasts of having the largest market share with over six million subscribers. It is part of the South Africa-based telecom company MTN Group.