Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority Consumer Consultative Council (TCRA – CCC) has instructed telecommunications companies to introduce technologies that would help blind and deaf people to protect their privacy when communicating through phones.
TCRA -CCC Executive Secretary Ms Mary Shao issued the directive to the companies yesterday at a press conference in Dar es Salaam.
The Executive Secretary said that the deaf and the blind have been left behind, when it comes to communication as many of them want to be secretive, but only find themselves lacking secrecy in their telecommunications as a result of their disability.
Citing an example, Ms Shao pointed out that customer service number, which is 100 does not benefit the deaf people because they are unable to hear and the issue of security is limited for them.
“The person’s cellphone and communications are supposed to be confidential, but we have left this group behind. If one of them wants to text or have any other communication service he/she must ask for help, there is no secrecy for them at all,” she pointed out.
However, the Executive Secretary pointed out that TCRA CCC has already communicated with the telephone operators on the matter, and they would continue to remind and instruct them to set up friendly infrastructure for them so that they too could enjoy the service and have confidence in their communication.
“Therefore, we are ordering all mobile networks to install something called Sauti Pass and various other systems so that this group can benefit from the services and confidentiality of their communications, through a voice he can set a password,” she stressed.
Elaborating, she stressed that all mobile service provider companies should ensure that they formalize their agents, who register telephone lines to reduce cybercrime.
Equally, Ms Shao urged mobile phone users to desist from buying simcards arbitrarily, especially from the streets and instead obtain them from shops that have been inspected and sealed by the TCRA CCC logos, adding: “This will help in crime reduction, but buy only quality products.”
In another development, the TCRA CCC’s Head of Education and Awareness, Mr Hilal Tesha, disclosed that from March to May this year, they have received various complaints that have been worked on and others have been submitted to mobile phone companies.
Citing a case study, he said that Vodacom Company customers have been complaining that their vouchers have not been activated, but thereafter was addressed.
According to him, the University of Dodoma (UDOM) also complained against Tigo and Voda due to slow internet and in turn the companies promised to install LTE speeds as fast as 4G.
The Head of Education and Awareness also mentioned other areas of South Pemba in the villages of Tondooni, Mwachawa, Mtemani, Gongoni, Ndagoni and Wambaa experienced slow internet surfing.
He said that due to the challenge, Tigo and Zantel mobile companies have pledged to work on the issue from the end of this year until June 2022.
