Rinchi
TechInAfrica – Poa! Internet, the inexpensive Nairobi-based internet provider that serves low-income areas plans to offer a free week of unlimited internet access for all of its home users in Kawangare. The one week of free internet access is made as a compensation of service interruptions the customers experienced in the previous weeks caused by downtown from its main supplier.
The company changed to a new supplier by the end of September and put its original supplier to a secondary backup connection. As a result, the customers of poa! Internet had no access to the internet for several hours.
The Chief Operating Officer of poa! Internet, Chris Rhodes said: “At the end of September, however, the installation of our second supplier caused a major outage that impacted almost all of Kawangware for many hours, leaving homes without service through the night. This outage does not represent our commitment at poa! to an affordable and reliable internet service. For this reason, and to show our ongoing commitment to our customers, we are crediting all our Kawangware home customers with a week’s free unlimited internet to say sorry. These customers will, therefore, see the credit applied to their next month’s invoice.”
In term of refund system for internet outages, it has been a big issue globally. Despite the fact that it is seen as an important use by a lot of people, the laws in many countries mostly do not require ISPs to refund for services issues.
In the UK, some of the suppliers like TalkTalk, for example, provides downtime refund for its customers. Last year, there were new regulations issued making refunds compulsory on Internet service failures at least of more than two days. However, in Kenya, there is no such regulation regarding refund of internet downtime for customers.
“Ours is a vision-driven company, working tirelessly to increase Internet access for all and provide our services at the lowest possible prices and in often poorly served areas, across Kenya. That mission ties absolutely with our move to give better consumer rights than others do, in care that extends far beyond our statutory commitments in compensating them for disruptions caused as we improve our service”. Andy Halsall, the CEO of poa! Internet stated.
