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Nepal Telecommunications Authority

Quality of Service Parameters

for

Basic Telephone Service

(Approved by NTA on 12 Asadh, 2064 B.S. (26 June, 2007))

Quality of Service Parameters

 1.0  Background:

 1.1   Section 14 of the Telecommunications Act, 1997 (2053) authorizes Nepal Telecommunications Authority for the determination and fixation of Quality of Telecommunications Services and Standard of telecommunications equipment and facility.

 Pursuant to Section 14 of the Telecommunication Act, 1997, the Authority has determined the Quality of Service parameters and the corresponding benchmarks for Wireline Basic Telephone Service.

1.2    ‘Quality of Service (QoS)’ is the main indicator of the performance of a telecom network and of the degree to which the network conforms to the stipulated norms and standards specified by the regulator or any other agency designated for the same. The subscriber’s perception of the Quality of Service (QoS) is determined by a number of performance factors. The purpose of laying down Quality of Service Parameters is to:  

o       Create conditions for consumer satisfaction by making known the quality of service which the service provider is required to provide and the user has a right to expect. Thus, it protects the interests of consumers of telecommunication services.

o       Measure from time to time the Quality of Service provided by the Service Providers and to compare them with the norms so as to assess the level of performance.

1.3    Development of telecom technologies and reduction in the human dependence of the telecom networks and customer services calls for periodical review of the QoS parameters currently set, for redefining the benchmarks as well as deletion of some existing QoS parameters and addition of some new parameters based on the merits, world trends and experience.

1.4    The Authority has decided that the QoS parameter should be more objective than subjective. There is a requirement to clearly define method (with the clear mention of time period for averaging the value of parameter) for measurement of the QoS parameters so that there is homogeneity in the values of QoS parameters being submitted by different operators to the regulator or published by the operators as per the license requirements. This will make easy the evaluation of the services being provided by different operators by the regulator as well as the customers. 

1.5    To make the QoS parameters more comprehensive, the Authority has decided to sub-divide the QoS parameters into following four broad categories:

·        Network Performance

·        Fault Incidence and Repair

·        Billing Complaints and Redressal

·        Customer Perception regarding the Services

Each of the above categories is being elaborated in the following paragraphs.

2.     Basic Telephone Service(Wireline)

2.1.      Network Performance: Network Performance is the most important QoS parameter for measurement of quality of a Telecom Operator. Poor performance of a telecom network would induce customer complaints and faults, thereby leading to customer dissatisfaction towards the operator. The Network Performance parameter is further subdivided into the following:

·        Service Access Delay

·        Call Completion Ratio

·        Grade of Service

·        Point of Interconnection (PoI) Congestion

Service Access Delay: Service Access Delay is defined as “the time between the last dialed digit and getting the ring back tone” .

Call Completion Ratio: Call Completion Ratio (CCR) is defined as “the ratio of number of completed calls to the number of call attempts”.

Grade of Service: Grade of Service (GoS) is defined as “the probability of call failure over the junctions between switches due to non availability of junctions”.

Point of Interconnection (PoI) congestion: PoI congestion is defined as “the ratio of calls failed over the PoI (between two operators/ licensees) due to unavailability of free circuits to the total call requests for seizure of PoI circuit”.

Note: It is to be noted that all the measurements of performance parameters should be carried out during the “Time Consistent Busy Hour (TCBH)”. TCBH is defined as “the one hour period starting at the same time each day for which the average traffic of resource group is greatest over the days under consideration”. ITU recommends analysis of 90 days to establish TCBH. Further, the above parameters are to be measured by the operators within their own network (within a single exchange in case of wire line networks). In view of the variety of different systems in use at the different exchanges, it has determined that for the present time, measurements of all the parameters for the wire line networks shall be limited to the Parent Exchanges alone.

2.2.      Fault Incidence and Repair:

                              Fault Incidence and Repair are categorized into the following:

·        Fault Incidences (No. of Faults/ 1000 subscribers/ month)

·        Fault Repair is further divided as fault cleared within

ü      24 Hours

ü      48 Hours

ü      72 Hours

ü      more than 72 Hours

2.3.      Billing Complaints and Redressal:

Billing complaints are categorized into:

·        Billing Complaints per 100 bills issued

·        Percentage of billing complaints cleared within a month.

2.4.      Customers Perception Regarding the Services:

The Authority has determined to sub divide this parameter into the following category:

·        Percentage of customers satisfied with the network performance, reliability and availability.

·        Percentage of customers satisfied with the provision of service.

·        Percentage of customers satisfied with billing performance.

·        Percentage of customers satisfied with the help/enquiry services.

·        Percentage of customers satisfied with the maintainability.

·        Percentage of customers satisfied with the offered supplementary services

·        Overall Customer Satisfaction

The Authority would determine the modalities of the customer survey.

3.0  Quality of Service Parameters and its corresponding benchmarks:

In respect of the parameter "Provision of a telephone after registration of demand", only those areas where telephone is available on demand is taken into account. The operators should specify such areas and the same should be widely publicized. If the telephone can be provided on demand, the same should be provided within the specified time frames. In all other cases, waiting list should be maintained and the connections released in a non-discriminatory manner as per the waiting list, objectively predetermined for various categories.

In view of the above, the Authority has determined the following QoS parameters (along with benchmark values and period for averaging) for Basic Telephone Service based on wire-line:

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