IKTA Unveils Anti-Rating Providers

In a move aimed at enhancing transparency and service quality, Azerbaijan's Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (İKTA) has published its quarterly rankings of the nation's internet service providers (ISPs) and telecommunications operators. The assessment, based on data collected between July and September 2024, evaluates companies on two critical metrics: the volume of consumer complaints and the responsiveness to those complaints.

The complaints index, derived from reports submitted via the "E-Şikayət" system, alongside the average response time to user grievances, served as the foundation for this analysis, according to İKTA. Covering 90% of market participants in the internet services sector, the agency’s findings aim to promote accountability and drive improvements in service standards.

The report names three companies—Enginet MMC, Selnet MMC, and GSP MMC—as the least effective in delivering internet services, with complaint indices of 6.78, 3.40, and 2.89, respectively. Regarding responsiveness, Azqtel MMC fared the worst, taking an average of 21 days to address complaints. Az-Evro Tel MMC and Uninet MMC followed, with response times of 16 and 14 days, respectively.

Each of the agency's rankings spans 17 companies, shedding light on the systemic issues that continue to plague Azerbaijan's digital landscape.

Osman Gunduz, a noted internet expert, has lauded İKTA's initiative, underscoring its potential to empower consumers and compel service providers to improve. However, Gunduz has also called for broader dissemination of these findings. " İKTA should host public presentations of such rankings, including data on mobile telecommunication operators," he noted, advocating for a comprehensive review of the entire communications ecosystem.

İKTA has pledged to make these evaluations a recurring practice, expanding their scope to include postal services and broader telecommunications. By holding companies accountable and offering greater transparency, the agency aims to foster a competitive environment that prioritizes consumer satisfaction.

Market watchers will be keen to see how the industry responds to this scrutiny, especially as digital connectivity becomes increasingly critical to Azerbaijan's economy and societal needs. With İKTA taking the lead, the hope is that this newfound accountability will prompt operators to address long-standing service issues, ultimately delivering a more reliable digital experience for the nation.