العربية

Consumer Affairs Services

Consumer Protection

CITRA is responsible for ensuring the rights of consumers are protected and safeguarded in today’s fast-paced and dynamic world of telecommunication. This is achieved by governing the relationship between service providers and users, in line with domestic consumer protection laws and the best International practices, and providing a consumer-centric regulatory environment that is both fair and competitive.
In this regard, CITRA sets the framework and boundaries for service providers and then monitors their compliance performance.

Consumer Rights

CITRA regulates the relationship between telecommunications service providers and users, and identifies consumer rights as follows:

Access to basic telecommunications services at affordable prices.
Fast and high-quality telecommunication services.
Obtain a list of prices before committing to a service provider.
Obtain assistance and information from service providers.
Treat users of the same services equally.
Obtain the terms and conditions of the service provided.
Express the level of satisfaction with the service directly to service providers.
Effectively address users' problems.
Access to secure services and provide consumer privacy.
Introduce the consumer of the services offered.
Obtain an invoice for postpaid services and billing information if requested.
Receive a notification in case of any service interruption that might occur.
Protect the user from misleading marketing and communication practices.
File complaints to the service provider and to CITRA if the provider didn’t respond.
The right to receive notice for a period of no less than 7 days before any price increase or any change in the contract.
The opportunity to terminate the contract without penalty before implementing any price increase.
The right not to receive unsolicited e-mails or SMS.

Subscriber Agreements

As a matter of CITRA policy, all agreements between a provider and the customer are subject to review and approval by CITRA and must be compliant with CITRA regulations, domestics laws, and international standards and best practices.

Tips for customers when selecting an service provider

Get a comprehensive understanding of the offer.
Make an informed decision, avoid impulse.
If the subscribers wants a special number:
Comparing prices and features before buying.
Avoiding signing contracts for exaggerated services.
Carefully reading the terms of the contract and fully understanding it.
Asking questions in order to avoid any misunderstanding.
Notifying the service provider when a SIM card is lost or stolen.
Notifying the service provider of any changes in the user’s contact details.
Ensuring transaction accuracy and billing validity.
Ensuring immediate payment of invoices to avoid service interruption.

Call Center 125

Operated by CITRA, this is an integrated call center and that provides channels of communication with operators, service providers and with individuals, where service providers can report the condition of their networks, such as scheduled maintenance of towers, especially those that will affect the strength and the quality of the transmission. Individuals can apply for services and file complaints through the call center or by contacting CITRA via the following email: CS@citra.gov.kw and CITRA’s team is fully prepared to answer all inquiries from 7:30 am until 3:30 pm.

Quality of Service

CITRA sets performance indicators for the quality of mobile and fixed services to control and ensure high quality of service to the consumer. It issues regulations to monitor the performance of the public service providers and regulates the quality of service to achieve user satisfaction and help them choose the best service provider that fits them. CITRA publishes the indicators results reports periodically on its website. All indicators results reports are available on this page.

Type Approval

Each country operates a different telecommunications network and some telecommunications equipment can be safely used in one country, but not in another. Type Approval is the process of determining and registering the type of equipment that may be brought and used in the State of Kuwait without causing interference or long or short-term damage to the network. Getting Type Approval also facilitates the customs clearance process of devices intended for non-commercial use in addition to regulating the importation and sale of communications equipment in the country. The process also verifies the products by previously approved manufacturers and suppliers.

Interconnection

Interconnection is the connection between the service provider's own networks or another service provider’s networks to enable users of different service providers to communicate with each other.