Airtel Nigeria launches Open Network for feedback

Airtel Nigeria has launched Airtel Open Network, a platform enabling subscribers to view network coverage, check mobile tower locations, and report signal issues directly. The initiative aims to improve customer experience amid rising complaints about poor network performance. Available on the MyAirtel app, users must update the app to access the feature.

The platform provides detailed coverage maps for 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks, existing tower locations, and scheduled upgrades. Customers can flag coverage gaps, call drops, or slow data speeds and track complaints using service request numbers. Airtel states the system helps identify optimal locations for new towers or replacing outdated infrastructure.

Customer Engagement and Feedback Mechanism

According to CEO Dinesh Balsingh, the launch represents a historic step toward addressing customer complaints effectively. He emphasized that technology should deliver meaningful value, not just new features. “Every customer wants more than a mechanical connection. They want to understand the service available to them. They want to have their concerns heard, and they want to know that their feedback can lead to action,” Balsingh noted.

Balsingh clarified that Open Network alone cannot repair faulty sites or eliminate all server issues. However, it facilitates meaningful engagement by providing Airtel with precise information about problem locations and customer experiences. “When a customer reports a problem through Open Network, better information about where the problem occurs, and what the customer is actually experiencing, can help our teams investigate more clinically and direct attention to the actual problem,” he added.

Strategic Use of Customer Insights

Airtel plans to use customer conversations to prioritize tower upgrades, establish new 5G sites, and improve spectrum distribution. The initiative merges customer perspectives with the company’s operational processes to enhance service delivery. The platform follows Airtel’s 2023 spam alert tool, which flagged over 9.6 million suspected spam messages in its first two months.

The CEO highlighted that while Open Network addresses a different issue, its underlying principle remains consistent: technology must have practical value. By enabling informed customer interactions and actionable feedback, Airtel seeks to strengthen its relationship with users who depend on reliable networks for daily activities like transactions and communication.