UKWISPA Creates Quality Accreditation for Fixed Wireless ISPs

The UK Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, which is the official trade body for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband providers, has today launched a new Quality Accreditation Programme that aims to help ensure that providers deliver the “very highest standards of service and reliability to their customers“.

Members of the association must apply for Quality Assurance and be approved by UKWISPA before it is granted. Accreditation is said to demonstrate that the wireless ISP operates to the highest standards of customer care and good neighbourhood in the industry.

The organisation says they’re “anticipating a high take-up of this accreditation” and plan to publish a list of accredited members by the end of 2018.

David Burns, UKWISPA Chairman, told ISPreview.co.uk:

“I am particularly pleased that UKWISPA has been able to introduce this programme in only our third year. It demonstrates the maturity of our industry that WISPs can operate so professionally and deliver service levels that would put many national operators to shame.

Members of UKWISPA connect over 100,000 subscribers in the UK and pass around 2,000,000 premises. Fixed Wireless Access is particularly valuable when connecting harder to reach areas, in addition to business parks and some urban areas.

Seen by the UK Government and Ofcom as a natural extension to high speed internet access, fibre-backed Fixed Wireless broadband is now an essential part of the UK’s connectivity landscape.”

Accredited Operators Must Deliver the Following:

– A customer code of conduct, ensuring that their customers have high standards of care and product specifications.

– A formal complaints procedure so that customer issues will be handled professionally, courteously and fairly.

– Operational monitoring and standards to keep their network performing at its best all of the time.

– Procedures to help set customers’ expectations about WiFi coverage at their property where applicable.

– Participation in the UKWISPA Operator Code of Conduct. This is designed to help Fixed Wireless Access operators co-exist as good neighbours.

We wish somebody would do something similar for the wild west of Satellite providers, where service and support quality often leaves much to be desired.