Airtel Nigeria has introduced a new digital feature that could change how subscribers monitor network performance and report connectivity problems. Through its newly launched Open Network initiative, customers can now view nearby network infrastructure, check the operational status of network sites and submit complaints about poor service directly through the MyAirtel app.
The development gives subscribers greater access to information about the telecommunications infrastructure serving their communities, while providing Airtel with another channel to identify areas experiencing network difficulties.
For millions of Nigerians who depend on mobile networks for business transactions, online education, communication, entertainment and everyday activities, the initiative could make it easier to understand network challenges and communicate them to the operator.
Announced on Friday in Lagos, the initiative is part of Airtel Nigeria’s efforts to improve transparency, strengthen customer engagement and make network investments more responsive to subscribers’ actual experiences.
The launch also comes amid growing concerns about telecommunications service quality in Nigeria, with operators facing increasing pressure from consumers and regulators to improve voice and internet services.
Airtel Introduces Open Network to Give Customers More Control
Airtel Nigeria’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dinesh Balsingh, announced the initiative, describing it as a technology-driven approach to understanding customer experiences and improving network performance.
According to Balsingh, the Open Network platform is designed to give subscribers better visibility into the company’s network infrastructure while allowing them to provide location-specific feedback about connectivity problems.
He explained that Airtel wants to understand where customers experience difficulties, identify the nature of those challenges and direct technical resources towards areas with the greatest needs.
The initiative recognises the growing importance of reliable mobile connectivity in Nigeria, where individuals and businesses increasingly depend on telecommunications services for essential activities.
Balsingh said the platform would provide customers with a visual representation of nearby network infrastructure and a convenient way to communicate their experiences.
Rather than relying solely on general customer complaints, Airtel hopes to gather more precise information about where service problems occur and the conditions under which subscribers experience them.
This information is expected to help the company’s technical teams investigate reported issues and determine appropriate solutions.
How to Check Nearby Airtel Network Towers Using MyAirtel App
One of the main features of the Open Network initiative is the ability to view network sites around a subscriber’s location.
Customers can access the feature through the MyAirtel app without needing to visit a physical Airtel office or contact customer service simply to view nearby network infrastructure.
Here is how the feature works:
- Open the MyAirtel app: Launch the application on your smartphone.
- Locate Quick Actions: Navigate to the Quick Actions section on the app’s home screen.
- Select Open Network: Tap the Open Network feature to access the network information interface.
- Allow location access: The application may request permission to use your device’s location so it can display nearby network infrastructure.
- Explore the network map: View network sites around your location and check their operational status.
- Select individual sites: Tap a network site to access additional information, including its identification number, technology and upgrade status.
The feature is intended to make network information more accessible while helping subscribers understand the infrastructure serving their neighbourhoods.
Users can also switch between standard map and satellite views, making it easier to identify the locations of nearby network sites.
What the Red, Blue and Black Colours on Airtel’s Network Map Mean
Airtel’s Open Network interface uses a colour-coded system to help subscribers distinguish between different categories of network infrastructure.
Understanding these colours is important because they indicate whether a network site is already operational, undergoing improvements or still awaiting deployment.
The platform uses three main colours:
- Red – Active network sites: These represent operational network sites currently serving their respective locations.
- Blue – Sites undergoing upgrades: These indicate active network infrastructure where improvement work is taking place.
- Black – Planned network sites: These represent proposed network locations that have not yet become operational.
By selecting individual sites, subscribers can access more detailed information about the infrastructure.
This includes network site identification numbers, the technology available at each location, such as 4G or 5G, and details about ongoing upgrades.
For sites undergoing improvements, customers may also see information about the work being carried out.
Such activities could include capacity expansion or migration to 5G technology, alongside updates on the progress of the work.
The additional information is intended to help customers understand what Airtel is doing to improve network infrastructure in their areas.
However, the presence of a nearby network site does not necessarily mean that every subscriber will experience strong connectivity.
How to Report Poor Airtel Network Service Through the App
Beyond providing network infrastructure information, the Open Network initiative allows customers to report service quality problems directly through the MyAirtel app.
The feedback feature connects subscribers to Airtel Assist, where they can select the type of connectivity problem they are experiencing.
Customers can report several common network challenges, including:
- Poor voice call quality.
- Slow mobile internet speeds.
- Complete loss of internet access.
- Video buffering and streaming difficulties.
After selecting the relevant complaint category, subscribers are required to provide additional information to help Airtel understand the problem.
The details requested include the affected phone number, whether the issue occurs indoors or outdoors, how long the problem has continued and whether it happens continuously or only at particular times.
These details are important because network problems can vary depending on location, usage patterns and other technical conditions.
For example, a subscriber experiencing slow internet speeds inside a building may be facing a different connectivity challenge from someone experiencing the same problem outdoors.
Similarly, an issue that occurs only during busy periods may require a different technical investigation from one that persists throughout the day.
Airtel said its technical teams would review the feedback submitted through the platform and use the information to guide efforts to improve network performance.
NCC Welcomes Airtel’s Open Network Initiative
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has welcomed the introduction of the Open Network platform, describing it as consistent with the regulator’s increasing emphasis on transparency and consumer empowerment.
Speaking at the launch, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, said reliable telecommunications services had become essential to Nigerians because of their growing dependence on mobile connectivity.
He noted that consumers increasingly rely on telecommunications networks for business activities, education, communication and other important aspects of everyday life.
Maida explained that while telecommunications operators regularly announce investments in additional network sites and capacity expansion, customers are primarily interested in whether those investments result in better services in their locations.
According to him, making network information more accessible could help address the gap between infrastructure investments and subscribers’ expectations.
He emphasised that transparency should allow consumers to understand the services available to them, report problems and receive information about the actions taken to address their complaints.
The NCC’s position highlights the importance of ensuring that telecommunications infrastructure development translates into measurable improvements in customer experience.
NCC Explains Why Nearby Network Towers Do Not Guarantee Strong Signals
Although the regulator welcomed Airtel’s initiative, Maida also cautioned subscribers against assuming that the presence of a nearby network site automatically guarantees reliable connectivity.
He explained that network performance depends on several technical factors beyond the physical distance between a customer and a telecommunications tower.
These include network congestion, transmission constraints and other infrastructure-related challenges.
Network congestion, for instance, can occur when too many users attempt to access the same network resources simultaneously, potentially affecting internet speeds and service quality.
Transmission limitations can also influence how efficiently data travels between network sites and other parts of the telecommunications infrastructure.
This means that even where an active network site is located close to a subscriber, the quality of service may still vary.
The NCC’s clarification is important because the Open Network feature is designed to provide visibility into infrastructure, not a guarantee of uninterrupted connectivity or specific internet speeds.
Airtel’s Launch Comes Amid Growing Pressure Over Network Quality
The introduction of the Open Network initiative comes at a time when telecommunications service quality in Nigeria remains a major concern for subscribers.
As demand for mobile internet, voice calls and digital services continues to increase, network operators are facing greater pressure to provide reliable connectivity.
The issue has also attracted attention from lawmakers.
Just last week, the House of Representatives directed the chief executive officers of telecommunications companies operating in Nigeria to appear before it and explain the persistent decline in service quality.
The lawmakers warned that telecommunications executives who failed to comply with the directive could face arrest.
The summons followed growing concerns about poor network performance despite investments in telecommunications infrastructure and regulatory interventions aimed at improving service delivery.
Against this background, Airtel’s Open Network initiative introduces another approach to addressing customer complaints by giving subscribers a more direct role in reporting problems and providing information about their locations.
What Airtel Subscribers Should Know About the Open Network Feature
The new platform offers two major benefits: visibility into nearby network infrastructure and a direct channel for reporting connectivity problems.
Subscribers can use the MyAirtel app to check whether nearby network sites are active, undergoing upgrades or still planned for deployment.
They can also access information about available network technologies, including 4G and 5G, and view details about ongoing infrastructure improvements.
For customers experiencing poor service, the feedback section provides an opportunity to submit specific complaints that Airtel’s technical teams can investigate.
However, the effectiveness of the initiative will ultimately depend on how quickly reported problems are assessed and whether the information collected leads to meaningful improvements.
For Airtel, the platform could provide valuable location-specific data to support network planning and investment decisions.
For consumers, it offers greater transparency and a more accessible way to communicate service difficulties.
As Nigeria’s telecommunications industry faces increasing demands for better connectivity, Airtel’s Open Network initiative represents a move towards a more open relationship between network operators and their customers.
Whether it delivers the expected improvements will depend on how effectively Airtel turns customer feedback and infrastructure information into better network performance across the country.
