By Precious D. Freeman
Lonestar Cell MTN has been annoyingly unstable for nearly 48 hours, causing significant frustration among its customers.
Many users express disappointment over the lack of communication and reliability from the telecommunications provider.
Emmanuel Gbah, a local resident, voiced his dissatisfaction, stating, “This is not how a telecommunication business should be run, especially in today’s era. Cutting off internet access without informing customers is unacceptable.”
He emphasized that many customers rely solely on Lonestar for their communication and financial transactions.
The outage has raised serious concerns, particularly regarding mobile money services. “We are trying to transition into a cashless society, yet Lonestar Cell has become a barrier to accessing our funds,” Gbah lamented.
“For over 24 hours, people cannot access their money. What if someone has urgent bills to pay? It’s a serious problem.”
Gbah further criticized the network for repeated outages, recalling that this was the second significant service interruption in just 90 days.
“The last time it lasted two days, and now we’re facing another outage. It’s an embarrassment,” he said. “I had money on my mobile account that I couldn’t use, preventing me from conducting business and responding to emergencies.”
Customers are demanding better communication from Lonestar regarding service disruptions. “It feels disrespectful that they don’t notify us when they shut down services,” Gbah said.
“Even if it was an unforeseen situation like a lightning strike, they should at least inform customers to adjust their plans accordingly.”
Others in the community echoed his sentiments, expressing anger over the impact on their ability to connect with loved ones and conduct transactions.
“Lonestar has caused real harm. If they’re not committed to providing reliable service in Liberia, they should consider leaving and making way for others,” Gbah added.
In response to the public outcry, Lonestar Cell MTN issued a statement on their Facebook page, apologizing for the inconvenience caused by the outage.
The company attributed the disruption to a severe lightning strike that damaged critical power infrastructure and network nodes.
“We understand how frustrating this has been, and our team has been working around the clock to restore services, including replacing damaged generators and equipment,” the statement read. “We genuinely care about your experience, and we are committed to making it right.”
As customers await the restoration of services, the incident highlights the ongoing challenges facing telecommunications providers in Liberia. Many users are calling for the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) to enforce regulations ensuring that companies maintain communication with their customers during outages and uphold reliable service standards.
The Lonestar outage serves as a reminder of the essential role telecommunications play in daily life, as frustrated customers hope for swift resolutions and improved accountability from their service providers.
