Airtel Nigeria launches Open Network to address network issues through customer feedback

Nigerian telecoms operator Airtel has today launched Airtel Open Network, a platform where subscribers can view network coverage, check mobile tower locations, and report signal issues directly. This initiative marks the operator’s attempt to relate better with users and improve customer experience. 

The launch comes at a time when consumer complaints about poor network issues are increasing. Airtel said Open Network is an attempt to communicate directly with customers, understand the issues they face, gather feedback, and resolve the identified issues. 

While delivering the keynote address, Airtel Nigeria CEO Dinesh Balsingh noted that the launch marks a historic moment in trying to understand customer complaints and respond to the needs of people the company serves. 

He noted that the primary focus is to ensure that technology translates into meaningful value for customers, not simply a new feature or another addition to the app.

“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. And this is why we have created the Airtel Open Network,” he noted.  

Also read: Airtel Nigeria earns ₦3,771 from each subscriber as revenue hits ₦1.37 trillion in H1 2026. 

For every Nigerian subscriber who depends on network and internet connection to earn a living, to serve their own customers, complete a transaction, or reach a loved one, the quality of their experience matters. At every point when they demand a response, they don’t just want an AI-generated response. They want something more understandable and relatable. 

Balsingh pointed out that Open Network will, by itself, not repair a faulty site or eliminate every server status. He noted that what it does is enable meaningful engagement, bringing the information available to the operator and new customers, forming a way to contribute to possible improvement. 

“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. 

Airtel said the Open Network is now available on the MyAirtel app. Subscribers who can access it on the platform would have to update the app for accessibility. 

Airtel Open Network features

Besides getting feedback, the Open Network allows subscribers to view detailed coverage maps of 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks, existing tower locations, and scheduled network upgrades.

Customers can flag coverage gaps, call drops, or poor data speeds and track their complaints using service request numbers. It also helps provide the operator with information that assists in identifying suitable locations for setting up new towers or replacing shut-down infrastructure. 

“We believe customers should have a more informed relationship with the servers that they use.  They should be able to raise concerns. And those concerns should reach the people equipped to investigate the problem,” Balsingh pointed out. 

On how it will use the feedback, the operator said the conversations with customers help identify areas to prioritise tower upgrades, set up new 5G sites and improve spectrum distribution. Airtel noted that the initiative allows the operator to join the thoughts of customer experiences with its own process.

The Open Network comes almost a year after Airtel launched its spam alert tool, which flagged more than 9.6 million suspected spam messages in its first two months of deployment. 

The operators’ CEO noted that the problem addressed by Open Network is different, but the principle is the same. He noted that technology is most valuable when it has a practical purpose in meeting our needs.