By Technology Times Reporter
Lagos. June 30, 2008. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has set it is poised to cut SMS tariff just as a December deadline has been set to check the growing incidence of mobile handsets across the country.
Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive, NCC, Ernest Ndukwe made the promised weekend at the 47th session of the Consumer Parliament held at Akwa, Anambra State, according to a statement issued today by the telecoms regulatory agency.
Ndukwe says that an anti-theft system to render any stolen mobile phone handsets is under way and will become operational before December, this year. According to the regulator, when implemented, the system, “would completely bar any of such phones from being used in any of the phone networks.”
NCC also plans to wield a big stick by forcing operators to cut down tariffs being charged on short messaging service (SMS) to enable more phone users communicate “more easily and more cheaply.”
While no time frame has been set for the proposed tariff cut for SMS services, NCC frowned at prices on some networks that rank as high as N15 and says the matter is being looked into with operators who are being advised to “reduce the tariffs soon or the commission will take its action.”
“SMS is one of the cheapest things to offer in the network in terms of services, and many young people use this service. It is cheaper and easier and when more people use it, it will also free the networks of congestion. If the operators do not react, we will react. We will probably put a ceiling on this service”, Ndukwe says.
According to him, regulatory checks in Awka and environs reveal that all the operators have failed in the area of customer care for subscribers. He urged them to live up to their responsibilities to ensure customer satisfaction with the provision of customer care facilities for quick resolution of complaints.
“This is the first time that any group of customers have been so compensated in any part of Africa, and we have not seen in it any part of the world. So, we are proud to achieve that for the consumers in this country”, Ndukwe says to underscore recent regulatory directive that some mobile operators should compensate subscribers.
Ndukwe also reiterated NCC’s plans to provide broadband coverage in many Nigerian cities mid-2009 through the State Accelerated Broadband Initiative, SABI, a programme under which the agency will subsidise the rollout of the service by some operators. He adds that this would complement other operators already offering 3G broadband Internet services while some others are using WIMAX technology.
“If there is wilful damage to your equipment, you have the option of suing the company involved to get mitigation for damages which NCC cannot offer”, he adds noting that vandalisation of telecoms equipment is not peculiar to Nigeria alone but that the NCC is planning to convene a meeting of all the operators in the country to find the lasting solution to the issue.
The matter of inaccurate billings was also discussed at the special session of the parliament during which the NCC advised the operators to ensure that they provide adequate billing information to the consumers while urging the consumers to be alert at such billings to report where there are anomalies.
He said the consumers should first report any complaint to the operator and where there is no solution to the satisfaction of the consumer, then, such consumer can report to the NCC for resolution in the interest of the consumer.
