NCC identifies core challenges of telecoms subscribers

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has identified issues of unsolicited text messages, poor data services and billing, poor management of complaints resolution, quality of service and misinformation about location of base stations as key challenges confronting consumers of telecommunications.

Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, who stated this at the NCC’s day at the ongoing 28th Enugu International Trade Fair, also said that right of way to deploying services through bottlenecks created by local and local authorities, vandalisation of telecommunications equipment among others have continued to militate against efforts for hitch free communication services in the country.

Assuring however that the Commission would overcome it, he said that it has evolved a solution called “Do not-disturb” in which consumers are to send “Stop” to a code “2442” to stop all unsolicited text messages, adding that there are options that will enable consumers to stop particular types of messages when they send “Help” to 2442

He explained that the Commission had in addition continued to tell consumers about the availability of the toll free telephone number 622 where they can lodge complaints if their service providers refuse or are unable to resolve their problems.

On the quality of service issue, Danbatta said the Commission has put the service providers on special notice about current monitoring of user experience and will call them to account in due course, adding that where the service provider continues to fail to improve, the Commission will apply appropriate regulatory actions and sanctions against such service provider.