Nigeria records 4.85b SMS on mobile networks

ABOUT 4.85 billion text messages, also known as SMS, have been generated on the networks of mobile operators in the country as at 2014.

Out of these figures, 2.28 billion were sent, while 2.57 billion were received by subscribers through the platforms provided by operators’ including MTN Nigeria; Globacom; Airtel; Etisalat; Multilinks and Visafone.

Meanwhile, Nigeria now has 150 million active telephone subscriptions across the GSM, Code Division, Multiple Access and Fixed Wired/Wireless technology platforms.This was as at July, according to statistics released yesterday, by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This is even as the country’s teledensity has hit 107.6 per cent

Meanwhile, a research by Truecaller, a leading search technology firm, has shown that global spam messages have hit 1.2 trillion.

An NCC report obtained by The Guardian, titled: ‘2014 Year End Subscriber Network Data Report For Telecommunications Operating Companies in Nigeria’, informed that out of the total SMS transported on the networks, MTN Nigeria recorded the highest.

The telecommunications firm recorded 739 million outgoing messages while 1.13 billion were sent to the network.

MTN is followed by Globacom, which had 516 million outgoing messages, while 348 million came into the network. Airtel recorded 577.5 million outgoing SMS, while 738.9 million came into the network. Etisalat saw 430 million sent SMS, while 348.5 million came into the network.

Moribund Muiltilinks managed to see 24, 965 sent SMS, while 42, 832 were recorded as incoming. Visafone recorded 17.4 million outgoing messages, with 17.2 million as incoming SMS.

The NCC has directed all mobile network operators to charge a flat rate of N4 naira for SMS to other Nigerian networks. This makes the SMS a cost effective medium of message dissemination, but also an attractive medium for telemarketers and fraudsters to reach a wide audience.

Their messages come in the form of free gift card offers, marketing promotions and phishing scams, and often lead to more serious misuses of personal information and identity theft.

But, to protect subscribers against the menace, especially of unsolicited SMS, Truecaller has launched Truemessenger, a new mobile app, aimed at making the SMS experience smarter and more social.

The Truemessenger app, which is now available for download on Google Play, is an SMS replacement app that puts a name to any number, with ability to filter and block spam text messages by tapping into a vibrant community of more than 150 million members who help protect one another from annoying intrusions.

The app pulls information from social networks and automatically assigns photos, nicknames, and other contact information to incoming texts.