NCC may axe 37 ISPs operating with expired licence

ABOUT 37 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) operating in the country with expired license will be sanctioned by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) if they failed to renew their licenses.

The NCC, which made this announcement on Monday, however, gave the affected operators, which include Wesa Globanet Limited; Voix Networks Limited; Gulf Technologies Network Limited; Oracle Circle Telecommunications Limited, a 14 day ultimatum.

According to the Head of Complaince Monitoring and Enforcement Department, NCC, Efosa Idehen, in an advertorial, the commission’s attention has been drawn to the activities of these companies operating Internet services with expired license in the country.

The commission reminded the affected operators that the act of the provision of communications service without valid license is a contravention of the provisions of Section 31, 43 and 44 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

As such, the commission said it reserves the power to suspend and/or revoke the said license with section 45 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003. The 14 day ultimatum started on Monday.

Some other ISPs expected to renew their operating licenses are Acet Technologies; Proclaim 360 Communications Limited; Abuja Connect Limited; NIV Internet Services Limited; Falmur Communications Nigeria Limited; Crosat Telecommunications Nigeria Limited; XL Communications Limited; Omni Networks Limited; Integrated Broadband Networks Limited; Renna Telecoms Limited; Network Information Technology Nigeria Limited; Single Eagle Technologies, among others.

The commission warned all the affected licensees to unfailingly within the 14 days ultimatum to commence the license renewal process otherwise, it (NCC) may in exercise of its statutory powers to commence appropriate enforcement action against any defaulter including but not limited to hav