Telecoms operators get marching order on falling telephony standards

Telecommunications operators in the country have been handed a new order to either improve telephony services or face fresh forms of sanctions.

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, gave the warning at the weekend in Abuja, insisting that operators must to do everything possible to improve service delivery to the consumers on their various networks.

The EVC, who spoke through the Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB), NCC, Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, said though the Commission recognizes the existence of some challenges confronting the industry, operators are expected to strive to always improve service for the over 175 million subscribers in the country.

“Where a service provider continues to fail to improve services to the detriment of the consumers, the Commission will apply appropriate regulatory actions and sanctions against such service provider,” Danbatta added.

Danbatta also affirmed that “in the course of regulating the industry, the NCC had always recognised the importance of the consumer in the telecom sector and the fact that consumers deserve to have value for the money spent on telecoms services.”

According to the EVC, the empowerment and protection of the consumer from unfair practices of service providers and others is a central item on the eight-Point Agenda.

The NCC Chief Executive informed consumers to always call the NCC toll-free number 622 to lodge unresolved or unsatisfactorily-resolved complaints earlier reported to their respective service providers so that NCC can institute necessary intervention on their behalf for redress.

Danbatta also encouraged consumers to make use of the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442 Short Code to control unsolicited text messages instead of just complaining about unsolicited messages.

He advised that instead of just complaining it is more profitable than consumers take advantage of the facilities and channels of redress provided by NCC to tackle the challenges of telecom services. Danbatta also praised telecom consumers for their patronage and urged all citizens to support the Commission in its desire to address the challenges of telecommunication, expand telecom services and increase the sector’s contribution to the nation’s economy.