Business
THE Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, has sanctioned Airtel Nigeria and 9mobile for contravening its laws. As a result, the telecom giants will pay a total fine of N127 million.
The NCC said in its latest enforcement report that Airtel was fined N122 million for unilaterally disconnecting Exchange Telecommunications Limited, EMTS, otherwise 9mobile. The regulator said the action contravened the provisions of the Quality of Service, QoS, Regulations 2013 and Enforcement Processes Regulations, 2005, hence the sanction.
It was revealed that the mobile network operator was sanctioned for disconnecting another operator from its network without the NCC approval as well as billing subscribers for Value Added Services, VAS, after the latter had activated full Do-Not-Disturb, DND messages.
As contained in Section 100 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, the excerpt frowns at the disconnection of an operator without the approval of NCC. The NCC while monitoring compliance with the DND directive, discovered that Airtel subscribed 56 numbers that requested full DND messages to value added services thereby contravening the regulatory directive.
Also roped in this act was EMTS trading as 9mobile, which was said to have subscribed 13 lines on full DND to VAS. Although both Airtel Nigeria and 9mobile reportedly claimed to have technical challenges in disconnecting affected numbers, the Commission turned a blind eye to their pleas and immediately slammed them with a fine of N5 million each. This was also contained in their statement.
Due to the high volume of incessant complaints from subscribers over unsolicited text messages and charges for Value Added Services, VAS, not subscribed to, the NCC introduced the 2442 DND (Do Not Disturb) code, which allows subscribers to opt-out of receiving any unsolicited messages.
About 12 million subscribers activated the code by the end of last year. However, the regulator said it continued to receive complaints from subscribers, who had stopped all forms of unsolicited services.
– Aug. 6, 2019 @ 11:39 GMT |
Tags: 9mobile N127m NCC fines Airtel
