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Telcos disregard minister’s ultimatum on unused data

By on March 27, 2016

Telecoms companies, Internet Service Providers and other companies offering Information and Communications Technology products and services have yet to commence the rollover of subscribed and unused data/Internet services after expiration.

This was discovered on Friday; exactly two weeks after the Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, issued an order for the enforcement of data rollover.

The minister had at a meeting with the telecoms operators asked them to roll over subscribers’ unused monthly data to the new month.

Shittu had told the operators that, “Many Nigerians have sent in petitions to the ministry over unauthorised charges and deductions for unsubscribed or unsolicited messages.”

In the wake of fixed wireless and Global System for Mobile operation in Nigeria, some operators had given subscribers between three and seven days to make use of their unused credit or lose such to the operator. Later, it was moved to 15 days.

Today, credits loaded directly can now be made use of up to 90 days.

However, promo-generated credits still have very short expiry dates.

Reacting to the development, the President, National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers, Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, described the operators’ refusal to comply with the minister’s directive as “a bad omen for the industry.”

The NATCOMS president said he was also pained by the failure of the Nigerian Communications Commission to implement the order.

“The operators have been credit depleting and riding on subscribers with the adoption of the Timed Guaranteed Income Policy, which denies consumer the right to satisfaction and the right of choice,” he said.

“The NCC must ensure immediate compliance by all telcos, ISPs and other ICT companies in order to put some smile on the faces of subscribers,” Ogunbanjo added.

 

[Punch]