The management of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has disclosed that the directive on the data roll over is under way soon as it regards data usage in the Nigeria.
Speaking on the NCC Special Day at ongoing Lagos international trade fair, the executive vice chairman of the commission Professor Umar Danbatta said on this issue data roll over, the commission will soon issue a direction to the service providers to give 14 days’ window to the subscribers to enable them roll over their unused data, even if they do not renew on the expiration data. In other words, this will stop the current practices where subscriber looses their entire unused data if they failed to renew on the date of the expiration of the current subscription, he added.
Prof Danbatta was represented at the by Mrs Josphine Amuwa, Director, Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis of the Commission stated that on the quality of service issue, including poor reception, wrong billings and deductions, automatic data roll over among other issues, we have put the service providers on special notice about our current monitoring of user experience and will call them to account in due course. Where the 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, he noted.
NCC Boss said the objective of the Commission’s 2017 YNTC, is to engage, empower, educate and inform the consumer about his rights and responsibilities, opportunities and solutions that are available in the industry. According to him, the essence of this declaration is to reassure the consumers that the issue of protecting them from unfair practices is not a mere talk. It is a call for action.
According to Professor Danbatta’s words, let me recall that in the 8-Points Agenda of my administration, the issue of empowerment and protection of the consumers occupies the sixth position. The vision in this agenda item is to protect consumers from unfair practices through availability of information and education to make informed choices in the use of ICT services.
“The strategy which we have adopted in achieving these agenda item is to strengthen initiatives to educate and inform consumers in the use of communications services and to act swiftly and consistently whenever necessary, in the use of enforcement to protect telecom services consumers’ rights and privileges.”
“We have continued to use the mass media to create awareness about these consumer centric solutions, and also enlighten consumers that telecommunications masts and towers do not cause any health hazards as a lot of people think.
“World Health Organisation (WHO) has affirmed that no result of any such health hazards to humans has been established against base stations.
Executive Vice Chairman, NCC Danbatta further disclosed that there was positive movement in the provision of services to the citizenry with internet penetration stood at about 92 million subscribers in the last quarter of 2017, while phone subscription stood at about 140 million within the same period. The broadband penetration shown 21 percent growth means Nigeria’ social media space usage has continued to thriving.
In response to questions from the participants at the event, Reuben Muoka, the head, media of the Commission urged general public to use more of NCC established facilities improve services to consumers of telecom.
Muoka reiterated that consumers have rights to call on their service provider to complain first and if all efforts to resolve the issue failed then that consumers can call on NCC Toll- Free Complaint Platform-662 with details
