Internet users decline to 91.2m in January – NCC

The number of internet users in Nigeria’s telecommunications networks declined to 91, 274,446 in January, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said.

The NCC made the disclosure in its Monthly Internet Subscribers Data for January 2017 on its website on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the data released, internet users dropped to 91,274,446 in January as against 91,880.032 users recorded in December 2016, showing a decline of 605,586.

The data also showed that the GSM service providers lost 605,586 internet customers after recording 91, 274,446 in January as against 91,880,032 users in December 2016.

The data revealed that MTN had 31,015.45 subscribers browsing the internet on its network in the month of January.

It explained that MTN recorded a drop of 737, 964 internet subscribers in January after recording 31,753.369 in December 2016.

Airtel had 19,618.485 internet users in January, adding 254, 94 customers to its December record of 19,363.545.

In Etisalat, the data showed 13,564.284 customers who browsed the internet in January revealing a decrease of 188.656 users against the 13,752.940 users recorded in December 2016.

The data showed that Globacom had 27,076,272 customers browsing the internet on its network in January.

This amounted to an increase of 66,094 users from the 27,010.178 users of the internet on the network in December 2016.

 

(NAN)

Galaxy Note 7 Users To Sue Samsung

Hundreds of Galaxy Note 7 smartphone users in South Korea are preparing to file a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics for recalling the device, which is prone to catching fire.

Over 520 people want Samsung to compensate them for psychological harm from using the hazardous phone, the costs and the time they took to exchange their devices, attorney Peter Young-Yeel Ko, head of the Harvest Law Firm said on Monday.

The South Korean tech giant was forced to recall its most advanced phone ever after reports of the handset catching fire spread in early September. The company stopped producing or selling the phone as well.

The costumers complained that as a result of the botched recall, they had to visit mobile shops first to get the battery checked and later change the phone. They spent hours in shops while changing the phone and transferring data, the attorney said.

Kim Chae Yong, who joined the lawsuit, said he spent almost $100 on gas and highway fees to return a Note 7 phone after the first recall.

“I feel betrayed,” he said. “I am angry and I don’t ever want to use it again.”

The company started pre-sales of the smartphone on August 2, but had to start recalling 2.5 million phones on early September.

Samsung’s mobile chief D.J. Koh said at a news conference on September 2 that the company had identified the problem with one of its suppliers and it would shift production to another supplier, without providing names.

“We recognized that we did not correctly identify the issue the first time and remain committed to finding the root cause,” she said. “Our top priority remains the safety of our customers and retrieving 100% of the Galaxy Note 7 devices in the market.”

Struggling to save its credibility, Samsung is now expected to launch its next smartphone, likely to be called the Galaxy S8, in February.

Credit: presstv

Turn Off Your Galaxy Note 7 Phone NOW, Samsung Tells Users

Samsung issued an alert to customers on Monday, asking users to immediately turn off their Galaxy Note 7 smartphones — which have been spontaneously catching fire.

The unprecedented move comes one day after Samsung halted production of the dangerously glitchy devices.

In a corporate statement, Samsung said it will also “ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7” while it investigates the cause of the fires.

It also said, “Consumers with either an original Galaxy Note 7 or replacement Galaxy Note 7 device should power down and stop using the device.”

It’s a major setback for the South Korean electronics manufacturer. The company’s stock plunged more than 5% Tuesday morning in Seoul.

Samsung (SSNLF) released the 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 7 device in August in anticipation of Apple’s new iPhone 7. But customers immediately started complaining that their phones were catching fire.

The company explained that faulty lithium-ion batteries were overheating the device and causing it to ignite. In early September, Samsung recalled 2.5 million devices worldwide.

Samsung offered replacement phones — but those burst into flames too.

In the past week, an American user reported his replacement phone caught fire, even though it wasn’t plugged in. And on Wednesday, smoke started billowing from a replacement Galaxy Note 7 aboard a Southwest Airline plane before it departed, prompting the flight’s cancellation.

Read More: CNN

WhatsApp Implements ‘End-To-End Encryption’ To Protect Users

The popular messaging service WhatsApp said Tuesday it had implemented “full end-to-end encryption,” a move which steps up privacy but may lead to conflicts with law enforcement agencies.

The Facebook-owned mobile application with one billion users worldwide made the announcement following weeks of intense debate over efforts by US authorities to compel Apple to help break into an encrypted iPhone.

“WhatsApp has always prioritized making your data and communication as secure as possible,” a blog post announcing the change said.

“And today, we’re proud to announce that we’ve completed a technological development that makes WhatsApp a leader in protecting your private communication: full end-to-end encryption.”

This means that “when you send a message, the only person who can read it is the person or group chat that you send that message to,” the statement said.

“No one can see inside that message. Not cybercriminals. Not hackers. Not oppressive regimes. Not even us.”

Moves by technology firms to implement the kind of encryption where even the companies themselves don’t have “keys” to unlock data have unleashed criticism in law enforcement circles claiming this creates “warrant-proof” spaces for criminals and others.

The blog post by WhatsApp co-founders Jan Koum and Brian Action said encryption is an important tool for its users.

“We live in a world where more of our data is digitized than ever before,” they wrote.

“Every day we see stories about sensitive records being improperly accessed or stolen. And if nothing is done, more of people’s digital information and communication will be vulnerable to attack in the years to come. Fortunately, end-to-end encryption protects us from these vulnerabilities.”

Credit: Punch

Nigeria Consumer Agency Moves Against Multichoice, Orders Compensation For Users

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) on Monday ordered MultiChoice Nigeria to compensate its subscribers and henceforth provide them toll-free lines for their complaints.

MultiChoice Nigeria Limited is Nigeria‘s biggest provider of Digital Satellite Broadcast Television (DStv) service.

CPC’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, Abiodun Obimuyiwa, said in Abuja that the order followed an extensive investigation over alleged violation of consumers’ rights by the company.

Following CPC’s order in line with the Order of Council of February 16, 2016, MultiChoice Nigeria said it confirmed its commitment to continue its engagement with the CPC to resolve the matter in the best interests of DStv subscribers.

Mr. Obimuyiwa said the CPC had ordered MultiChoice to suspend its service when consumers were away, while releasing free-to-air channels even when subscription had expired and compensate consumers for lost viewing time.

The council also ordered the cable television company to introduce local toll-free lines and reasonable equitable spread of popular sports channels, among others.

In addition, the CPC said MultiChoice would, for 18 months from the date of the orders, subject its processes to the Council’s inspection to ensure compliance with the directives contained in the orders.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Police To Arrest Unauthorized Siren Users

The Nigeria Police Force said in Abuja on Tuesday that it would arrest any person not listed in the categories of persons authorised to use siren in the country.

In 2012, the federal government had listed the categories of persons entitled to use siren.

They are; President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker, their deputies, state governors and service chiefs.

Others are: the Inspector-General of Police, General Officers Commanding , Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs), Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), as well as Commissioners of Police.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, acting Assistant Commissioner of Police, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the police would rely on the government circular on use of siren.

“We will still go by the Federal government circular in implementing the directive,” Kolawole said.

Read More: punchng