Tag Archives: SMS

NCC begins enforcement of N5 million fine over unsolicited Calls/SMS

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Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has said that it has commenced the enforcement of the Do Not Disturb (DND), code which compels mobile network operators to stop sending unsolicited messages to their subscribers.

 

Prof Umar Danbatta executive vice chairman of NCC at a meeting with the Academia on ITU Study Group Participation held at Digital Bridge Institute, Abuja, said the move became imperative because the NCC had given the operators ample time to comply with the regulatory directive and was now ready to enforce the N5 million fine stipulated for any breach of the directive by the regulator.

 

He said: “We are at the stage of imposing the Do Not Disturb (DND), code direction, meaning that any breach of this direction will attract a fine of N5 million.

 

“This is to ensure total compliance and this is a measure of last resort. The NCC impose regulation as a measure of last resort, after we have given the MNO time to ensure compliance and we have monitored them to ensure compliance to ensure that the compliance is not selective.”

Nigerians Will No Longer Pay For Calls, SMS By 2019 – Spectranet MD

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The Managing Director (MD), Spectranet Ltd., Mr David Venn, on Wednesday said Nigerians would no longer pay for calls and Short Message Services (SMS), on mobile networks before the end of 2019.

 

 

Venn made this prediction at an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos.

 

 

He noted that with the fast growing usage of social media applications, such as Skype, Imo, Whatsapp, BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook Messenger, telecommunications had allowed subscribers to use their data service to make calls and sms.

 

 

Venn said subscribers spend a lot of money buying credit to make voice calls, send SMS and also subscribe to data services at the same time on a particular network.

 

 

He explained that even though subscribers still patronised voice and SMS services from the mobile operators, data service was cost- effective, faster to send SMS and make voice calls.

 

 

Venn noted that presently, data service providers had been improving on the broadband network provided to customers due to increased patronage in the data services.

 

 

The MD noted that in other advanced countries, mobile subscribers no longer paid for the use of voice and SMS on their mobile networks.

 

 

Venn said that in the United Kingdom, mobile subscribers make use of Skype application to make calls, as long as the caller and the recipient were connected to data service on their phones.

 

The MD said telecoms operators were losing huge revenue, especially from their SMS service, with the wide use of these social media.

 

 

Venn added that mobile operators would be forced to expand their data network to accommodate the growing number of subscribers that use their networks to surf the internet.

 

 

The MD, therefore, urged mobile operators to improve on their broadband service to the undeserved and unserved areas in the country.

He said the company also planned to build more base stations across its coverage to improve broadband connectivity in undeserved areas before the end of the year.

 

 

Venn urged the Federal Government to make the business environment convenient for the data providers to operate.

 

 

He contended that many data service providers had closed down due to the high cost of doing business in the country.

 

 

(NAN)