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Tag: Nigerian Communications Commission

  • NCC restates commitment to qualitative services

    NCC restates commitment to qualitative services

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has reiterated the commission’s readiness to give qualitative telecommunication services to Nigerians.

    Danbatta said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the public inquiry on draft guidelines on spectrum trading.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that spectrum is a range over which some measurable property of a physical phenomenon such as the frequency of sound or electromagnetic radiation, or the mass of specific kinds of particles, can vary.

    He said that the public inquiry was to ensure that important national resource was optimally utilised for the delivery of qualitative telecommunication services.

    “Today we see the frame work that will facilitate optimal utilisation of the resource where a telecommunication company that owns a spectrum will like to trade it or when lease is allowed.

    “And that it can also be shared with another company, if need be.

    “The rules of engagement provided in today’s public inquiry  is to invite critical stakeholders in the country to make further input that will cumulate  in the production of a final guidelines on spectrum trading leasing and sharing.’’

    The NCC boss said that the commission would give two weeks for additional input from stakeholders before the board would give approval.

    “We are looking at two weeks to receive additional inputs there after the board will look at the draft and give approval within a month.

    “Let me assure you that the commission will bring innovative ideas that will keep faith with global trend in the telecom market because this is the only way to succeed,’’ he said.

    Mrs Yetunde  Akinloye, Head  Legal  and Regulatory Services Department, NCC, said that the general objective of the guidelines was to ensure  certainty and transparency in the processes of the commission.

    Akinloye said the commission had outlined the detailed procedure and conditions for spectrum trading in the Nigerian Communications sector.

    She listed the specific objectives of the guidelines as follows; to allow efficient and flexible transfer of spectrum to users that would optimise its usage.

    “Lessening the barriers to market entry by allowing flexible access to spectrum deepening competition.

    “Promoting innovation by enabling entrepreneurs to acquire spectrum and offer new services

    She added that the guidelines also covered various transactions through which spectrum could be traded on in the secondary Market.

    “The spectrum transactions envisaged under these guidelines are: spectrum transfer, spectrum leasing and spectrum sharing.”

    Mr Gwa Mohammed, Assistant Director in NCC, said that the commission received submissions from Airtel Networks Ltd., Emerging Markets Telecommunications Service Ltd., Smile Communications Ltd. and NATCOM Development and Investment Ltd.

    Mohammed  said that what was new in the guidelines was that anybody who had a spectrum could call on another person who did not have sufficient spectrum to share based on the guidelines provided by the commission to provide service for Nigerians.

    He said when there were enough spectrum; it would drive broadband penetration because when spectrum was available it wouldtake service “to the last mile”. (NAN)

  • NCC withdraws approval for Glo overload promotions

    NCC withdraws approval for Glo overload promotions

    The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has ordered the management of Globacom Ltd to immediately suspend the implementation of the Glo Overload Promotion from its network.

    The regulatory body said the suspension became necessary given the fact that Globacom Nigeria Limited has been implementing the regulatory approval in breach.

    The Commission in a letter signed by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Mr Sunday Dare and Director Consumer Affairs, Abdullahi Maikano on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor, Umar Garba Danbatta drew the attention of Globacom management to the recent media campaign on the “Glo Free Data Offer”.

    The NCC letter dated 10th August 2017 with reference number NCC/Glo/ F76/vol/ 13/2017, said the action of the telecom company was “a clear departure from the terms and condition of the approval given for the “Glo Overload Promotion”.

    The letter which was addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of Globacom reads: ” please refer to the Commission’s letter of 14th March, 2017 conveying approval for your Glo Overload Promotion.

    “It has however come to our notice that Globacom Nig Ltd has been implementing the above regulatory approval in breach especially given your recent media campaign on the “Glo Free Data Offer”, a clear departure from the terms and condition of the approval given for the Glo Overload Promotion.

    “Consequent upon the above, you are hereby directed to suspend implementation of the Glo Overload Promotion from your network with immediate effect.”

    The regulatory body further invited the management of Globacom to a meeting on the issue against Thursday 17, August.

  • Nigerians embrace 9mobile, port in droves to network – Report

    Nigerians embrace 9mobile, port in droves to network – Report

    The Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) monthly porting report released through the regulator’s website on Thursday revealed that subscribers from other networks migrated to the rebranded 9mobile, Nigeria’s fourth largest telecommunication company.

    The NCC’s “Incoming and Outgoing Porting Activities of Mobile Network Operators Report” for the month of May 2017, showed that 9mobile led the other four telecom operators in the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) activities for the month in review.

    NCC revealed that out of the total 39,535 porting activities in May, 19,816 were “Incoming Porting Activities”, while 19,719 were “Outgoing Porting Activities”.

    9mobile recorded the highest incoming porting activity (users leaving other networks to 9mobile) with a massive 15,253 telecom users leaving others to join the rebranded telecom company. Airtel had the second highest incoming porting activity with 2,597 subscriber migrations.

    MTN was third on the incoming porting migration table with 1,245 telecom users while Globacom had the least incoming migration figures on the table.

    The report further showed that 9mobile also excelled on the outgoing porting migration table (users leaving 9mobile to other networks) with only 1,826 subscribers of 9mobile leaving to other networks.

    This means 9mobile recorded the lowest outgoing porting when compared with the other operators. Globacom recorded the second lowest outgoing migration with 4,786 subscribers.

    Airtel recorded 6,540 outgoing migrations while MTN’s outgoing subscriber migration was 6,567, making the network topping the table with the highest telecom users leaving the network.

  • Etisalat’s Debt Crisis: We Did Not See It Coming – NCC Boss

    Etisalat’s Debt Crisis: We Did Not See It Coming – NCC Boss

    The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, admitted yesterday that it never anticipated the daunting challenges thrusted upon the telecom sector this year, particularly the indebtedness of Etisalat Nigeria to a consortium of banks to the tune of 1.2 billion dollars.
    The Commission ,however, said the problem was being managed by concerned regulatory bodies in such a way that Etisalat’s 21 million customers would continue to enjoy its services, while not a single worker would be fired in the company as a result of the crisis.
    The NCC’s  Executive Commissioner in Charge of Stakeholders Management, Mr Sunday Dare, made the remarks at the opeing ceremony of the 80 edition of Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja.
    He noted that while the forum was to find answers to various issues agitating the minds of the consumer, the regulatory body has been consistent in its resolve to protect the rights of the consumer in line with international best practices and standards.
    Dare who represented Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC at the forum maintained that the NCC declared this year “The Year of Telecom Consumers” to underscore the fact that if all the initiatives, projects and investments in the telecom sector had met with low consumer patronage, the telecom revolution would have been a failure.
    It is really the investment of the consumer through patronage of services  that has encouraged build out and supported service provision. Thus there is need to celebrate and recognize the consumer as the boss of the industry, Prof Danbatta stated.
    Danbatta further said: ” the commission has taken steps to ensure that the telecommunications sector remain vibrant and has carried out its regulatory functions to ensure that the companies operating in the country are healthy.
    “Where necessary NCC has made interventions to prevent disruptions to consumers experience. In addition, to ensure that licensees in the industry continue to operate as viable business, we have commenced aggressive enforcement of the NCC’s Code of Corporate Governance”.
    Acting Director General of Consumer Protection Council, Akinju Opelola noted that the telecom consumers have become vulnerable due to series of abuses in the sector and urged the regulatory body to enforce necessary penalties for the protection of the consumers.
    She listed invasion of consumers privacy, fraudulent and unstructured services and unsolicited messages as part of the abuses, saying the NCC should ensure the rights of consumers to standard services, value addition, and rights to healthy environment.
  • NCC debunks membership of Etisalat’s new board

    NCC debunks membership of Etisalat’s new board

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it was not among the members of the new board of Etisalat.
    The Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo said this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.
    Ojobo said that the attention of the commission had been drawn to a report by some media organisations to the effect that NCC was represented on the new Board of Etisalat.
    “The commission hereby makes it clear that it is not on the Board of Etisalat.
    “As the regulator of the telecommunications sector, there was a recommendation suggesting that NCC should be on the new board of the company but the commission declined.
    “The NCC considered it necessary to bring this to the attention of the general public,” he said.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Etisalat Nigeria on Tuesday, July 4, confirmed the appointment of Boye Olusanya, a former Deputy Managing Director of Celtel Nigeria (now Airtel Nigeria) as its Chief Executive Officer.
    The telecommunications company said that Olusanya was replacing Mr Matthew Willsher, who stepped down as the CEO on Monday, July 3.
    It also said that Mrs Funke Ighodaro had been appointed as the Chief Finance Officer, to take over from Mr Olawole Obasunloye, who also resigned on July 3.
    “Etisalat Nigeria today confirms that as a result of the ongoing restructuring efforts, a new board has been constituted.
    “A Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Joseph Nnanna, will be the Chairman of the board, taking over from Hakeem Bello-Osagie, who resigned, as part of the agreement reached for a seamless transition.
    “Other members of the board comprise of Mr Oluseyi Bickersteth, Mr Ken Igbokwe, Mr Boye Olusanya and Mrs Funke Ighodaro,” it said.

  • NCC, CBN wade into Etisalat debt crisis

    NCC, CBN wade into Etisalat debt crisis

    In Order to find a resolution to the debt crisis troubling Etisalat Nigeria, a meeting between the officials of the company, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a consortium of banks has reportedly been scheduled for today.

    According to NCC, the consortium of banks seeking to take over Etisalat Nigeria over the protracted $1.72 billion debt impasse must first cross some regulatory hurdles.

    Elsewhere, Reuters quoted an official of Etisalat Nigeria as saying that discussions with the group of Nigerian commercial lenders are ongoing to find a “non-disruptive” solution to the debt.

    The source further said that several meetings were ongoing at the NCC and the CBN after talks between about 10 Nigerian banks and Etisalat Nigeria broke down.

    The source also confirmed that part of the $1.2billion bank credit obtained by Etisalat Nigeria has been paid back since 2013 when the loans were first structured.

    Etisalat of the UAE, which currently holds 45% of Etisalat Nigeria announced at the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange this morning that attempts to stave off the company’s takeover has proved abortive and the lender banks are closing in to take over following default in loan facility agreements with the consortium of banks in Nigeria.

    Serkan Okandan, Chief Financial Officer of Etisalat Group, who issued the announcement by the UAE mobile phone group, and operators of the Etisalat Nigeria said that both parties have reached a deal to commence transfer of ownership to the banks by 5.00pm on Friday, June 23, 2017, a development that has since sparked concerns over the future of the mobile phone company.

    But Tony Ojobo, spokesman of the NCC drew the attention of the lender banks to the Section 38 and Sub section 1 of the NCA which spells out that, “The grant of a license shall be personal to the licensee and the license shall not be operated by, assigned, sublicensed or transferred to another party unless the prior written approval of the commission has been granted.”

    Ojobo, said that the lender-banks must take note of relevant provision of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 as well as relevant provisions of the laws guiding the transfer of licences issued operators by the telecoms regulator.

    According to the NCC, Sub-Section 2 of the same provision equally states that, “A licensee shall at all times comply by the terms and condition of the license and the provision of this act and its subsidiary legislation.”

    Ojobo, who said that NCC is aware of the indebtedness of Etisalat Nigeria to the consortium of banks says that the telecoms regulator and its banking counterpart, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), “mediated by holding several meetings with the banks, Etisalat and other stakeholders with a view to finding a resolution.”

    Despite the efforts of the two industry regulators of Federal Government, “regrettably these meetings did not yield the desired results”, he said.

    “The NCC wishes to reassure the over 21 million Etisalat subscribers that it will do all within its regulatory power to ensure that Etisalat subscribers continue to enjoy the services provided by the operator”, according to the telecoms regulator.

    According to Ojobo, “the Commission has taken proactive steps to cushion the impact of the takeover, this is without prejudice to the ongoing effort between Etisalat and the banks toward negotiated settlement.”

    “Whilst the banks and Etisalat are working at resolving the issues, the Commission wishes to assure subscribers that they will continue to enjoy the services provided by Etisalat”, Ojobo added.

    According to him, “in view of the recent development, NCC wishes to reassure all stakeholders in the telecommunications sector, in particular, the subscribers on the Etisalat Network that the Commission will ensure that the integrity of Etisalat Network is not compromised.”

  • Internet users decline to 91.2m in January – NCC

    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)

  • NCC impounds registration machines, arrest three agents in Abuja

    The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Wednesday raided the shops and kiosks of agents of telecommunications companies engaged in indiscriminate registration of SIM cards in Abuja metropolis and its environs.

    Three operators were arrested while about seven registration machines were confiscated by security agents who accompanied officials of NCC on the assignment.

    Alhaji Salisu Abdu, head of enforcement unit of NCC told journalist that the raid was justified following series of warnings issued to the agents on the illegality of their actions.

    He insisted that those arrested would pay the stipulated fine of five million naira for the offense.

    His words: “The purpose of this exercise is to stop indiscriminate registering of SIM cards by agents of telcos. You are all aware that NCC issued a directive to all mobile operators to from February 1, 2017 provide a controlled environment for registration of SIM cards. This controlled environment means a permanent structure; a structure that can be traced, a location that can be identified and also that the registration agent manning this centres are expected to have identity as well.

    “Today, in view of the fact that deadline has ended on February 2, the NCC team is going to ensure that no any agents are doing the registration outside the controlled environment. We went to Gwanripa Gate and some other places around the place. All the three we arrested today were doing the registration in an uncontrolled environment; they were doing that under umbrellas and in kiosks.

    “A controlled environment must have seven features:  it must be clearly delineated for that purpose, it must be a permanent structure; a building, it must have the logo of the operator and others.

    “It is not our responsibility to carry out publicity on this matter. It is the responsibility of the operators to do that because they actually engaged the agents. They should have told them what we have directed them to do.  Adequate time has been given to the operators. The directive has been given since November 2016 that is barely four months.

    “It is not for the operators to arrest these agents, it is the work of NCC to carry out the enforcement of its regulations and directives. We must ensure that those who breach the directives should face the law.

    “As at the moment we have arrested three violators and seven registration machines are impounded. So further investigation would be conducted by the Nigeria Police and I believe through that we will able to trace the dealers who have assigned the agents.

    “Contradiction of the directive would attract N5million per day and as long as you refuse to pay the N5m you be incurring addition N500,000 per day”

  • NCC begins voice termination rate review – Danbatta

    NCC begins voice termination rate review – Danbatta

    The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, said Wednesday  that it has commenced the process for the review of mobile voice termination rates for telecommunication industries in the country.

    Its Executive Vice Chairman, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, said at the Stakeholders’ Forum on the Cost Based Study for the Determination of Mobile Voice Termination Rate for telecom industry that the review has become imperative due to changes in the industry since the last exercise in 2013.

    He told industrial players and other stakeholders who attended the Forum at the Commission’s Head Office in Abuja that the move would make the industry achieve full competition and effective regulation by providing a level playing ground for all participants.

    Professor Danbatta said: “Since the last determination, the Nigerian Communication Market has witnessed tremendous growth in both subscriber numbers as well as traffic volumes. Changes in available technologies, (2G, 2.5G, 3G and 4G) and other network elements, including global financial markets which have an impact such as the cost of capital.

    “The scale of changes will inevitably affect the unit cost of providing services including interconnection and may lead to differences between regulated interconnection rates and underlying costs which in turn may result in differences between on-net and off-net retail tariffs.

    “It is very important that we ensure that interconnection services are not only fairly priced and non-discriminative but should reflect the cost of providing such services in the market.

    “It is in this regard that the Commission has decided to review the rates set in 2013 Determination in the light of the current market realities”.

    Consistent with the Commission’s principle of ensuring participatory regulation, this initial Stakeholders Forum is held not only to formally introduce the project consultant to the industry stakeholders, but also to kick—start the project, Professor Danbatta added.

    He emphasized that “the supply of industry statistical data is most crucial to the success of determining appropriate interconnection termination rates for the telecommunications industry.”

    He said NCC has the obligation to create a level playing field for all operators, noting that “in line with international practices, the commission shall ensure that interconnect rates reflect the cost of termination on the networks.”

    Justifying the review, professor Danbatta further argued that “the study provides the opportunity to thoroughly examine the emergence of grey market activities in the telecommunication industry in Nigeria such as call refilling, call masking and sim-box fraud as a result of the introduction of an interim International Termination Rate (ITR) for inbound international traffic.”

    He said the Commission has engaged Messrs PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (Pwc) to among other things carry out an impact assessment on the subsisting interconnect regime; identify shortfalls on the subsisting interconnection rate regime and provide workable solutions.

    Others are to determine if there is need to have different termination rate for national/domestic and international traffic; determine the mobile termination rate for voice services using appropriate cost modelling techniques for new entrant(s)/ small operators and existing/big operators.

    And also to determine the appropriate basis for glide path if necessary; develop a suitable definition of a new entrant(s)/ small operator to enjoy the benefits of asymmetric rates; determine the cost per minute session for the use of unstructured supplementary service data.

    Professor Danbatta further added that the job of the accounting firm would include to review ITR in other jurisdiction with similar socio-economic environment with Nigeria and its implication for the determination of ITR in Nigeria.

    And to determine if necessary the inbound international termination rate taking into consideration relevant socio-economic and technical factors using appropriate cost modelling techniques and develop measures to reduce or eliminate grey markets in the telecommunications industry in Nigeria.

  • Unsolicited messages: NCC warns operators

    Unsolicited messages: NCC warns operators

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Monday warned mobile telephone operators to desist from bombarding subscribers with unsolicited text messages, saying that it was set to protect the rights of subscribers.

    The commission maintained that it would ‘protect subscribers from the nuisance and irritations of unsolicited text messages and calls from mobile network operators’.

    Its Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo, noted in a statement, that in spite of earlier warnings to telecommunication service providers to activate their Do-Not-Disturb facility which gives subscribers the freedom to choose the messages they receive, the Commission is still inundated with complaints by subscribers of continuing text harassment by operators.

    Said the statement: “The Direction issued to industry operators to activate the 2442 Do Not Disturb Short Code took effect from July 1, 2016.”

    Ojobo explained that the Direction mandates the operators to take immediate action which will allow the subscribers to take informed, but independent decisions on what messages to receive from the networks.

    He observed that industry compliance doesn’t seem to match the seriousness of the Direction thus, compelling the Commission to issue a final warning to the operators.

    According to him, the Direction takes into cognizance the broad range of services, which include: Banking/Insurance/Financial products, Real estate, Education, Health, Consumer Goods and Automobiles, Communication/ Broadcasting/ Entertainment/ IT, Tourism and /Leisure, Sports, Religion (Christianity, Islam, others), and directed the operators to give the necessary instructions and clarifications that will enable subscribers subscribe to a particular service/services/none at all.

    Said Ojobo: “In fact, a Full DND which is SMS ‘STOP” to 2442 does not allow the subscriber to receive any unsolicited messages from the operators at all.

    “Below are the various options:

    “SMS 1” for receiving SMS relating to Banking/Insurance/ Financial Products to 2442

    “SMS 2” for receiving SMS relating to Real estate to 2442

    SMS 3” for receiving SMS relating to Education to 2442

    “SMS 4” for receiving SMS relating to Health to 2442

    “SMS 5” for receiving SMS relating to Consumer Goods and Automobiles, to 2442

    “SMS 6” for receiving SMS relating to Communication/ Broadcasting/ Entertainment/ IT, to 2442

    “SMS 7” for receiving SMS relating to Tourism and Leisure to 2442

    “SMS 8” for receiving SMS relating to Sports to 2442

    “SMS 9” for receiving SMS relating to Religion to 2442

    Ojobo called on the service providers to immediately comply with the Direction as further complaints from the subscribers would be taken as serious infractions to a major regulatory intervention by the Commission