" ITREALMS: How GSM operators shared N1.17bn

Friday, June 08, 2012

How GSM operators shared N1.17bn



As the May 25 deadline for the payment of the penalties on four operators of Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications in the country, to the tune of N1,170,000,000 elapse, subscribers across all the affected networks are clamouring for the benefit to trickle down.
DigitalSENSE News recalls that on Friday, May 11, telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) sanctioned mobile service providers, namely MTN Nigeria, Etisalat, Airtel and Globacom over poor Quality of Service (QoS) in the preceding two months of March and April, 2012.
According to NCC, MTN and Etisalat, would pay N360,000,000 each, while Airtel pays N270,000,000, just as Globacom pays N180,000,000 of which they are to pay on or before May 21, 2012 or be liable to payment of additional N2,500,000, per day for as long as the contravention lasts.
Noteworthy is that NCC says the current penalties signal a new regime of quality of service management in the Nigerian telecommunications industry as promised by the leadership of the Commission under Dr. Eugene Juwah.
This penalty, NCC ascribed to poor quality of services rendered to the different subscribers on the aforementioned networks in the months of March and April 2012, as stated by the Head, Media and Public Relations at NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka, and the details of the penalties were already communicated to the different operators.
This indicated that MTN Nigeria Communications and Etisalat, would pay the sum of N360,000,000 each while Airtel pays the sum of N270,000,000, even as Globacom got the least of the penalty in the sum of N180,000,000 of which they were to pay on or before May 25, 2012 or be liable to payment of additional N2,500,000, per day for as long as the contravention persists.
The fines was a result of the contravention of the provisions of the Quality of Service Regulations by the Nigerian Communications Commission as the operators failed to meet with the minimum standard of quality of service including the key performance indicators (KPIs).
The Commission, he said, has in line with the provisions of the regulation, monitored the performance of the operators on the different parameters as provided and the result showed that the service providers  are in contravention of the provisions.
He said, paragraph 13 and Schedule 3 Paragraph 2 of the Quality of Service Regulation 2012, stipulate that any company which contravenes this provision will be liable to pay fine as to the tune of N15,000,000.00 for each parameter for a service contravened in the month of March, 2012.
NCC said that a further sum of N2, 500,000 is attracted for each parameter for a service for each day the contravention continued throughout the month of April, 2012.
DigitalSENSE News confirms that in the letter communicating the penalties to the different operators,  signed by the Director, Legal and Regulatory Services, Ms. Josephine Amuwa, and the Head of  Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Engr. Ubale Maska, the Commission noted the performances in the months of January and February 2012 as being below the specified thresholds, “however, for the purpose of enforcement of the new Quality of Service Regulations, the Commission had taken these periods as grace period.”


Remmy Nweke

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