@2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue: NCC, NATCOMS lead stakeholders - ITREALMS

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Telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is leading the industry in mopping up support for the 2023 edition of the ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue scheduled at the prestigious Welcome Centre Hotels, Mohammed Murtala International Airport Road, Ikeja, Lagos by 9am this Friday, reports ITREALMS.

Even as skillful professionals drawn from National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) and E-Waste Producer Responsibility Organisation of Nigeria (EPRON), to name a few, have queued up to analyze the theme of the dialogue “You can recycle anything with a plug, battery and cables.”

NATCOMS demands compensation policy for Nigeria telecom subscribers

ITRealms:

The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has demanded from the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), a compensation policy for nation’s telecoms subscribers, reports ITRealms.

National President, NATCOMS, Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo made this appeal as part of the group’s message in commemoration of the World Telecommunications Day (WTD) 2016, in addition to a recent appeal made by the Director General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs. Dupe Atoki, when she paid a courtesy call to the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta.

He also said, the NCC should come up with a special compensation scheme to reward subscribers for poor quality of service being experienced by Nigerian telecoms consumers. 

“We are appealing to Nigerian Communications Commission helmsman to ensure that a ‘Subscriber’s Compensation Policy’ which will compensate subscribers with free airtime; a soft-fine anytime the telecoms operators perform below the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) parameters as set by NCC,” he said.

Ogunbanjo said the current practices where telcos fall short of KPI parameters are made to pay huge fines, which goes only to government coffers.

This, NATCOMS said, is to say the least, very unsavory of the subscribers who suffers the injury and the brunt of poor quality service and other unauthorized deductions.

NATCOMS further pointed out that this kind of compensation has been enthroned in Bangladesh, India among others.

Urging NCC to use this gift to telecom subscribers as the commemoration of the World Telecommunications Day holds.

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Breaking News: GSMA, ALTON, ATCON, NATCOMS reject plan to tax e-Services in Nigeria

Breaking News@ITRealms:

The Global System for Mobile Association (GSMA) has led a joint petition with the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS) against the proposed 9 per cent Communication Services Tax to be levied on charges payable by end-users of an electronic communication services in Nigeria, reports ITRealms.

Whereas GSMA is the industry association for mobile operators worldwide; ALTON, is for mobile operators of Nigeria; ATCON is for other associated telecom companies, and NATCOMS represents telecom consumers; jointly expressed dismay regarding the proposal, under consideration by the National Assembly, to establish a 9 per cent Communication Service Tax to be levied on charges payable by a user of an electronic communication service, for instance on Short Messaging Service (SMS), voice calls, MMS, data usage among others supplied by service providers.

In a strongly worded petition entitled ‘Objection to the Proposed Bill for the Establishment of a Tax on Electronic Communication Services in Nigeria’ addressed to the duo of Nigerian Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and her counterpart in Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, the four telecommunications interest groups jointly rejected the proposed plan by the government to tax electronic communication services in the country.

A copy of the petition obtained by ITRealms, revealed that Mortimer Hope, Director Africa of GSMA, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON, Engr. Lanre Ajayi, President of ATCON and Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, the national president of NATCOMS signed for their respective organisations.

ITRealms also reported that the petition which was copied to the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Senate President, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Dogara Yakubu among others, insisted that if this tax proposal is accomplished, it will not only increase prices for consumers, but stifles further investment in a market already battling multiple taxation.

“If introduced, such tax will result in an increase in prices for consumers, have adverse impacts on the adoption of mobile services and industry investment, and be counter-productive to the longer term national digital strategy objectives set by the Government of Nigeria,” the groups said.

According them, the bill tends to increase affordability barriers to the uptake of mobile services in the country.

They quoted a recent World Bank report which showed that a 10 per cent increase in mobile broadband penetration in low to middle income countries leads to a 1.38 per cent increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

They also pointed out that as at March 30, 2016, Nigeria has 83 million people with access to mobile services, lamenting that over half of the population are still without a mobile connection, while affordability remains a key challenge to connect the unconnected, who are typically lower income population groups.

“Further taxation on electronic communication services will hit lower income consumers the most, who are already struggling due to the adverse economic situation and increased price pressure and for whom affordable access to information and communication technology is critical to their social and economic inclusion," the petitioners lamented, stressing that this will result in a double taxation for consumers who already pay Value Added Taxes (VAT) on telecommunications services.

The quadruple interest group argued that the proposal would also further increase the administrative cost burden on service providers to comply with numerous and complex tax regulations, already high compared to other countries of the world.

They, therefore, requested of both Ministers to urgently intervene to prevent the adoption of a new tax on electronic communications services to ensure that digital economy delivers its full potential in Nigeria and for Nigerians.

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NATCOMS demands quality Telecoms services from Danbatta

ITRealms

The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has called on the new  Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (ncc), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta   to ensure quality telecom services, ITRealms reports.

Specifically, NATCOMS pointed out the issue of Poor Quality of Telecoms Services, with particular reference to the vexed issue of dropping / breaking calls; undelivered but paid for text messages; data services deductions / internet poor quality; unauthorized call credit deductions, all without adequate reward and compensation.

These demands were contained in a press release  meant to welcome and congratulate the NCC helmsmen whose era is also witnessing the appointment of another Nigerian, Mr. Shola Taylor as the Secretary General / Chief Executive of the 54-Member nation Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (cto).

In a press release signed by the National President, NATCOMS, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, the  group also wants Danbatta to take drastic action against the lingering issue of unsolicited text messages to the extent that Telecoms Operators should supply the Subscriber with an irrevocable code to unsubscribe what-ever text messages that comes through their network, just as it is provided for with internet Electronic Mails (e-mails).

In order to reduce mobile phone / cyber-crime, ITRealms learnt, Professor Danbatta should interface with the Police and other Law Enforcement Agencies in order to make mobile phone / cyber-crime a step-by-step reporting process that is less cumbersome and without any encumbrance. This will encourage the reporting of mobile phone / cyber-crime as well as make tracking of fraudsters easier. The current mobile phone / cyber-crime reporting process is very stressful, very cumbersome and excessively engaging.

The new ncc boss should ensure that he puts in place a Subscriber’s Compensation Policy Plan which will compensate subscribers with Free Airtime, anytime the Telecoms Operators perform below the Key Performance Indicators parameters (kpi) as set by the Nigerian Communications Commission. The current practice where Telecoms Operators fall short of KPI parameters and are imposing huge fines, which goes to government coffers, is to say the least, highly exploitative and unsavory of the Subscribers who suffers the injury and the brunt of poor quality service and other unauthorized deductions.

It becomes noteworthy to state that, while government makes an income from Subscribers all voice calls, data, internet services, etc, which amounts to billions of naira yearly, Nigerian Subscribers spend a minimum of  N212 Billion (two hundred and twelve billion Naira) every month on telecoms services.

with the above scenario, NCC must be seen to also protect the Nigerian Telecoms Consumers by standing firm for them through free airtime compensation from time to time in the face of Key Performance Indicators impairment, ITRealms learnt.

Cyriacus Nnaji/ED,OPs

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NATCOM consortium pays N14.051bn for NITEL

DigitalSENSE Business News:

In fulfillment of its first obligation, the preferred bidder of the Nigeria Telecommunications Plc (NITEL) and its mobile arm, Mobile Telecommunication (MTEL), the NATCOM Consortium, recently made a part payment of $75.75 million, about N14,051,626,202.30 billion, for the deal, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

According to the Head of Public Communications, Mr. Chigbo Anichebe in a press statement sighted by DigitalSENSE Business News, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) said in Abuja that the payment was 30 per cent of the $252.52 million about N46,703,574,000.00 bid price for the acquisition of the assets and business units of the enterprises.

He also quoted the consortium’s lead, who is equally chairman, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Olatunde Ayeni, as saying the offer letter to the preferred bidder which mandated NATCOM to make an initial deposit of 30 per cent of the bid price not later than 14 days on receipt of the offer letter has since been received.

DigitalSENSE Business News gathered that with this payment, NATCOM is anticipated to pay the balance of 70 per cent of the bid price within 90 days. 

“It is therefore imperative to inform creditors that disbursements to them will be considered only after full payment has been received,” BPE official said.

DigitalSENSE Business News recalls that the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) had on February 27, 2012, approved the privatisation of NITEL and its subsidiary MTEL through a term “guided liquidation.”
Experts explained that the strategy of guided liquidation was agreed by the NCP after due consideration of other options, including previously failed attempts to privatise NITEL and MTEL over Strategic Core Investor Sale and Negotiated Sale strategies as well as the huge liabilities of creditors to the tune of over N300 billion.

Under the guided liquidation strategy, DigitalSENSE Business News reports, all the core assets and business undertaking of NITEL and MTEL were to be sold as single or multiple lots to a qualified bidder by the liquidator under the general guidance of the NCP.

The bidder that acquires the assets of NITEL and MTEL will pledge to continue to operate the assets to provide telecoms services. This is as against the traditional liquidation of an enterprise by asset stripping.
Subsequently, there was advertisements for submission of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from prospective bidders for the acquisition of the assets and business undertaking of NITEL and MTEL in both local and international newspapers by the liquidator. 

However, at the expiration date on June 30, 2014, 17 organisations and consortia submitted EOIs; and only two satisfactorily met the stipulated prequalification criteria.

DigitalSENSE Business News recollects that on September 18, 2014, the two successful applicants, NATCOM Consortium and NETTAG Consortium, reportedly met the minimum pass mark of 75 per cent pre-qualification standard and issued the Request for Proposals (RFP) which allowed them proceed to data room and due diligence stage before submission of their technical and financial proposals.

Eventually, beat the deadline of November 7, 2014 for submission of bid.

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12 Sins of Mobile Operators in Nigeria in 12 years

How time flies, just 12 years ago, the telecommunications subscribers cum consumers have groaned in pains as a result of poor quality service of the telecommunications operating companies, so says the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS).

According to NATCOMS president, Deolu Ogunbanjo, in a 12 Sins of Mobile Operators in Nigeria as listed in his letter to the operators through the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) seeking compensation, he justified their demands, arguing that the N5000 per subscriber as compensation for poor quality of service in the next 12 years, should be free to be used across networks.

Some of the sins of mobile operators based on deficiencies, he told ITRealms, include:

"1. Dialing a number between 5-10 times before getting connected /not-connected

2. Dialing several times and still getting a ‘call failed’ message.

3. Moving from one place to the other in search of network signal before receiving or making calls

4. When you dial and eventually connected, you will be a lucky subscriber if both caller and recipient can hear each other without voice-breaks. Often times, the caller /recipient may hear the recipient /caller, while the caller /recipient cannot hear. Yet this incomplete call is paid for.

5. Sometimes when both of you are connected and you can hear each other, after talking for few minutes, one of you will not hear the other again. The call has been terminated by one of the networks.

6. When you have tried to call through voice to no avail, you want to try the SMS (Text Massage) alternative. After typing your SMS and trying to send, it may not sail through, even after several trials as it gives the usual ‘message sending failed’ on the screen. You must keep trying even if it takes 15-30 minutes before a successful attempt.

7. When your Text Message (SMS) is successfully sent, and the message is not delivered, the Subscriber is still charged.

8. When your mobile-phone credit gets exhausted and you try to recharge in order to make an urgent call, you may not be able to recharge no matter how many times you try at that particular time.

9. Sometimes, when you successfully recharge your phone either for voice calls or data /internet browsing and the network operator mistakenly remove Subscriber’s credit, and thereafter, Subscriber complains through operator’s customer care line or goes physically to operator’s customer care office, they deliberately keep posting Subscribers and not actually resolving the complaint. And in view of the small amounts usually involved, the Subscriber does not seek for compensation, even when he tries, the customer-care officer is trained to tell stories that will eventually frustrate the Subscriber.

10. When trying to complain to customer-care of a network problem or over-scratched recharge card with some pin numbers not showing, they will either direct you to their website or keep you waiting for between 30 minutes to 1-hour. If you are lucky to get attention and you are eventually attended to, it takes 3-6 months before crediting the subscriber, after taking the details.

11. When the Subscriber complains through network operator’s customer care line, he /she will be told that it will be resolved in few numbers of days to no avail. Even when the Subscriber physically goes to the Customer Care Centre of the network operator, it is also promises of resolution to no avail. Only 1 or 2 of every 100 cases are resolved satisfactorily.

12. When the operators run their promotions for profit motives, they deliberately congest the network to the detriment of good service quality which affects Subscribers."

Therefore, Ogunbanjo insisted that Nigerian telecom subscribers deserve to be compensated.

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Deactivated SIM Card:: NATCOMS urges members to take advantage of NCC new window

Following the plea of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) and Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) may have granted deactivated subscribers over the non-registration of their SIM cards another window to make amend.

This is coming as NATCOMS urged subscribers affected by the deactivation process to take advantage of this new window.

Speaking to ITRealms, Monday, NATCOMS president, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo noted that the appeals by both NATCOMS and ALTON to NCC and Ministry of Communication Technology must have paved the way to the latest ground of NCC.

Ogunbanjo also pointed out that on Saturday, July 6, 2013, he was on NTA Network Live Interview with Tony Ojobo of NCC a new SIM Card Registration window for subscribers opened for those affected by deactivation of their SIM cards.

According to him, the NCC latest window is now the only opportunity for disconnected subscribers in Nigeria to have their SIM Cards registered re-activation.

Subscribers whose’ SIM Cards have been deactivated, he said, are advised to go to the nearest Customer Care Centre of their network operator for registration and subsequent re-activation.

Already, he emphasized, Communications Service Providers (CSP’s) are encouraging disconnected subscribers to come and register their SIM Cards and get between N5,000 and N10,000 as re-activation bonus for on-net calls.

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SIM card deadline: NATCOMs begs CommTech minister to intervene

The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has appealed to the Honourable Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson to prevail on the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to extend the just closed deadline for registration of Subscriber identification Module (SIM) cards, which ended four days ago.

NATCOMS in its plea letter sighted by ITRealms argued that its plea be reconsidered to give Nigerian subscribers a 3-Month One-Way final warning extension on SIM Cards registration.

“That is subscribers to be able to receive calls,” NATCOMS president, Chief Deola Ogunbanjo declared.

Though part of the letter outlined four points for their plea, including:

1.         During the SIM Registration exercise, some Umbrella SIM Registration Agents were not collecting the full details needed because of the rush by the Agents to register as many Subscribers so as get paid big.

2.         Some Umbrella SIM Registration Agents, during the active registration period and even now are asking Subscribers to pay N100 (One Hunderd Naira before registration. A situation that discourages Subscribers.

3.         Some Umbrella SIM Registration Agents, even when they are Agents of a Particular Network Operator, collect other Operators SIM Cards for registration in order to shore up the number of SIM Cards they register daily.

4.         Some Umbrella SIM Registration Agents, copy their daily registered Subscribers and give to their colleagues in business as some form of ‘help.’

 
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