Score controversy: JAMB bars Ms Ejikeme on 3-year suspension - ITREALMS

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has barred Ms Ejikeme Joy Mmesom from sitting for the examination for three years over controversial Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result, reports ITREALMS.

JAMB had on Tuesday, revealed that it stopped using the print-out currently being paraded by the student, Ms Ejikeme as her authentic result in 2021.

Twitter bars Simon Ekpa account - ITREALMS

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Twitter has barred the social media account of Simon Ekpa on the microblog @Simon_ekpa, reports ITREALMS.

The barring which took effect Tuesday, December 13, 2022 was due to violation found on the account.

NIN-SIM policy: FG bars outgoing calls on unlinked lines - ITREALMS

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The Federal Government (FG) has directed telecommunications operators in the country to bar outgoing calls on unlinked lines from April 4, 2022, reports ITREALMS.

According to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the President, General Muhammadu Buhari, retired, has approved the implementation of the policy with effect from Monday, 4th of April, 2022.

Call Masking: NCC sanctions clearing houses, bars 750,000 PNL, LEO numbers

ITREALMS:

… Immediate disconnect of ICSL, SISL

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has sanctioned some interconnect clearing houses licensees for alleged call-masking, call-refiling and SIM-Boxing, with immediate disconnection of Information Connectivity Solutions Limited (ICSL) and Solid Interconnectivity Services Limited from all networks, reports ITRealms.

This, ITRealms gathered, is coming as the Commission also barred over 750,000 numbers assigned to PrivateNetwork Links (PNL) and Local Exchange Operator (LEO) licensees, found to be aiding and abating this unwholesome practice.

Director, Public Affairs Department of NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, confirmed this to ITRealms, Tuesday, saying they were recently inundated with complaints from service providers and consumers regarding the high incidence of call-masking, call-refiling and SIM-Boxing, hence they have to take action.

Generally, he defined the practice complained of as “disguising international calls as local calls in order to profit from price differentials between international and local calls. Apart from the resultant loss of revenue by service providers, the practice some also has negative security implications.”

He also said that this follow a painstaking investigation process which included collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Department of State Services, the Commission has imposed a range of sanctions on licensees involved in the fraudulent practice.

The sanctions, he said include the suspension of the Interconnect Clearinghouse License issued to Medallion Communications Limited for a period of 90 (ninety) days, in the first instance; Issuance of a strong warning to Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria Limited; Disconnection of Information Connectivity Solutions Limited (ICSL) and Solid Interconnectivity Services Limited from all networks, until they regularize their operations.

In addition, Ojobo told ITRealms that NCC issued letters of caution to three other licensees, namely the Exchange Telecoms Limited, NiconnX Limited and Breeze Micro Limited, warning them against engaging in the fraudulent practice, whereas, barring over 750,000 numbers assigned to several Private Network Links (PNL) and Local Exchange Operator (LEO) licensees, which number ranges were found to have been utilized for the practice.

The sanctioned entities, NCC spokesman said in a press statement made available to ITRealms, were found to be directly and indirectly complicit in several infractions, including, covertly allowing organisations with expired licences to transit calls, failure to undertake due diligence on parties seeking to interconnect, deliberately turning a blind eye to masking infractions by interconnect partners, and using a licence issued to another organisation to bring-in and terminate international calls which were masked as local calls to other operators.

On the barring of numbers, he reiterated that over 750,000 individual numbers across the nation, made up of about 31 number ranges have been barred.

NCC further said that licensees whose numbers have been barred are Vezeti Communications Services Limited, Voix Networks Limited, Mobitel Limited, Peace Global Satellite Communications Limited, ABG Communications Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Swift Telephone Networks Limited, QVODA Telecoms Limited, Wireless Telecoms Limited and Emcatel Networks Limited.

According to NCC, culprits were found to be terminating millions of minutes, whereas they only have very few active customers.

“The Commission is pleased to note that the incidence of call masking has significantly reduced since it commenced a multi-faceted approach to address the menace,” he said.

Insisting that the actions so far taken by NCC, were just the first stage of the exercise, stressing that the second stage which has now commenced, will focus on the Mobile Network Operators and other persons involved in SIM-Boxing.

“The aim of the Commission is to completely stamp out the fraudulent practice in the overall interest of all Nigerians. Accordingly, every service provider that has been sanctioned still has an opportunity to correct the identified anomalies and satisfy the Commission that it should be allowed to continue to operate in Nigeria.

“The Commission reserves the right to revoke the licence of such service providers where they fail to take the necessary corrective measures,” NCC declared.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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NCC bars mobile operators from VASA, unveils framework

ITREALMS:

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given ‘I am ready’ sound to license the Value Added Service Aggregator (VASA) in the country, but barred Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), among others, from the exercise, reports ITRealms.

Also barred from participation in the forthcoming license regime include the Value Added Service (VAS) Content providers, (using Short Code), and VAS Special Numbering Service Licensees.

These, NCC declared, “are NOT eligible to apply for the VAS Aggregator license.”

This is coming as the Commission has unveiled its VASA license framework.

Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Tony Ojobo, confirmed to ITRealms that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has developed a Value Added Service (VAS) Aggregator License Framework.

NCC also beckons on interested members of the public and corporate organizations to accordingly send their applications to the Commission's Headquarters in Abuja.

According to him, applicants should note that “Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Value Added Service (VAS) Content (using Short Code) and VAS (Special Numbering Service) Licensees “are NOT eligible to apply for the VAS Aggregator license.”

In addition, he said, content developers are to register with the Commission to enable integration into the Value Added Service (VAS) value chain made up of: Content Developer ⇒ Content Service Provider ⇒ VAS Aggregator ⇒ Mobile Network Operator.

Further, he said, applicants must download the Individual License Application Form from the Commission website, fill and return in triplicate.

Upon submission you are required to pay ₦1,000.00 for the form and 5 per cent of the licence fee of ₦10,000,000.00 being ₦500,000.00 as a non-refundable administrative charges.

Ojobo urged applicants to reach out to NCC website for the VAS Aggregator License Framework for guidance.

NCC emphasized that submission of application by prospective VAS Aggregator Licensees must be within two (2) weeks from the date of this publication, dated December 4, 2017, stressing that all applications submitted after the deadline will not be entertained.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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