The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given telecom operators
one week ultimatum to comply with the directive of ‘Do Not Disturb’
(DND), issued by the body on April 20th, 2016, to address unwanted
messages received by subscribers or face sanction.
According to a statement released today in Abuja by the Director of
Public Affairs of the commission, Mr Tony Ojobo; NCC had written to all
13 networks providers in Nigeria, on whose networks the body had
received series of complaints from subscribers regarding adherence to
the ‘Do Not Disturb’ (DND) service rule issued to them by NCC.
Tony Ojobo said;
“The commission has engaged mobile network operators on this subject. 13
network operators risk severe sanctions by the commission. The network
operators are Airtel Network Ltd., MTN Nigeria, Globacom Nigeria, Smile
Communication, Visafone Comm unications, Ntel, Etisalat, Multi links,
Starcomms, Danjay Telecoms, Gamjitel Ltd. and Gicell wireless. They
are however given another one-week ultimatum from Monday, Nov. 14, to
remedy the situation or face the sanctions enshrined in the directive.
Worried by the non-compliance by the operators occasioned by deluge of
complaints by subscribers across Nigeria, the NCC inaugurated an
eight-member committee to look into the matter. After several meetings,
including those it held with the network providers, it became necessary
to issue the latest ultimatum to redress the menace of incessant
unsolicited text messages and phone calls for telemarketing via the
various networks. With respect to only information on emergencies for
example, national security, fire notifications on network maintenance
programmes down times and notification regarding subscribers bundle
usage and service renewals. Other text messages and voice calls
informing subscribers of new products and service offerings are not
regarded as network generated and therefore regarded as “unsolicited
marketing messages. The NCC has therefore asked these network providers
to ensure that information on the Do Not Disturb service should be
disseminated after every revenue generating activity via the End of Call
Notification (EOCN) for the period not less than 45 days within the
hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily from the receipt of the latest letter on
the subject. The operators are also admonished to deploy this
information through all their channels of communications, including
websites, social media platforms, bill boards, flash messages, text
messages, Interactive Voice Response platform, radio jingles, newspapers
advertisements and television commercials.”
Ojobo said that this notice served as a pre-enforcement notice and
failure to comply with the directives in furtherance of the direction of
April 20 within seven days from Nov. 14, 2016 shall result in the
imposition of appropriate sanctions, adding that the menace of
unsolicited text messages that find their ways into subscribers phones
have been a nightmare to millions of subscribers and the commission
would no longer accept any excuses whatsoever from the network
providers, henceforth.
Source: ncc.gov.ng
Home / Uncategories / NCC threatens to sanction MTN, other networks over unsolicited telemarketing messages
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