Data: NCC directs telecoms operators to give 14 days’ grace period

Sign MoU with CBN on consumers’ BVN fake messages

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has continued to enhance subscribers experience in pursuance of this Telecom Consumer year, as the Commission directs all Telecoms Operators to give 14 -days grace for subscribers to exhaust their remaining data after the 30 days expiration period.

Ms. Hellen Obi, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman NCC, Professor Umar Danbata, stated this at the Consumers Conversation Forum organised by the NCC in Minna, the Niger State capital to sensitise consumers on the need to follow the right channel in resolving issues with their service providers.

“NCC has mandated all network providers to give their subscribers 14 days of grace after the 30 days expiration of their data if they still have data left and cannot recharge to get their data rolled over,” Obi said.

The consumers were also advised that if their complaints are not solved by their network provider they can call NCC and lay their complaints, while the commission will take up the matter and resolve it, including asking the service provider to compensate the subscriber.

She noted that 2017 was declared as NCC Telecom Consumer year as a result of the consumer’s importance to the growth and development of the telecom industry.

“The commission which is the independent regulatory authority for the telecommunications industry in Nigeria declared Year 2017 as NCC year of the telecom consumer in recognition of the importance of the consumer to the phenomenal growth and development in the telecoms sector.

“The year of telecom consumer, which was formally launched by NCC Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Danbata, is in tandem with the 8-point Agenda of the commission aimed to protect, educate, and empower consumers towards ensuring sustainable growth and further development in the Telecom sector,’’ she added.

The commission, she said also articulated four strategic initiatives as key drivers of the Consumer Conversation including “Do-Not-Disturb” (DND) Service across all telecom networks, a service, which enables the consumer to stop receiving unwanted and unsolicited messages from telecom operators.

Others include, the NCC toll free Line 622, which enables consumers to report complaints pertaining to unresolved issues with their service providers, and improving quality of service.

She disclosed that the NCC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which mandates the CBN to advise the banks on enlightenment of their customers on fake messages that request them to send their Bank Verification Number (BVN) or account details.

Tony Nwakaegho