By Sampson Unamka
The telecoms regulator, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), has advised telecommunication consumers against the use of substandard devices capable of degrading the quality of services available on the networks in addition to posing serious safety issues to them.
In his address during the NCC Day 2016 at the Lagos International Trade Fair at the weekend, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, who was represented by Head of Public Relations, Reuben Muoka, explained that as technology advances, more devices are being introduced into the market, adding that some of these devices have been used and dropped in other parts of the world while some may not even meet with international benchmarks for safety.
Advising Nigerians on how to acquire devices, he said, “we urge you to ensure that devices being used are typed-approved by the NCC and list of such devices are available on our website,” the EVC said.
The NCC boss also warned vendors who are in the habit of selling pre-registered SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards, saying if apprehended would be appropriately dealt with.
“We are using this opportunity to inform consumers and members of the public to alert security agencies where they find anybody engaging in the sale or use of preregistered SIM cards, as they pose serious danger to individual and collective safety.
“Those found culpable also risk severe penalties of fine and imprisonment. We have also sent serious warnings to the service providers to ensure that their dealers and sub-dealers who have a role to play in the sale and activation of services are not culpable in the perpetration of this crime. Our Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Department is currently going round the country with a view to fishing out the perpetrators.”
He further told consumers to take advantage of a number of solutions the commission has evolved to improve the quality of experience of subscribers in the network.
“The latest of such solutions is the Do-not-Disturb Code 2442 launched by the commission to combat the menace of unsolicited text messages. The power to receive or reject any text message is now in the hands of the consumer. All the service providers have been mandated to implement and educate consumers on how to restrict those messages and voice calls that are considered unsolicited.”