Records available to eWorldnews have shown that the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) is increasingly ensuring telecommunication companies comply with operating rules while violators are being punished.
In 2019, the Commission carried out over 100 compliance and monitoring activities, across the country, some resulting to fines and enforcement.
The NCC activities were carried out in the areas of SIM card registration and replacement compliance, technical audit of operators’ performance of the mobile number portability (MNP) scheme, violations of payments on operating licensing fees, unauthorized use of spectrum among others
One of the highlights of the NCC compliance monitoring activities within the period was an audit exercise it carried out from September 25-28, 2019, where it discovered that Airtel, MTN and Globacom forcefully subscribed some customers to Data and Value Added Services in contravention of the Commission’s Direction on Forceful Subscription.
A letter was sent to the MNOs directing that they make the required refunds before September 27, 2019 and also furnish the Commission with the details on or before October 4, 2019.
The violation attracted a fine of over N2.3 billion imposed on Airtel, N164.3 million on 9Mobile and N232.5 million on Globacom.
Airtel was also fined N121 million for unilateral disconnecting Exchange Telecommunications Limited. In February both 9Mobile and Airtel were again fined N5million each for violating the direction on ‘do not disturb rule’
Globacom was compelled to pay part of its outstanding financial obligations to the Commission, with payment of about N729million made for numbering plan for 2019 only.
9Mobile was also fined N5 million for violating the rule on automatic renewal of data subscription.
In line with its good corporate governance code, specifically on change of shareholding structure, Comviva Technologies Nigeria Limited was fined N2 million for breach of that code.
NCC prevailed on MTN from disconnecting YellowDot Nigeria Limited, a Value Added Services (VAS) company, from its network, but the VAS company was compelled to pay N7.7 million for license renewal to qualify for continuous operation of its services.
Several companies in Lagos, Jigawa, Kano and Rivers were fined for operating without license in 2019 and they were made to pay several amounts as penalties.
The Commission also carried out monitoring on its directive on routing of a minimum of 10% of interconnect traffic by mobile network operators (MNOs) through interconnect exchange licensees.
In the year the NCC also carried out technical audit of operators’ performance of the MNP scheme to ensure a seamless porting process with strict adherence to the MNP Regulations 2014 and the Business Rules & Port Order Processes.
While the audit showed that all the operators complied only Globacom did not comply with the direction of routing at least 10% of its traffic and the operator was sanctioned for noncompliance.
The Commission enforced action against illegal users of 5.4GHz frequency band causing interference on IPNX Nig. Ltd network on its 5.4GHz band affecting its services in Abuja, Kano, Lagos Ibadan and Port Harcourt.
The regulator also in the year carried out nationwide physical enforcement action against illegal and unauthorised users of 5.430 – 5.725 Ghz (5.4ghz) frequency band.
It also enforced telecos compliance with Commission’s guidelines on the technical specifications for installation of telecommunications masts and towers of 2009, which several operators such as MTN, IHS, ATC, Airtel and Glo were in breach of.
