The Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) has warned service providers in the country to desist from forceful subscription of data service and other Value Added Services without prior consent of the subscribers. Alhaji Ismail Adedigba ,Deputy Director ,Consumer Affairs Bureau ,NCC gave the warning on Thursday during the 39th edition of Consumer Town Hall meeting(CTM) held in Akpabuyo LGA ,Cross River state with the theme:”Using Information and Education as a Tool For Consumer Empowerment and Protection”.
Adedigba said the directive which took effect from May 21st, 2018 was part of efforts by the commission to ensure that all consumers and subscribers of all categories were well protected and given adequate information on how to maximise the packages by service providers. He said the theme was carefully chosen to reflect one of the cardinal objectives of NCC of ensuring consumers empowerment through provision of necessary and adequate information and education was properly provided to consumers at all levels.
His words: “Through empowerment and education, telecom consumers are fortified with necessary tools to be protected from market exploitation: make rational and informed decisions when making choices of services. Consumer information and education is identified by NCC as one of the most cost effective mechanisms that provides and guarantees consumer empowerment and education. It will also serve as a proactive way of protecting consumers from making wrong choices as wells as serve as a preventive measure that protect them from being exploited and defrauded.
“The Commission has developed series of initiatives with the main goal of empowering them with appropriate information and education that will ensure that that their rights, privileges and interests are adequately protected. Speaking further ,he said the issuance of directives to service providers on data roll-over which now enables consumers to roll over unused data for a period of time ranging from one day to a week will also take effect from 26th of June, 2018. “I need to emphasise that failure by the operators to comply with the directive attracts huge penalties and this in realization of telecom s=consumers and as a regulatory agency we are poised to empower subscribers with adequate information and education so that they can make informed choices.
“We have been inundated with various complaints ranging from failure to roll over data at the expiration of data bundles by service providers, automatic renewal of data services upon expiration and activation/subscription to data and other value added services without prior consent of the subscribers and this town hall meeting is part of steps to tackle such complaints,” he said.
