NCC to service providers: block pre-registered sim cards

The Nigerian Telecommunications Commission (NCC) has urged
mobile telecommunications firms to block pre-registered sim
cards.

The telecoms regulatory body spoke at its 87th consumer outreach
in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

NCC Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Alhjaji Ismail
Adedigba, who chaired the forum, frowned at some of the issues
complained about, especially the the existence of pre-registered
sim cards, which are believed to be what criminals, especially
kidnappers, armed robbers and fraudsters are using to perpetuate
crime across the country.

Adedigba said: ”I expected to hear that all sim cards are
registered. But I have issues with Service Providers here, how did
we get these pre-registered Sims to start with?

“I think your networks should have the total number of available
lines and the total number of subscribers in your database, and as
such you should be able to know which Sims age registered and those
that are not registered and automatically deactivate those that are
pre-registered and those that are not properly registered.

“But a situation where are still having pre-registered sim cards
with the advancement in technology today, is a surprise to me, and
note that a severe punishment awaits any provider whose network is
still carrying pre-registered sim cards.”

The Deputy Director also urged the service providers to step up
their services to save some of the frustrations their consumers ate
going through because of poor service delivery.

In an interview with reporters, he reiterated that telecoms mast
safe and constitute no health hazard to human beings.

According to him, there is presently no known cancer case or any
other health challenge traceable to telecommunication masts and
asked the public to save themself the fear that the electro magnate
radiation from the network equipment causes skin cancer or any
other type of disease.

He said: “As a today, there is no health implication, according
to the World Health Organization(WHO). So there is no health
research and well-known health implication of mast as at today. You
should not prevent the service provider from deploying masts. The
more masts we have, the better quality service we have.

“At the NCC, we believe consumer is the king in the palace
market. Therefore, the consumer must accord basic rights such as
rights to be heard, right to be educated, right to redress as well
as right to safety.”

The Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Alhaji Abdullahi Maikano,
said the programme was meant to bring the consumers, telecom
service providers and the NCC together to discuss ways they could
assist the consumer have value for their money through effective
service delivery.

Maikano said: “The event is one of the initiatives of Nigerian
Communications Commission to bring together Telecom Consumers in
the urban areas with the Network Operators and the Regulator (NCC)
to discuss, proffer solutions to consumer related issues and ensure
they have value for money through effective service delivery.”with
the theme: “information and education as a catalyst for consumer
protection”.

Stakeholders at the meeting spared no time in outlining and
expressing their various frustrations in the Services being
provided by the networks providers in the country describing it as
below standard and fraudulent.

The four major service providers, The MTN, Globacom, Airtel and
9mobile (formerly Etisalat) were present at the forum, where
subscribers gave them knocks for poor network connectivity,
allotment of one line to more than one subscriber at the same time,
to sending of unsubscribed messages/ imposing of charges on
unsubscribed messages, activation of pre-registered sim cards among
others.

Each of the service providers took turn to apologise to the
subscribers and pledged to turn new leaf.

The Nigerian Telecommunications Commission (NCC) has urged
mobile telecommunications firms to block pre-registered sim
cards.

The telecoms regulatory body spoke at its 87th consumer outreach
in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

NCC Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Alhjaji Ismail
Adedigba, who chaired the forum, frowned at some of the issues
complained about, especially the the existence of pre-registered
sim cards, which are believed to be what criminals, especially
kidnappers, armed robbers and fraudsters are using to perpetuate
crime across the country.

Adedigba said: ”I expected to hear that all sim cards are
registered. But I have issues with Service Providers here, how did
we get these pre-registered Sims to start with?

“I think your networks should have the total number of available
lines and the total number of subscribers in your database, and as
such you should be able to know which Sims age registered and those
that are not registered and automatically deactivate those that are
pre-registered and those that are not properly registered.

“But a situation where are still having pre-registered sim cards
with the advancement in technology today, is a surprise to me, and
note that a severe punishment awaits any provider whose network is
still carrying pre-registered sim cards.”

The Deputy Director also urged the service providers to step up
their services to save some of the frustrations their consumers ate
going through because of poor service delivery.

In an interview with reporters, he reiterated that telecoms mast
safe and constitute no health hazard to human beings.

According to him, there is presently no known cancer case or any
other health challenge traceable to telecommunication masts and
asked the public to save themself the fear that the electro magnate
radiation from the network equipment causes skin cancer or any
other type of disease.

He said: “As a today, there is no health implication, according
to the World Health Organization(WHO). So there is no health
research and well-known health implication of mast as at today. You
should not prevent the service provider from deploying masts. The
more masts we have, the better quality service we have.

“At the NCC, we believe consumer is the king in the palace
market. Therefore, the consumer must accord basic rights such as
rights to be heard, right to be educated, right to redress as well
as right to safety.”

The Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Alhaji Abdullahi Maikano,
said the programme was meant to bring the consumers, telecom
service providers and the NCC together to discuss ways they could
assist the consumer have value for their money through effective
service delivery.

Maikano said: “The event is one of the initiatives of Nigerian
Communications Commission to bring together Telecom Consumers in
the urban areas with the Network Operators and the Regulator (NCC)
to discuss, proffer solutions to consumer related issues and ensure
they have value for money through effective service delivery.”with
the theme: “information and education as a catalyst for consumer
protection”.

Stakeholders at the meeting spared no time in outlining and
expressing their various frustrations in the Services being
provided by the networks providers in the country describing it as
below standard and fraudulent.

The four major service providers, The MTN, Globacom, Airtel and
9mobile (formerly Etisalat) were present at the forum, where
subscribers gave them knocks for poor network connectivity,
allotment of one line to more than one subscriber at the same time,
to sending of unsubscribed messages/ imposing of charges on
unsubscribed messages, activation of pre-registered sim cards among
others.

Each of the service providers took turn to apologise to the
subscribers and pledged to turn new leaf.