If you’re always running out of data, don’t blame service providers —NCC

Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications
Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said that experience of early
depletion or rise in data consumption by telecoms consumers are not
necessarily as a result of illegal deductions or sharp practices by
mobile network operators.

Rather, he said, “The reasons include the advancement in
technology, which has led to the rise in applications, updates and
services that leverage on this technology and advancement of
supportive data infrastructure.”

Others, according to him, are increase in video-based
advertising content by social media companies which in some cases
are layered on free services offered by the companies; auto updates
of apps on the phone over mobile data network without any sort of
prompting or intervention by the user of the mobile phone.

Danbatta spoke during a presentation at the monthly briefing on
Short-Term Key Performance Indicators by agencies under the Federal
Ministry of Communications.

The Minister of Communications, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, and other
officials of the ministry, attended the meeting.

In his presentation, Director, Technical Standards and Network
Integrity, Bako Wakil, stressed that while regulatory efforts are
ongoing towards a downward review of cost of data and improved
quality of data services for telecom subscribers, the drivers of
the cost of data provision and quality of service in Nigeria are,
however, not entirely within the control of the Commission.

“These data provision drivers and factors include Right of Way
issues, fibre cuts, vandalism, multiple taxations, insecurity and
power outages as well as site access denial that tend to temper
seamless service provision.

Speaking on measures being taken by the Commission towards
curbing proliferation of pre-registered SIM cards in the country,
Danbatta elaborated on a broad-based identity management database
solution being worked on to permanently curb the menace.

“In view of the grave impact of pre-registered SIM cards and
other SIM-related crimes on national security of the country
arising from this challenge, the Commission is considering
implementing a robust identity management solutions to curb the
menace once and for all as the telecom sector transit into a new
SIM Card Registration Regime based on the Mandatory Use of National
Identity Number Regulations issued by the National Identity
Management Commission.”

On Call Drop Rate, Danbatta said, based on its monthly
monitoring of operators’ level of quality of service delivery, “the
call drop rate across all mobile networks this year has been below
one per cent threshold, a situation that has steadily and
relatively improved quality of service of telecoms consumers.

Meanwhile, Pantami has commended the NCC for doing well in
enlightenment on consumer issues and other ongoing initiatives,
adding that “we can re-strategise and heighten campaigns in all
media, especially in local languages.”