Globacom denies owing MTN interconnect charges debt

A highly placed official of telecom giant, Globacom has refuted claims that the telecom firm is owing MTN Nigeria interconnect charges running into billions of naira.

According to the source, the amount due for payment was N1.6 billion and it had been paid without controversy.

Recall that the industry regulator, Nigerian Communication Commissions (NCC), had on Monday, through a notice approved a partial disconnection of Globacom by MTN over the former’s refusal to pay interconnect debt.

In the notice, NCC disclosed that Globacom had 10 days, starting from January 8, to pay the debt or the disconnection would be implemented.

The partial disconnection means that Globacom’s subscribers will not be able to make calls to any MTN number. However, Glo customers can receive inbound calls from MTN customers.

Part of the public notice read: “All subscribers are requested to take notice that the commission has approved the partial disconnection of Globacom to MTN.

“This is in accordance with Section 100 of the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) and paragraph nine of the Guidelines on Procedure for Granting Approval to Disconnect Telecommunications Operators (2012).

READ ALSO: NCC asks MTN to disconnect Globacom over interconnect debt

“At the expiration of 10 days from Jan. 8, 2024, subscribers of Globacom will no longer be able to make calls to MTN but will be able to receive calls.”

The Glo official said a proper cross-checking of facts should have been done before concluding that the telco was owing MTN.

However, while Globacom is yet to make an official statement as at the time of compiling this report, the insider source disclosed that a proper cross-checking of facts ought to have been done before concluding that Globacom owes MTN.

“We are not owing MTN any interconnect charges,” the Glo official said.

The Globacom official further stated that Glo was the first telecoms company that introduced the pay-per-second form of billing which cut the monopoly of the other foreign companies operating in Nigeria.

He added that Glo was the first telecoms company that introduced the pay-per-second form of billing, thereby cutting the monopoly of the other foreign companies operating in Nigeria.

According to the Glo official, the report against Nigeria’s fully indigenous telecommunications company that has redefined access to communications at all levels is false.