NCC orders telcos to publish QoS performances or risk sanctions

Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has ordered mobile telecommunications networks to publish quality of services (QoS) performances for the public to see or face sanctions in line with the laws guiding the industry.

Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian communication commission (NCC) who gave the directive in Lagos recently said the commission is concerned about the quality of service from the networks and is taking measures to address them.

He said NCC has identified coverage gaps across the country. Using a combination of regulatory frameworks and incentives, the commission is working towards bridging the gaps currently existing in various parts of the country, said Danbatta.

“We cannot talk about protecting the consumer without talking seriously about the issue of quality of service. We understand the challenges militating against the level of quality of service that every consumer in Nigeria desires and deserves. This is why we are calling service providers to account. We have acquired relevant tools for measurement of not only the performance switch, but also that of consumer experience state-by-state levels” he said.

Danbatta said the NCC has directed the telecom networks to live up to the expectations of their consumers or be sanctioned in accordance with the laws guiding the industry. “We are engaging the service providers regularly with a view to tackling the quality of service challenges” he said.

He added that the commission is currently seeking a review of the National Economic Council’s (NEC) recommendations on ways to eliminate multiple taxations and regulations that have created bottlenecks in the provision of services in different states of the federation.

Noting that ICT has huge potential for the future economic development of the country, he said “that is why we are consulting with governments at various levels, especially with the state governments to key into these huge potentials.

This they can do by discouraging some of their officials, agencies and departments that create bottlenecks with multiple regulation and taxations and denial of Rights of ways that hinder fast deployment of infrastructure and services” he said.