Telecom subscribers seek 30 days grace for data roll

The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to extend the grace period of unused data roll over to 30 days.

The President of NATCOMS, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, made the call in an interview in Lagos.

NCC is planning to issue a directive to telecommunications operators to give 14 days window to subscribers to enable them to roll over their unused data.

Ogunbanjo, while describing the idea of 14 days as a welcome development, said that it was not enough considering the present economic situation as subscribers were not getting value for their money with regard to data usage.

“NCC should give at least 30 days grace instead of 14 days, because of the recent economic situation.

“One may also have pressing needs or competing demands in the family and may not have money to subscribe within the 14 days period,” the NATCOMS president said.

“The grace period for voice recharge is 90 days, hence, data subscription should not be different.’’

The Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said that subscribers would be given the 14 days grace, even if they do not renew on the date of data expiration.

Danbatta said that this would stop the present practice where subscribers would lose the entire unused data, if they failed to renew on the date of expiration of the present subscription.

According to him, NCC recognises that telecommunications services are very important to the nation’s development.

“NCC also recognises more importantly, that the consumers of telecommunications services deserve to get value for their money.

“NCC also recognises that consumer should be treated as a very important stakeholder in the scheme of things, as far as service delivery is concern.

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“Let me recall that in the eight points agenda of my administration, the issue of empowerment and protection of consumers occupied the sixth position.

“The vision in this agenda is to protect consumers from unfair practices through availability aof information and education to make informed choices in the use of ICT services,” he said.