The Nigerian Communication Commissions (NCC) has urged customers of telecommunication operators to lodge their complaints of unsatisfactory services through its 622 Toll-Free-Line.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said this at the 95th Edition of Consumers Outreach Programme in Dutse on Friday.
Danbatta, who was represented by the Director, Consumers Affairs Bureau of the commission, Mrs Felicia Onwuegbuchulam said that the commission was disturbed with the various complaints from customers.
The complaints include unsolicited text messages and calls, failure/refusal to roll over unused data services at the expiration of data bundled by service providers.
Others are automatic renewal of data services upon expiration and activation, subscription to data and Value Added Services (VAS) without the consent of subscribers.
“It is in response to these complaints that the commission as a proactive institution has taken appropriate steps to address the issues raised,’’ she said.
Onwuegbuchulam said that the commission had issued directive to service providers to desist from forceful subscription of data services and VAS unless they got the consent of the customers.
“It is on this note that we develop 622 Toll-Free-Line for customers to lodge any unresolved complaints to us between them and their providers.’’
She said that failure to comply with the directive by any telecom provider would attract penalties by the commission.
“This is because we believe that a consumer is a king and as such he needs some basic rights and privileges like the right to be heard, right to be educated, right to choose, right to redress as well as right to safety.”
Onwuegbuchulam said that the Consumers Outreach Forum was an initiative of NCC to bring together telecom consumers in urban areas with network operators and regulators to discuss and offer solutions to consumer’s related issues.
“This is to ensure consumers have value for their money through effective service delivery,’’ he said.
Governor Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa State, who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Ibrahim Hadejia decried of the fluctuating nature of services by network providers.
Hadejia said that people had to climb mountains or go near network masts before they could make calls or send messages.
He urged the telecom providers to provide free network sites or provide some services at subsidised rates for e-learning as obtained in advanced society.
While commending the NCC for the tripartite meeting between consumers, telecomm operators and regulator, he urged telecom operators to build good networks for optimum advantage and utilisation for political, economic and social benefit of the customers.