Subscribers to checkmate poor telecoms services – Minister

Minister of Communications Technology, Barr. Adebayo Shittu has called for an all-inclusive approach to end poor service delivery by telecommunication companies in Nigeria. He said extortion, incessant dropped calls on all networks, poor quality of service, dead or silent calls and exorbitant call tariff plans are anomalies that have become typical of service providers in Nigeria stating that the public has crucial role to play in solving the problem.

Poor services also include deficiency in data penetration, roll out of 4g/lte network, under-declared revenue and profit by telecom operators, disengagement of Nigerian tax-paying employees by telecom operators through outsourcing to foreign companies and discrepancy and discrimination against Nigerian employees by telecom operators.

The Minister said extortion and other misconduct by operators has led to losses on the part of subscribers, adding that the support of subscribers is inevitable if government will make a headway in the war against poor telecom service providers.

‘Speaking further, he said that rather than continuing to insinuate that there is corruption everywhere, from the Ministry to the telecom operators, subscribers should stop being complacent, they should equally be alive to their responsibilities as discernible consumers by being proactive and possibly sue erring operator where a prima facie case could be established.

‘The regulatory agency, the NCC has come up with an idea among its numerous efforts, with a ‘Do Not Disturb’ code (2442) to be used by subscribers. Failure to adhere to lodged complaints, the subscribers are advised to call a toll free line 622 for complaints management by the NCC.

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