The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is to wade into the high tariffs charged for SMS by communication networks operating in the country, executive vice chairman of the Commission, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe has said.
Ndukwe, who spoke at the telecommunications consumer parliament organized by NCC in Awka at the weekend, described as a rip off what some of the networks were doing to their subscribers through the SMS, adding that arrangements have been concluded to regulate the price if the network operators fail to act accordingly on the issue.
On the alleged vandalization of cables by some networks against each other, Ndukwe said that security agencies would be involved in curbing the ugly trend, explaining that NCC would soon summon a meeting of all the networks in the country to seek ways of stopping it.
The NCC boss said he was woried that the Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL) was not doing enough to compete with other networks in the country, recalling that the establishment which had 400,000 lines in 2001 could not boast of 5,000 lines at present.
According to him, the problem in NITEL was beyond the alleged vandalization as was sometimes claimed by its officials.
Earlier, the General Manager of NITEL in the South East, Mr. Ogwugwuam Edechie had blamed the Anambra State government for the inefficiency of NITEL in the state, alleging that construction companies working in the state have been vandalizing its cables in parts of the state.
Edechie said that in addition to the state government, MTN and Globacom networks also commit the same offence, adding that NITEL had written series of letters to the state government on the issue.
Source: Vanguard
