The Nigerian Communications Commission
(NCC) has issued a final warning to telecommunication operators who
still send unsolicited text messages (SMS) to its customers.
In a statement by its Director of Public
Affairs, Tony Ojobo, the commission reiterated its readiness to protect
subscribers from the nuisance and irritations of unsolicited text
messages and calls from mobile network operators.
Ojobo, according to an online news portal,TheCable, noted
that in spite of earlier warnings to telecommunication service
providers to activate their Do-Not-Disturb facility, which gives
subscribers the freedom to choose the messages they receive, the
commission is still inundated with complaints by subscribers of
continuing text harassment by operators.
The direction issued to industry
operators to activate the 2442 Do-Not-Disturb short code took effect
from July 1, 2016, but has largely ignored.
Ojobo explained that the direction
mandates the operators to take immediate action, which will allow the
subscribers to take informed but independent decisions on what messages
to receive from the networks.
“Industry compliance doesn’t seem to have
matched the seriousness of the direction thus, compelling the
commission to issue a final warning to the operators,” he said.
“The direction takes into cognisance the
broad range of services, which include: banking/insurance/financial
products, real estate, education, health, consumer goods and
automobiles, communication/ broadcasting/entertainment/ it, tourism and
/leisure, sports, religion (Christianity, Islam, others), and directed
the operators to give the necessary instructions and clarifications that
will enable subscribers subscribe to a particular service/services/none
at all.
“In fact, a Full DND which is SMS “STOP”
to 2442 does not allow the subscriber to receive any unsolicited message
from the operators at all.”
Below are the various options: “SMS 1”
for receiving SMS relating to banking? insurance/ financial products to
2442; “SMS 2” for receiving SMS relating to real Estate to 2442 “SMS 3”
for receiving SMS relating to Education to 2442; “SMS 4” for receiving
SMS relating to Health to 2442; “SMS 5” for receiving SMS relating to
Consumer goods and Automobiles to 2442”; “SMS 6” for receiving SMS
relating to communication/ broadcasting entertainment/IT to 2442; “SMS
7” for receiving SMS relating to Tourism and leisure to 2442; “SMS 8”
for receiving SMS relating to Sports to 2442; “SMS 9” for receiving SMS
relating to Religion to 2442.
Ojobo called on the service providers to
immediately comply with the Direction as further complaints from the
subscribers would be taken as serious infractions to a major regulatory
intervention by the commission.
[ThisDay]
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