By Chimezie Godfrey
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in collaboration with stakeholders in the telecom sector has mapped out strategies to address the issue of data depletion faced by telecom consumers in the country.
On the occasion of the 91st Edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) with the theme,” Data Depletion on the Various Perspectives”, held on Thursday in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, ably represented by Alh. Mohammed Babajika, the Director of Licensing and Authorisation, NCC, said the event was in line with the mandate of the Commission to protect, inform and educate the telecom consumers.
Danbatta also said the event was one of the Commission’s high-level dialogue forums held twice a year to exchange ideas on salient issues affecting the consumers of telecom services in the country.
He hinted that as an outcome of the TCP event of held in Lagos last year, 2022, the Commission has increased its capacity to handle type approval of devices as a result of the introduction of 5G enabled devices, and also intensified its efforts to educate telecom consumers on the benefits of 5G, particularly as regards the higher speed of data.
Danbatta therefore stressed that the interest of the telecom consumers is paramount to the Commission hence the need to address the issue of data depletion faced by telecom consumers in Nigeria.
He said,”This edition comes on the heels of the 90th Edition which held in Lagos on 23rd June 2022, where the Commission gathered industry players to discuss the theme “5G Technology: Opportunities and Challenges”.
“You may be pleased to know that as an outcome of that event, the Commission has increased its capacity to handle type approval of devices as a result of the introduction of 5G enabled devices, and also intensified its efforts to educate telecom consumers on the benefits of 5G, particularly as regards the higher speed of data.
“We are here today to deliberate on the issue of data depletion, which has become one of the most prevalent complaints received from the telecom consumers in the wake of their recent migration to 4G/LTE technology. Consumers have been experiencing depletion of their data either as a result of data usage or consumption, and are constantly informing the Commission of their experience through our various complaints channels.
“The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was the catalyst for the global explosion of new technologies which opened up an array of services, dynamic business models and new opportunities and markets globally. The Nigerian telecom industry was not left out, going by the documented upsurge in the use of computers, smartphones, smartwatches, and other technology-dependent devices which have given consumers access to multi-functional comfort and utility.
“Technology has eased interaction for a majority of the populace using social and instant messaging applications. No doubt, the underlying technology for these services is the internet, which drives connectivity. It is within the context of the subscription and usage of the internet that consumers are experiencing what they refer to as abnormal depletion of their data, which gives rise to the reason we are here today.”
Danbatta pointed out that mobile network operators all over the world have had to face challenges occasioned by emerging technologies, particularly during the pandemic, employees and students alike were forced to operate from home during the lockdown, .which stretched the existing infrastructure to its limits.
“This deliberation could therefore not have come at a more auspicious time, as Nigeria moves with the rest of the world towards 5G technology following the issuance of 3.5GHz spectrum licenses to MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, MAFAB Communications Limited and Airtel Networks Limited.
“It is pertinent to know that whereas 4G offers better download speeds, higher bandwidth and voice quality than 3G technology, 5G technology provides the additional benefits of ultra-high speed data, low latency and higher bandwidth over 4G technology. It is therefore important that we completely appreciate and understand the issues surrounding data depletion, its usage and consumption in the era of 4G technology before we fully commence 5G usage.
“The interests of the telecom consumer is of paramount importance to us and as the telecom regulator, we have the responsibility of ensuring that the consumer’s voice is heard, and that the relevant authorities address their complaints.
“It is against this backdrop that the Commission invited the key industry players today to dialogue on the theme “Data Depletion: Discussions on Various Perspectives” to understand the various perspectives to this prevalent issue, identify the possible causes, and brainstorm on the way forward. During this programme, we will listen to representatives of the Regulator, the Industry and the Consumer Advocacy Groups as they present the issue of data depletion as seen from their respective perspectives.
“We appreciate the presence of the Chief Executives of our Mobile Network Operators and other key stakeholders in the industry, who have taken time from their busy schedules to contribute to the robust panel discussion which we hope will proffer lasting solutions to mitigating this issue.
“As much as the Commission has an obligation to the telecom consumer, it also has an obligation to the Industry; a symbiotic relationship in which one party cannot survive without the other. The consumers are the basis for the operators’ business; if their interests are ignored, the operators’ investments would collapse, and there would be no industry for the Commission to regulate. It is thus expedient that we utilize opportunities presented by the Commission’s high-level outreach events such as this Parliament to genuinely exchange ideas on how to reduce the challenges militating against effective service provision to the barest minimum,” Danbatta said.
Delivering the welcome address, the Head of Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, Mr Ayanbanji Ojo noted that the Bureau is mandated by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 to protect, inform and educate telecom consumers.
He therefore stressed that was in line with this mandate that they have designed the Telecom Consumer Parliament as a forum for the active exchange of ideas on how to mitigate salient issues affecting the consumers of telecom services in the country.
“At the beginning of the Parliament, it was a quarterly engagement that includes so many invited consumers, however, it has been redesigned to twice a year and limited to the Telecoms Regulator and Service Providers, the Consumer Advocacy Groups, and other relevant stakeholders. This redesigned TCP has deepened the engagements for the benefit of telecom consumers.
“You may be pleased to know that following the 90th edition of the TCP which took place in Lagos last year with the theme “5G Technology: Opportunities and Challenges”, the Commission has increased its capacity to handle type approval of devices as a result of the introduction of 5G enabled devices and also intensified efforts to educate telecom consumers on the benefits of 5G, particularly as regards the higher speed of data.
“As a department, the Consumer Affairs Bureau maintains a direct interface with telecom consumers through our various communication channels. Either as a result of data usage or consumption, consumers are steadily informing the Commission of their experience with the depletion of their data; a prevalent complaint in the wake of their recent migration to 4G/LTE technology.
“As a nation, we have struggled with the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown, which necessitated an upsurge in the use of data-enabled devices for communication whether for school, work, or social interaction. Our Mobile Network Operators have also had to upgrade their infrastructure to accommodate the extra pressure brought by streaming platforms necessary for consumers to work, for academic purposes, carry out business, and socialize.
“Amid these changes, and as consumers are adapting to the migration from 3G to 4G and now 5G technology, they are registering complaints regarding the unusual depletion of their data, which gives rise to the theme of our discussion today.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that the consumer’s voice is heard and that their complaints are addressed by the relevant stakeholders,” he said.
The auspicious occasion was graced by representatives from Airtel,Glo,9mobile,MTN, Ntel, MAFAB, ALTON, Spectranet, Smile, among others.
