More than 75 million telecom subscribers have received compensation from mobile network operators (MNOs) in the wake of regulatory directives aimed at addressing the poor quality of service experienced by consumers, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said on Tuesday.
The commission made the disclosure in a statement, following the 109th meeting of its governing board, where members reviewed the implementation of measures introduced to improve service delivery across the telecommunications sector.
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An order by the NCC in March had required MNOs to provide redress to subscribers affected by poor quality of service in locations, where prescribed standards of service quality were not met.
“The board noted substantial progress in the implementation of the commission’s directive, particularly the full compliance of which has resulted in compensation being offered to over 75 million affected subscribers,” the commission said.
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The development comes amid persistent complaints by telecom users over issues such as dropped calls, network congestion, poor voice quality and slow internet connectivity across parts of the country.
The NCC said consumers should continue to engage with the commission as it works to boost service quality and protect subscriber interests.
According to the regulator, the Co-location and Infrastructure Sharing Licensees (TowerCos) have only partially complied with the directive requiring them to fund escrow accounts with the full amount of the regulatory fines for infrastructure reinvestment.
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“While noting the progress made to date, the board emphasised the importance of full compliance to ensure that the intended infrastructure improvements are realised sustainably,” the NCC said.
Infrastructure expansion
The NCC also acknowledged MNOs’ recent efforts in enhancing network coverage, capacity and overall quality of experience across the country.
According to the regulator, mobile operators have planned the deployment of over 12,000 additional coverage and capacity sites towards improving the quality of experience, with over 5,000 already completed, representing over 40 per cent completion rate.
READ ALSO: NCC warns telcos over poor network, assures improved service quality
The board also noted continued investments in telecom infrastructure, with fibre connectivity extended to more than 700 sites to strengthen network resilience, improve backhaul capacity and enhance service reliability.
Infrastructure providers have also deployed new equipment across over 2,000 Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) to support network expansion and enhance the quality of service.
The NCC, however, expressed concern over the continued vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure, describing it as a major challenge to industry growth.
It noted ongoing efforts by security agencies to protect telecom facilities designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure.
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