Consequently, telecoms regulator has fined the two firm
N14.4 million.
NCC insisted that the fine must be paid on or before September 7, 2015,
and that failure to do so, would attract an additional fine of N100,000
per day for each of the operators, as long as the complete fine
remained unpaid.
A breakdown of the N14.4 million fine shows that while Globacom would
pay N7.4 million, Etisalat would pay N7 million, totalling N14.4 million
fine for both operators.
NCC is however silent on MTN and Airtel, an indication that they might
have complied strictly to NCC’s directives to deactivate all
pre-registered SIM cards on their networks, for security reasons.
According to NCC, its monitoring team discovered 37 pre-registered SIM
cards on the Globacom network, while it discovered 35 pre-registered SIM
cards on the Etisalat network.
The NCC Regulation 20(1) of the Registration of Telecoms Subscribers,
stipulates a fine of N200,000 for every pre-registered SIM card found to
be active on any telecoms operators’ network.
Having discovered 37 active pre-registered SIM cards on the Globacom
network, amounting to N7.4 million and 35 active pre-registered SIM
cards on the Etisalat network, amounting to N7 million, NCC decided to
fine both operators the sum of N14.4 million that must be paid to NCC on
or before September 7, 2015.
According to two separate letters dated August 26, 2015, addressed to
the CEOs of Globacom and Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services
Limited, also known as Etisalat, the NCC said: “The Commission, in
consideration of the prevalence of infractions and the impact of the
contravention on the national database of telecommunications
subscribers, we hereby impose sanction on Globacom Nigeria and Emerging
Markets Telecommunications Services Limited.”
The letters were signed by the Head, Compliance, Monitoring and
Enforcement at NCC, Mr. Efosa Idehen, on behalf of the Executive Vice
Chairman of NCC, Professor Umaru Danbatta, and made available to
THISDAY.
Part of the letter sent to Globacom, read: “That Globacom, should,
pursuant to regulation 20(1) of the registration of telephone
subscribers of 2011, pay to the NCC, the sum of N200,000 only for each
of the 37 pre-registered SIM cards found active on your network in
contravention of the regulations, totaling N7.4 million.”
Part of the letter sent to Etisalat, read: “That Etisalat should,
pursuant to regulation 20(1) of the registration of telephone
subscribers of 2011, pay to the NCC, the sum of N200,000 only for each
of the 35 pre-registered SIM cards found active on your network in
contravention of the regulations, totaling N7million.”
NCC had on August 4, 2015, directed all telecoms operators to commence
deactivation of pre-registered SIM cards and gave them seven days to do
so or face sanction. At the expiration of the seven day ultimatum, which
ended August 11, 2015, NCC commenced monitoring for compliance, and
warned that any operator found wanting, shall be sanctioned according to
the number of pre-registered SIM cards found on its network. In keeping
to its words as a strict regulator, the NCC decided to fine Globacom
and Etisalat, based on the findings from its monitoring team.
The ultimatum, it was gathered, was the fallout of a meeting among
office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Department of State
Service (DSS), the network operators and the NCC.
The meeting, which took place at the NCC boardroom in Abuja, attributed
crimes committed against members of the public either by kidnappers,
terrorists, robbers and threats to lives, to the use of such
pre-registered SIM cards across all networks.
Operators were however told to notify such subscribers before deactivation of their SIM cards.
Operators were however told to notify such subscribers before deactivation of their SIM cards.
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