- TELLS SUBSCRIBERS TO CALL 622 HELPLINE
Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has called on advocacy groups to focus on consumer education in the telecommunication industry in the bid for subscribers to know where to channel their comaplains in the event of not getting satisfactory resolution with their service providers.
The industry regulator made the call on Thursday at the Telecommunication Consumer Dispute Resolution and Redress Mechanism forum which had in attendance consumer advocacy groups, Nigeria Bar Association, telecoms operators and the Consumers Protection Council (CPC), in Lagos.
According to the commission none of the mobile network operators have been able to meet its dsipute resolution threshold and even their subscribers have inadequate knowledge on how to redress complain beyond their service providers helpline.
Subscribers complaints on voice and data services are numerous but NCC said it only recorded 18,000 complains in the last three calendar months of the year 2017(August to October) as it emphasised that subscribers need to know that they can get redress through NCC.
The Executive Vice Chairman NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta (represented) at the forum reiterated that subscribers could get complains resolved seamlessly with the dispute resolution mechanisms put in place by the commission.
He also called for supports from advocacy groups to drive home awareness on the 622 toll free helpline introduced by NCC.
“A lot of consumers are still not aware of the various channels available to them to resolve their complaints and seek redress. That is why we are using this medium to call on advocacy groups to come on board on create awareness on subscribers dispute resolution mechanism.
- EVC, NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta
“They made be aware of their network operators helplines but it is obvious they are not aware that they also have other channels with the NCC in the event that their complaints have not been addressed satisfactorily by their service providers.
“NCC has 622(toll free line) that helps to get complains addressed. The challenge NCC is having is that not may subscribers are calling the 622 helpline. From our statistics only 18,000 complaints were received in the last three months which is not encouraging, maybe some subscribers are skeptical.
“In most times when their issues were not resolved satisfactorily, subscribers do not know what next to do. So we want non-government organizations to help with telecoms consumers’ education that no consumer should sit back and resign to its fate. Let them call 622 and NCC will take it up for them,” he said.
Meanwhile, stakeholders at the forum, however, proposed that the Nigeria Communications Act 2003 on Dispute Resolution Mechanism should be reviewed among call that advocacy groups should do more on consumers awareness on the NCC’s dispute resolution channels among others recommendations.
Some of the high points of the proposal include: “Improvement in publicity should be looked in on consumers awareness on the 6226, DND, operators helplines and legal redress.
Agents who have been recruited to manage those channels should be trained to be more cautious, more friendly and be professional.
With respect to the part of the law that complains should be in written form, it was however recommended that the law should be reviewed to accommodate existing code.
It was also recommended that ICAF members should deliberate on all issues raised with respect to consumers complains and redress mechanism and advised the commission accordingly.
It was recommended that service providers should control complains on inaccurate billing and unauthorized deduction of credit.
Issue of call masking with respect to calls originating from outside Nigeria, should speedily be looked into of its security implications.
NCC should continue to monitor the Do Not Disturb service to ensure service providers compliance with the direction.
