NCC bars SIM registration SMSes

GOVERNMENT

Kokumo Goodie, Abuja, Nigeria

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has issued a directive to all telecoms operators to stop sending alert messages to subscribers about the status of their SIM card registration.

The Head of Media and Public Relations of the Commission, Reuben Muoka, said the directive became necessary as service providers are sending conflicting information to subscribers, thereby causing unnecessary anxiety among the Nigerian public.

He said that it was discovered that some operators are sending text messages to those who have already registered their SIM cards. Some operators are reported to have also issued a code to their subscribers to check the status of their registration, an action which he said is not necessary.

Muoka said this action is not tenable as sometimes, the operators issue such texts to those who have already registered with them. He said the action of the operators is worsened by the fact that the NCC appointed agents have no facility to also send such texts as they travel round, resulting in ugly situations where the operators send texts to those who are already correctly registered by the NCC appointed agents.

“The SIM registration data being gathered by the operators, and those of the NCC appointed agents, all belong to the NCC. It is only the NCC that will be in the position to tell any subscriber about the status of his or her registration, and that will only happen after the completion of the project,” he said.

The NCC spokesman also assured subscribers that no operator is permitted to disconnect any subscriber on account of SIM card registration until after the expiration of the exercise, when the Commission will issue appropriate directives to the operators on the subject matter.

He advised the subscribers to ensure that the data they supply at the registration centres is accurate by cross-checking with the registration officers at the point of registration. He said those handling the registration have computer monitors where all subscribers can easily see the relevant data in the system.