The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has urged subscribers to forward complaints the telecommunication companies were unable to resolve to the commission.
This was said at this 5th edition of the Telecom Campus Conversation held on Thursday, at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
Head of Consumer Affairs Bureau, Banji Ojo, while speaking on the topic “Data Depletion Issue: Tips on Data Usage for Better Quality of Experience,” said consumers have the right to complain to the commission in case telecommunication companies fail to resolve their issues.
He said that a consumer would experience a high rate of data depletion when such consumers turn on automatic updates of apps, videos and pictures to the cloud on smartphones.
He added that faster download speeds due to 4G coverage and downloading on higher defaults video formats like 5G and 4G compared to 3G and 2G mobile networks could also result in a high rate of data depletion.
He noted that consumers could manage their data usage by the use of data compression in phone browsers, disabling mobile data when internet connection is not needed and by reducing video streaming quality from video sites such as YouTube.
While noting that the role of NCC is to keep informing consumers about their rights, Ojo said: “When you bought data that is supposed to last for a period, [but] unfortunately it finished before the end of the period, that is what we called data depletion.
“Our duty is to keep on informing our consumers, to educate them to know what they are into. Consumers are key. Without consumers, there will be no NCC.
“We have a code called 622; [when] you dial it, it will take you to our agents. We have agents that will pick up your calls and speak with you in your language of choice.
“The essence of it is that we know that telecommunication companies may not be able to resolve your complaints. We want to give telecommunication consumers another platform to be able to complain. Dial 622. The moment you send the message, it will be relayed to us.”
Earlier, the Chairman, Board of Commissioners, Professor Adeolu Akande, said the commission has been inundated with frequent complaints from consumers on fast depletion of their internet data.
Akande, represented by Afure Iloka, Special Assistant to the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, said that consumers’ complaints were the reason why NCC, through its Consumers Affairs Bureau (CAB), embarked on sensitisation exercise.
According to him, this is to educate telecommunications consumers on various ways to manage their internet data.
He said that the campus conversation initiative sought to educate students on the various consumer centric initiatives of NCC toward protecting the telecommunications consumers against unfair practice by Service Providers.
His words: “This initiative is consistent with the mandate of the Commission to Protect, Inform and Educate the Nigerian Telecom Consumers. One of the mandates of the commission is the ‘Protection of the rights and interests of Consumers’. This can only be achieved when consumers are well informed and educated on their rights and obligations as telecom consumers.
“This conversation is also in tandem with the Strategic Management Plan (SMP 2020-2024) of the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, which is to improve the quality of experience and stakeholders’ satisfaction.
“The conversation strengthens our focus on the protection of the rights, privileges and interests of telecommunications consumers, including people living with disability and the elderly through information dissemination,”
Adewole Adeyinka, President, UI Students Union Government (SUG), lauded the efforts of NCC on data usage sensitisation initiative and other programmes targeted at youth development.
Mr Adeyinka urged NCC management to improve on its support programmes for students through provisions of Laptops and other educational materials that would ensure a smooth academic process.
