Following the Senate order to halt the planned increment in data tariff, as well as the public outcry that greeted the planned action; the Nigerian Communication Commission has suspended the action.
NCC however announced the immediate suspension of the new minimum pricing template for data services by mobile operators saying the decision is to allow for further consultation.
Following the concerns that visited the directive to introduce price floor for data segment of the telecommunications sector beginning from December 1, 2016, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has suspended any further action in that direction.
The decision to suspend this directive was taken after due consultation with industry stakeholders and the general complaints by Consumers across the country.
Before the new suspended price floor of N0.90k/MB, the industry average for dominant operators including MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, EMTS Limited (Etisalat) and Airtel Nigeria Limited was N0.53k/MB.
Etisalat offered (N0.94k/MB), Airtel (N0.52k/MB), MTN (N0.45k/MB) and Globacom (N0.21k/MB). The smaller operators/ new entrants charge the following: Smile Communications N0.84k/MB, Spectranet N0.58k/MB and NATCOMS (NTEL) N0.72k/MB.
The NCC as a responsive agency of government takes into consideration the feelings of the consumers and so decided to suspend the new price floor.
Leave a Reply