Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Telecom subscribers tasks NCC on unsolicited text messages



Anthony Nwakaegho/DigitalSENSE Business News

Customers in the various telecommunication networks have expressed their anger over the   unsolicited text messages.

Speaking to DigitalSENSE Business News on this seeming development, Kelechi Ogbeaja who said that he uses the four networks, MTN, Glo, Airtel and Etisalat explained “that all the networks are guilty of the unsolicited text messages which flow into the phones at unexpected hours telling him to text some information to certain number at no cost. It is instructive to say that some of my relations who felt gullible at some of this information from some of the networks and responded have had their credits deduced in a jiffy to their consternation only to begin to call their customer care to find means to stop the deduction which can continue indefinitely.”

The regulator, according to Amarachi Okeke, a student from University of Lagos should rise to the occasion by checking these unwarranted text messages that disturb the peace of subscribers. The operators should be fined if what they are doing is contrary to the regulation of their operations in order to put a stop to it.

However, the Director of Public Affair, Nigerian Communication Commission, (NCC) Mr Tony Ojobo in reaction to the issue of unsolicited text messages told DigitalSENSE Business News in an interview that the commission is investigating the complaints received and have put some information on its website on it, while letters have been written to all the networks warning them about unsolicited text messages and limiting it to certain number of hours.

“All over the world telemarketing is part of the technology. You have telemarketing, unsolicited messages in the developed nations, even in the United State and United Kingdom. They still have it on their phones. What we are trying to say is that it varies from customer to customer, from network to network and we believe that the consumers should exercise their own right.

“Everything should not be left to the regulator alone, because in other climes if your privacy is invaded you can go to court. We have to test our laws. The consumers should be able to exercise their right because in developed countries somebody can go to court because of two dollars or 10 dollars. What we are saying is that if someone feels aggrieved they can actually begin to exercise their fundamental human right,” Ojobo said.

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pix: customers with mobile phones

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