NCC warns MTN, Airtel, Glo & Etisalat over unsolicited messages

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued final warning to Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) operators, especially the quartet of MTN, Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat, to halt forthwith unsolicited messages (SMS) to subscribers.
The regulator noted that despite its earlier warnings, the menace had maintained an upward swing.

The commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, observed yesterday that telecommunications service providers appear not to have fully activated their Do-Not-Disturb (DND) facility which gives subscribers the freedom to choose the messages they receive, adding that “NCC is still inundated with complaints by subscribers of continuing text harassment by operators.”

Ojobo clarified that the activation of the ‘2442 Do Not Disturb Short Code’ took effect from July 1, 2016.

He observed that industry compliance doesn’t seem to have matched the seriousness of the directive thus, compelling the commission to issue a final warning to the operators.

He explained that a full DND which is SMS ‘STOP” to 2442 does not allow the subscriber to receive any unsolicited messages from the operators.

Ojobo, in a statement, called on operators to immediately comply with the directive, as further complaints would be treated as serious infractions.