In a bid to ensure affordable services in the Telecoms Sector for about 100 million subscribers , the Nigerian Communications Commission has ordered the slashing of SMS charges in the Country.
As at the moment, the Short Message Service which has been massively utilized in the Country, has a high price rate of about N10 for off-net, which according to subscribers, is unfavourable.
Mr Reuben Muoka, the Head, Public Affairs and Media for the Nigerian Communication Commission, who issued out the statement on Thursday, said the Telecommunications Companies had been notified since January by the regulatory body of its decision, affirming that the new sms tariff would take effect from February 5,2013.
President of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers of Nigeria, Chief Deolu Ogubanjo said the development was a good one and will encourage subscribers to patronize the Network services, especially the SMS provisions.
He further stated “While we appreciate this development, we believe the commission can do better. What it has done is on SMS. The telecoms subscribers are exposed to three areas, which are voice, data and SMS. NCC has done SMS; the data depends on the networks”.
Director Legal and Regulatory Services for the NCC, Ms Reginald Amuwa said that “There was a general recognition that the cost of SMS is too high, especially in view of the interconnection rate of N1.02 for SMS as determined by the commission in 2009.”
She said the decision was in accordance with the provisions of Section 4, Chapter VII of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, which empowers it to dictate SMS tariff where necessary