OPERATORS RELUCTANT TO DISCONNECT UNREGISTERED SIMS

As the deadline for the registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards expired Sunday, there are indications that telecoms
operators are not comfortable with the directive by the Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC) that they should deactivate
unregistered SIM cards on their networks at the end of the
registration exercise.

Based on the directive from NCC, which is the telecoms regulatory
body, it is expected that all telecoms operators will begin the
deactivation Monday, but it appears that the operators are not keen at
commencing the deactivation of unregistered SIM cards immediately, for
reasons which among others, include the economic implication for the
networks.

THISDAY checks revealed that with the registration ending Sunday, the
NCC has refused to extend the deadline, despite letters it received
from various subscriber associations calling for additional three
months extension.

However, it was gathered that the networks might be unwilling to
commence immediate deactivation of unregistered SIM cards in
accordance with the NCC’s directive for fear of huge revenue losses
arising from about 27 million subscribers, who failed to meet the
registration deadline that will be taken off the networks.

Some of the operators that spoke with THISDAY did not express any sign
of willingness to commence deactivation immediately. Director, Brands
and Marketing at Etisalat, Mr. Enitan Denloye, told THISDAY that the
company would have to meet and take a position on the matter.

At Globacom, a top management official who preferred to be anonymous,
spoke in a similar vein.

However, MTN decided to keep mum over the matter, as its General
Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Funmi Omogbenigun, declined to
comment on the issue, via an email sent to her by THISDAY.

Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, told THISDAY in a
telephone conversation that the commission had closed registration of
SIM cards across networks Sunday and that its earlier directive to
operators to commence deactivation of unregistered SIM cards remained
unchanged.

“Where have the subscribers been and what have they been doing since
March 2011 when NCC commenced SIM card registration in all the six
geo-political zones of the country,” Ojobo queried.

It has been 27 months since NCC commenced SIM card registration across
the country, but some subscribers have complained that they were yet
to be duly registered even when they had initially registered their
SIM cards.

Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria
(ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, had on June 28, wrote the Executive
Vice-Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, asking for three months
extension for SIM card registration, to enable every subscriber
register their SIM cards.

Part of the letter, which was made available to THISDAY, read: “We
write in respect of the SIM card registration exercise and the notice
of instruction for mass disconnection of unregistered subscribers with
effect from Sunday, 30th June 2013 to our members.

“We would like to draw your attention that although the SIM card
registration has been ongoing for some time, subscribers have embraced
the exercise more in the past few weeks leading to the 30th June, 2013
deadline.

“Also, in the light of the security situation in the country and the
general logistic problem, it has been very difficult for the
subscribers, registration agents and our members (operators) to meet
the 30th June, 2013 deadline. We hereby request for a three-month
extension of the SIM card registration exercise in order for its
overall success.”

Similarly, the President of National Association of Telecoms
Subscribers (NATCOMS), Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, had equally written NCC,
asking for three months extension of the exercise.

Source: Thisday