The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has revealed that it increased its capacity to handle type approval of devices as a result of the introduction of 5G-enabled devices.
The Commission also said it has intensified efforts to educate telecom consumers on the benefits of 5G, particularly as regards the higher speed of data.
Ayanbanji Ojo, Head of the Consumer Affairs Bureau in the Commission said this during his opening address at the 91st edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament, TCP, held on Thursday in Abuja.
The theme of the 91st edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament is ‘Data Depletion: Discussions on Various Perspectives’.
He noted that the Consumer Affairs Bureau is mandated by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 to protect, inform and educate telecom consumers.
According to him, it is in line with this mandate that the Commission designed the TCP as a forum for the active exchange of ideas on how to mitigate salient issues affecting the consumers of telecom services in the country.
“At the beginning of the Parliament, it was a quarterly engagement that includes so many invited consumers, however, it has been redesigned to twice a year and limited to the Telecoms Regulator and Service Providers, the Consumer Advocacy Groups, and other relevant stakeholders,” he explained.
“This redesigned TCP has deepened the engagements for the benefit of telecom consumers.
“You may be pleased to know that following the 90th edition of the TCP which took place in Lagos last year with the theme “5G Technology: Opportunities and Challenges”, the Commission has increased its capacity to handle type approval of devices as a result of the introduction of 5G enabled devices and also intensified efforts to educate telecom consumers on the benefits of 5G, particularly as regards the higher speed of data.
He said the Consumer Affairs Bureau of the Commission has maintained a direct interface with telecom consumers through its various communication channels.
“Either as a result of data usage or consumption, consumers are steadily informing the Commission of their experience with the depletion of their data; a prevalent complaint in the wake of their recent migration to 4G/LTE technology,” he added.
“As a nation, we have struggled with the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown, which necessitated an upsurge in the use of data-enabled devices for communication whether for school, work, or social interaction.
“Our Mobile Network Operators have also had to upgrade their infrastructure to accommodate the extra pressure brought by streaming platforms necessary for consumers to work, for academic purposes, carry out business, and socialize.
“Amid these changes, and as consumers are adapting to the migration from 3G to 4G and now 5G technology, they are registering complaints regarding the unusual depletion of their data, which gives rise to the theme of our discussion today.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that the consumer’s voice is heard and that their complaints are addressed by the relevant stakeholders.”
