No plans to increase telecom tariffs by January – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has dismissed speculations of upward review of tariff by January next year.
The Commission said there was no iota of truth in the speculations, insisting that the procedures regarding hike in tariff are more rigorous, data-driven and evidence-based.
According to a dependable source in the Commission, speculations on tariff hike have remained the handiwork of some telecom operators in the past two years, except that the operators are being economical with the truth in the industry.
The source who would not want to be named dismissed reports of any increase in tariff, saying for now the Commission does not have a Management Board to approve such review.
The source said: “let us face the facts, one as at today, the NCC doesn’t have a Management Board in place to consider review of tariff. Mr President has not appointed Management Board for NCC.
“Two, it’s only after Board approval that the NCC will engage consultants to carry out a study on Price review. After the consultants are through, then stakeholders engagement will take place to consider economic implications and imperatives that call for review. Here there will be inputs from all sectors, researchers and academicians will be involved as well as legal practitioners. The telecom operators will also be involved.
“It’s after all this have been done and new price template provided that NCC will announce time frame for implementation to allow everyone, including the consumers to be prepared for the increase. A minimum of three months notice will be required. All this have not been done, so how can NCC announce that by January there will be increase in tariff?
“It is a figment of the imagination of someone people. The issues around tariff review is data-driven and evidence-based.
“The telecom operators that have been announcing and crying that it is necessary to increase tariff plans, they are not telling the truth. They have been saying that the costs of everything, including diesel have gone up. And they wanted to take advantage.
“The last time there was a review was 2013. And it was holistic. However, it is important to state that the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) based on the last review still have windows to increase tariffs on their own.
“The price templates they are operating on since 2013 have not been exhausted so why can’t they go ahead on their own and at individual levels to increase tariffs.

“The review maintained that the lowest an MNOs can charge subscribers for airtime per minute was 6 naira 40 kobo, while the highest is 50 naira per minute. But as at today, some are charging 18 naira, some 15 naira per minutes and below.
“None of them is charging the maximum price, so ask the MNOs why? They are sensitive to the issues of competition in the industry and no one will blink first among them for risk of losing subscribers.
“Another reason they are passing the bulk to NCC or government is because they know that any increase in tariffs or taxes (from government) will generate negative feedbacks everywhere.
“We are quite aware of their tactics. It’s just unfortunate that they are playing with the intelligence of the people.”
Credit: The Nation