Unsolicited Texts: NCC Directs Service Providers To Filter Messages

In its drive to tackle complaints of unsolicited messages by telecom subscribers, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed service providers to filter messages and provide options for consumers to opt out of any message they are not interested in getting.

This directive was given by the acting executive vice chairman of the commission, Prof. Umaru Danbatta, during the NCC day at the Abuja International Trade Fair organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ABUCCIMA) in Abuja.

While urging subscribers to be patient as the commission seeks for solution to the recurrent cases of unsolicited text messages, the NCC boss urged them to keep reporting to service providers and complaining to them when they received unsolicited messages, urging them to report to the telecoms regulatory body, the NCC, when they failed to resolve the issues.

He also warned telecom subscribers in the country not to use phone lines that do not bear their identity because a criminal may have registered it, saying it was the reason behind the directive for disconnection of all invalid or improperly registered SIM cards which he said was for collective and individual security.

Danbatta, who was represented by the assistant director of public relations in the commission, Mr Reuben Muoka, noted that the compliance monitoring and enforcement department of the commission had successfully deactivated all such lines while the networks had been encouraged to correct those registrations at minimal inconvenience to the subscribers.

He said: “Our monitoring activities have revealed in some locations across the country that some people are still patronising agents selling pre-registered SIM cards. We have severally informed subscribers that it is dangerous to use phone lines that do not bear your identity because it may have been registered by criminals.

The commission is determined to wipe the issue of pre-registered SIMs.”

Speaking on the commission’s role to check insurgency and rampant cases of kidnapping across the country, the commission’s deputy director of consumer affairs, Mr Femi Atoyebi, said it monitors call data of suspected kidnappers and insurgents and forwards same to appropriate security operatives, adding the commission had been working with security operatives on the fight against insurgency and kidnapping. “But we are not telling anybody this because the issue borders on security which is sensitive,” he stated

He described the telecoms sector as one of major victims of insurgency as operators’ facilities were mostly damaged in the northeast.