The Nigerian Communications Fee has issued a directive mandating all telecommunications operators within the nation to restrict the selection of to be had tariff plans to a most of 7.
The NCC has licensed unused tariff tips for operators designed to fortify transparency, give a boost to client figuring out, and foster truthful festival a number of the licensees of the Fee.
It has additionally lowered the selection of bundles introduced consistent with operator to 100, stressing that deny subscriber can also be on a couple of tariff plan at a pace.
In step with the NCC, a tariff plan is a structured pricing scheme outlining the fees and situations beneath which telecommunications products and services are equipped to subscribers.
The NCC disclosed this in a record posted on its site and signed by way of the Govt Vice-Chairman of the fee, Aminu Maida, on Saturday.
The record learn partly, “The selection of tariff plans introduced consistent with operator is proscribed to seven, and the selection of bundles introduced consistent with operator is proscribed to 100.
“There are no limitations to the number of add-ons a subscriber can opt into. However, each operator must have in place a mechanism that informs subscribers of the number of add-ons they have at the point of purchasing another add-on. Subscribers must be able to check (via USSD string, SMS) the number of add-ons purchased.”
Assessments by way of our correspondent confirmed that the 2 main telecommunications firms lately trade in extra tariff plans than the stipulated quantity within the directive.
MTN has 8 tariff plans, Etisalat has seven, Airtel has 10 plans, and Glo do business in its shoppers 4 tariff plans.
Within the record, titled ‘Guidance for the Simplification of
Tariffs’, the NCC mentioned that complete disclosure of all tariff elements and situations is necessary, asking telcos to safeguard that each one advertising and marketing and promotional fabrics are cloudless and understandable.
The NCC added that operators must prioritise client training and transparency in all communications to safeguard subscribers can assemble knowledgeable possible choices.
It mentioned, “Develop and submit detailed migration plans to transition subscribers smoothly to new tariff plans, without loss of service quality or benefits.”
“All promotional parts should obtain prior esteem from the Fee and must be introduced as standalone merchandise with cloudless phrases and validity sessions.
“Publish complete periodical experiences detailing all lively tariff plans, bundles, promotions, and Trait of Carrier (QoS) metrics.
“The guidance shall take effect on 29 July and will remain valid and binding on licensees until further reviewed by the commission.”
In step with the fee, all promotional parts are to be got rid of from tariff plans and introduced as standalone promotions, “subject to its prior approval, time limits, QoS/capacity requirements, and adherence to full disclosure requirements”.
The NCC mentioned operators can conserve present bonus-led tariff plans till 3 December, inside which time they’re anticipated to teach and migrate all subscribers to the simplified tariff plans.
It mentioned, “Operators can make a choice to conserve just one bonus-led unused subscriber acquisition plan. Alternatively, a unused subscriber can simplest be retained on this type of plan for a restricted duration of six months earlier than being migrated to an ordinary tariff plan in their selection.
“The place a subscriber fails emigrate next being triggered in keeping with the appropriate industry laws, the subscriber shall be reverted to the default tariff plan.
“Tariff parts of promotional actions/unused acquisition plans referred to above will simplest be allowed beneath refer to situations: bonuses should conform to the fee’s worth ground and value cap.
“As well as, fresh depletion charges on bonuses should no longer exceed the associated fee or fall under the associated fee ground for tonality products and services. The bonus allowances (tonality/knowledge/SMS) should be mentioned in naira phrases and mins/seconds for tonality, GB/MB
of information and selection of SMS.
“Operators must fully disclose the above in their advertising materials.”
The telecommunications regulator additionally mentioned add-on subscriptions should be not obligatory for subscribers.
It reads, “Subscribers must be enabled to buy any add-ons in their selection time too much on their present tariff plan and/or store.
“A separate add-on might be handled as a promotional providing and should be licensed by way of the Fee by way of the ideas on promotional ads, 2023.
“Additionally, in line with the Commission’s existing regulatory instruments, service providers must have evidence of informed consent from the subscriber to accept the add-on.”
The NCC mentioned there are consequences for non-compliance with the steering, including that operators should align their choices inside 90 days from the age of issuance.
It added, “Transition plans for present price lists should be submitted on or earlier than 12 August 2024. The Fee will overview and reply to submissions inside 10 running days.
“Tariff esteem and amendment programs should come with complete disclosure modes detailing all sides of the tariff.
“Non-compliance will result in penalties, including fines, suspension of tariff approvals, or other regulatory actions as set out in the Act, related regulatory instruments and the subsisting Enforcement Process Regulation.”
NCC additionally directed operators to at all times notify subscribers of any adjustments to their tariff plans, together with migration to unused plans, no less than 30 days in go, including that “notifications must be clear, with reasons and benefits stated”.
In the meantime, operators have debunked claims of a tariff building up esteem by way of the fee.
A textual content despatched to our correspondent by way of the Chairman, Affiliation of Authorized Telecom Operators in Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo on Saturday, merely mentioned, “Telcos have not been granted any approval for tariff review.”
Additionally, screams and textual content messages to alternative traces by way of our correspondent confirmed that the charges are nonetheless the similar.