Network operators move to disconnect 35 million subscribers

Mobile network operators have been granted liberty by the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC to disconnect the lines of subscribers from defaulting telecoms companies who fail to pay the interconnect fee.

The rising rate of non-payment of interconnection fees which enables networks to interact with each other has left a backlog of debt among telcos, and this has forced the Mobile Network Operators, MNO to seek means to recover the debts.

In a directive approved by the NCC, Airtel and MTN have been mandated to disconnect about 35 million subscribers whose network providers fail to pay up their debts from communicating with their network.

“At the expiration of 10 days from the date of this notice, subscribers on the network of Ntel and Globacom will no longer be able to make calls to Airtel and MTN, but will be able to receive calls. Furthermore, Ntel and Globacom will be disconnected from the facilities of IHS,” the pre-disconnection notice reads.

The notice also revealed that 9Mobile, Smile, Swift, and other networks will be affected as well.

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The president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Olusola Teniola said the move was necessary to avert risks that the unpaid debts might cause the industry.

He further advised subscribers who would be affected in the exercise to use the Mobile Number Portability scheme to port their numbers to available networks.