Leading Internet Services Providers (ISPs) in Nigeria has raised alarm, saying they are likely to go out of business if the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), fails to quickly review Data Price Floor (DPF) so that healthy investment can return back to the market segment.
Before now, industry players in the market segment had been decrying the lack of level playing ground between ISPs and Major Network Operators (MNOs) in data services, saying if DPF is not reviewed by NCC, they are likely to be consumed due to draconian competition in the industry.
In an interview on the latest threat by the NCC in getting ready to issue a fresh directive on data rollover after month end on Sunday, a senior official of one of the leading ISPs who pleaded anonymity, said “All most every service provider had been rolling over data at every month end, so far the subscriber was able to recharge as when due”.
“What we are yet to understand is whether NCC is saying that we should hang up remaining data for subscribers pending when they will subscribe again even if it in 10 months. I do not think that it will be possible because we are in business of time and not necessarily business of goods.
It would be recalled that the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, during the NCC special day in the ongoing 2017 Port Harcourt International Trade Fair, noted that it was bad for internet users to lose their remaining data at expiry date.
He further noted that there was need for the internet service providers to begin to rollover data balances.
Represented by Mr. Bashir Idris, Head of Projects at NCC, the EVC averred that the protection of customers was one of the 8-point agenda of the Commission, adding that the move, if achieved, will add value to the consumers of telecommunications services.
According to him, “On this issue of data roll over, the Commission will soon issue a directive to the service providers to give 14 day-window to the subscribers to enable them roll over their unused data, even if they do not renew on the expiration of data.
