NATCOMMS Seeks Telecom Tariff Reduction

The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMMS) has called on operators to ensure continuous improvement in the Quality Of Service (QoS) they offered last year.

Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, President, NATCOMS, stated this in Lagos yesterday, that there was marginal improvement in the QoS rendered by the service providers in 2016.

Ogunbanjo said that though there were hiccups in sending Short Messaging Service (SMS) and data services in 2016, the situation was not as bad as it was in 2015.

”The introduction of the Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) network is something that has slightly improved the way data services are being done.

”We, therefore, want continuous improvement on the quality of services operators offer us,” he said.

According to him, telecommunications service providers should also consider reduction in their tariff in 2017.

He said that the issue of nine percent communication service tax being introduced by the Senate should be totally cancelled this year, as it was anti-subscriber.

Ogunbanjo said that telecommunications subscribers do not expect any increase in data tariff in 2017. ”In most countries; particularly recently in Canada, the regulator encouraged operators to reduce tariff, particularly data tariff.

”Young entrepreneurs depend on online transactions for their various engagement, commercially and economically.

”They should look at downward review of data tariff, so as to encourage our youth, who consist of 47 per cent of the population of Nigeria,” he said.