Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has expressed commitment to internal self-regulation in the association as a way of addressing anti market practice in the industry.
Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association stated this at the extra-ordinary Annual General Meeting held in Lagos. He said that one of the strengths of Alton is internal self-regulation without waiting for Nigerian Communications Commission to sanction its members.
“We have had a cause to caution our members when it is observed that they are implementing anti market policy. This is why operators have not been sanction for any other reason except for quality of service which we have continually argued in beyond the control of operators,” he said.
He added that quality of service across the various networks continues to record significant improvement since 2013 as members continue to invest in network elements to enhance good quality of services across the national network.
“Alton has continued to advocate other factors affecting quality of services such as unlawful closure of BTS sites by State Agencies and issues of multiple taxation and regulation. Towards the last quarter of 2014, the NCC stepped up media campaign in the print media to sensitize the public on the impact of illegal closure of sites on telecom quality of services,” he noted.
He however, stated that the feedback they received from their members in 2014 on illicit demands from different levels of government and interference with members’ activities and operation in certain areas is on the rise.
“The Association has continued to take very strong position on these issues with different agencies of government, local and state level authorities and we continue to solicit the intervention of critical stakeholders including the Minister of Communications Technology, NCC, the Attorney General and Minister of Justices, the National Security Adviser and National Assembly to plead for their intervention,” he said.
He noted that part of the end result of Alton’s consultation is the State Smart Initiative being spear headed by the Minister of Communications Technology and the engagement of the Nigerian Communications Commission with Nigeria Environmental Regulatory Agency (NESRA) on oversight regulatory functions.