In furtherance of its regulatory drives aimed at promoting transparency and consumer-friendly operational environment in the rapidly growing telecom industry in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a new initiative on tariff plans with a view to guiding subscribers on varied choices.
The Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau at the commission, Ikechukwu Adinde, who gave this hint during 2-day training on emerging trends in telecom industry for media stakeholders in Lagos, spoke on the complexities within the current tariff system, which make it difficult for subscribers to choose the plans that best suit their needs.
Listing some of the complexities as including promotional elements and plan add-ons, the director explained that the commission would do its best to ensure that subscribers continue to enjoy better value-for-money on their tariff plans.
Adinde clarified: “Our goal is to streamline options, allowing consumers to clearly understand and compare what is available. With fewer choices, people can make informed decisions with confidence.
“The NCC’s data shows the extent of the challenge as one network currently has 14 voice plans and 145 data plans, while another has 27 voice plans and 41 data plans. By reducing these options, NCC seeks to simplify the market and enhance consumer satisfaction. The initiative also aims to tackle data depletion concerns”, he added.
While encouraging telecom services consumers to effectively monitor their data usage in order to get value for their money, the director stressed that the commission’s enlightenment campaigns and online materials were intended to guide consumers on data management and optimization.
Specifically, Adinde maintained that through publishing approved tariff plans on the commission’s website and providing data usage tips, the management remained fully committed to improving consumer awareness on a sustainable basis in line with the NCC’s statutory mandate.
