Telecommunications subscribers may continue to endure poor service quality this festive season, as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted MTN Nigeria approval to disconnect Exchange Telecommunications Ltd due to unpaid interconnect charges. This decision allows MTN to reroute traffic through alternative channels, bypassing Exchange.
Leading up to the Christmas period, Nigerians experienced significant disruptions in telecom services, with frequent call failures and substandard network performance. These issues intensified during the Christmas week and have persisted into the new year.
The NCC’s decision came after MTN Nigeria filed an application to disconnect Exchange over its rising debt. Exchange was notified and given the opportunity to address the matter but failed to provide sufficient justification for the non-payment.
In a statement signed by NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, the commission stated:
“The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, hereby notifies the public that approval has been granted for the disconnection of Exchange Telecommunications Ltd by MTN Nigeria as a result of non-settlement of interconnect charges.
“Exchange was notified of the application and was given the opportunity to comment and state its case. The Commission, having examined the application and circumstances surrounding the indebtedness, determined that Exchange does not have sufficient reason for non-payment of the interconnect charges.
“The disconnection, in line with Section 100 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, and the Guidelines on Procedure for Granting Approval to Disconnect Telecommunications Operators, 2012, will take effect five days from now. MTN will cease passing voice and data traffic through Exchange and will instead use alternative interconnection channels.”
The disconnection will remain in place until further notice, according to the NCC. This development may further frustrate subscribers whose signals are routed through Exchange, compounding the widespread dissatisfaction with telecom services across networks.
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