Ncc Names and warns Illegal Value Added Service, Vas Operators

Posted by Cash On on 2013-09-05 0

The Nigerian Communications Commission has identified three telecoms Value Added Service providers operating illegally without necessary regulatory authorisation by the telecoms regulator.

The illegal VAS operators include Upstream Limited, Next Generation Tele Solutions and One Communications Limited.

The commission also disclosed that it has commenced enforcement process on the identified illegal VAS operators in line with Section 31 (1) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 and the Enforcement Processes Regulations 2005.

In a related development, following
increased consumer complaints regarding unsolicited SMS from VAS providers marketing their various services within the Nigerian telecoms space, the NCC said it has developed a database of all VAS providers together with the Short-Codes used by them. The strategy, the NCC said, was to ensure direct engagement and monitoring of the activities of each licensed VAS provider.

According to the regulator, in addition to the three illegal VAS operators, other identified as major providers responsible for sending unsolicited messages include MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, Globacom Nigeria Limited and Adnol Multimedia Limited.

Others are, Fun Mobile, Terragon Limited, Rancard Mobility, Mtech Limited, Elseji, tarfish Limited, Cloud and Mobile Xcetera. However, the commission has warned the VAS operators to desist from sending telecoms subscribers unsolicited SMS.

“Warning letters have been sent to all VAS providers directing that all unsolicited messages or telemarketing activities within the networks could at best be done between the hours of 8am- 8pm in line with the existing guidelines.
This is necessary to ensure good consumer quality experience in the industry,” the commission said.

Mobile VAS business has evolved from simple Short Messaging Service, SMS, to advanced functions such as mobile entertainment, caller ring back tone, Push-to-Talk, payments, email, instant messaging and m-Commerce, among others.

Value added services are supplied either in-house by the mobile network operators themselves or by a third-party service provider also known as content providers while others are standard VAS operators, whose operations are licensable in the Nigerian telecoms laws.

Over the years, telecoms subscribers and other key stakeholders in Nigeria have decried the increasing wave of unsolicited SMS received through their network operators, necessitating a call on the NCC to checkmate their activities which, some subscribers, describe as ‘annoying and irritating.