The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued new regulations aimed at enhancing the quality of service (QoS) provided by telecom operators across the country.
The recently introduced QoS Regulations 2024 outline specific standards for different network services, including 2G, 3G, and 4G, with a particular focus on areas such as Drop Call Rates, Call Setup Success Rates, and Traffic Congestion.
These regulations come with penalties for non-compliance. Telecom companies that fail to meet the prescribed standards will face a fine of N5 million for each violation, with an additional penalty of N500,000 per day until the issue is resolved.
The NCC has mandated that operators submit monthly QoS reports, which will be reviewed alongside data collected through various means, including drive tests, consumer surveys, and data from the Commission’s Network Operating Centres (NOCs).
The new regulations are likely a response to the service quality goals recently set by Dr. Bosun Tijani, the minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
Dr. Tijani’s Strategic Agenda 2023 includes several targets: achieving a 50% improvement in telecom service quality by the end of the year, boosting broadband penetration to 70% by 2025, ensuring download speeds of 25Mbps in urban areas and 10Mbps in rural areas by 2025, and extending coverage to at least 80% of the population, particularly in underserved and unserved regions, by 2026.
To meet these objectives, the NCC has shifted its strategy from a broad national approach to a more detailed, localised analysis of service quality.
This involves gathering and scrutinising data at smaller, community levels to identify areas needing improvement, enabling the deployment of targeted solutions and regulatory actions.
The Commission’s focus is not just on the technical aspects of service quality but also on enhancing the overall consumer experience.
These regulations point to a return to tougher enforcement by the NCC, which had previously been less active in imposing penalties despite widespread complaints about poor service quality.
The last action by the Commission occurred in 2020, when Airtel was fined N2.3 billion for disconnecting a smaller operator without regulatory approval, a violation of QoS and enforcement process regulations.
In 2019, the Commission imposed a total of N2.97 billion in fines on all four major GSM operators—MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile—for various infractions, including breaches of QoS standards. That same year, both Airtel and 9mobile were fined N5 million each for failing to comply with the Do-Not-Disturb rule, which protects consumers from unsolicited services.
These latest regulations by the NCC come at a challenging time for the telecom industry. Operators are struggling with the financial stress caused by the devaluation of the Naira and high inflation rates.
In response to these economic issues, companies have been forced to cut back on operational expenses, including investments in network infrastructure, which has, in turn, affected service quality.
Telecom operators have argued that to maintain and improve service standards, the regulator should consider allowing tariff increases.