No Plan to Issue New Mobile License, Says NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission on Tuesday ruled out the likelihood of issuing any other mobile licence to another operator to serve the Nigerian market.

Speaking at a one-day workshop on the Impact of Counterfeit/Substandard Mobile Devices in Abuja, Head, Wireless Network Unit at the regulatory agency, Mr Chukwuma Nwaiwu, said even if a new operator was desirable, there was no available frequency to be assigned to a new operator.

Answering question from a subscriber who had made a case for another mobile operator given the largeness of the Nigerian telecommunications market, Nwaiwu said all available frequencies for digital mobile services had been allocated.

He explained that any new mobile operator licensed to serve the Nigerian market would be left stranded because all available frequencies had been allocated to MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, Airtel, Globacom, and Ntel.

Nwaiwu said, “All available channels are occupied. No frequency is available to be allocated to a new operator.”

In a paper presented at the event, Nwaiwu said non-standard equipment degrade the networks as counterfeit devices expose subscribers to cyber threat.”

Also, speaking at the event, Head, Zonal Operations at the commission, Mrs Helen Obi, advised subscribers to obtain their handsets and other terminal devices from authorised dealers since it was easier to sort complaints with such dealers.

Answering questions from subscribers, Obi said the regulatory body had issued a directive to mobile operators to stop making subscribers subscribe to Value Added Services without any option.
Punch