NCC cautions MTS on mobile phone service advert
By Sonny Aragba-Akpore,
Asst. Communications Editor
FOR allegedly advertising services for which it was not granted any licence, MTS First Wireless may face the wrath of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), The Guardian has learnt.
The company recently advertised that its commercial launch, which takes place in Lagos today, would among others offer limited mobile services in areas where it had coverage and offer international gateway services.
But the regulatory agency has said that at no time did it issue any licence for those services claimed by MTS First Wireless.
The NCC stated that MTS First Wireless only had licences for fixed wireless services, Long Distance Communication (LDC) and Internet as well as other valued added services.
In a letter of August 6, 2004 by NCC's Head of Enforcement Unit, Mr. A.O. Fayomi, MTS First Wireless was told that it had just two days to place adverts in three major newspapers, including The Guardian, to retract the advertisement.
The NCC letter read: "By the condition of your licence, you are not authorised to do any mobile services in any form neither were you granted any international gateway services for voice and data."
The NCC letter also said that MTS has international data access, which entitles it (MTS) to data transmission only. The letter ordered MTS First Wireless "to immediately withdraw the said advert not later than Tuesday August 10, 2004 in three principal newspapers including The Guardian or face sanctions from the commission."
MTS First Wireless is the second company to face threat of the wrath of the regulatory agency within one week.
Last week, the NCC ordered GSM operator, MTN Nigeria Communications, to suspend its "Active Later promo" for subscriber identifications.
The NCC said it took the decision to protect consumers who should not pay for services that were not available to them. It alleged that MTN was indulging in anti-competition practices.
No official of MTS was willing to speak on the subject but sources acknowledged that the advert was placed in error, as what was intended was "international data gateway services."
He added that its President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Richard Agrey, was already in touch with NCC's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, in a bid to resolving the issue.`
