NCC to telcos: We will not accept high data price, low speed

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said it will not accept any high price of data and low speed that can create interruption in internet services from telecommunication companies operating in Nigeria.

The Executive Vice Chairman of Commission, Prof Umar Graba Danbatta, disclosed this at Federal University of Technology, Minna when fielding questions from journalists at the end of convocation lecture delivered by Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami.

“Despite the fact that Nigeria has one of the lowest data prices, to be honest with you, we did a presentation to the Minister in order to show consistency to hit the benchmark of the day, on how fairing a megabyte of data in Nigeria is not the same. That is not to say the price is where it is at the moment. It’s boredom.

“So, the word affordability is uppermost in our mind, and that is why there is an ongoing of what we call a scientific cost step which its outcome will compel telecommunications operators to lower the cost of data,” Danbatta said.

The NCC boss explained that the study, which would be made available to the Minister after critical stakeholders in the industry must have agreed, would come up with two things: Price law and Price count.

He said, “When this study is completed and it is subjected to usual stakeholders’ engagement with critical stakeholders in the industry, we have to come up with two things: a price law and a price count. Within these two ranges, telecommunications companies would be allowed to choose a price for data subject to the approval of the NCC.

“I think without taking too much of your time, we hope, at the conclusion of this study to see the cost of data coming down, being affordable to all Nigerians as well as, we intend to sensitize Nigerians, on the telecommunication companies, they should patronise because the data speed is equally very important.

“When you talk about data speed of the network, it is very important. You know when you talk about broadband services, two issues come to the fore: One is speed; two, the volume of the data traffic. So, we are going to do a cost of data debates and come up with new data prices that will be lower than what is being offered by the telecommunication operators.”