We monitor billing of subscribers by network providers – NCC

 The Nigerian C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Commission (NCC) has assured telecom subscribers that it has proper machinery that would ensure effective monitoring of billing process of subscribers by network providers to avoid over-charging. The Head, Zonal Operations in the commission, Ms. Helen Obi, stated this in Abuja at its 8th Consumer Conversation Programme (CCP), organized for Lugbe residents in the FCT. She said that the commission was making sure that service providers do not use the wrong billing method in any services rendered to the consumers in the country. “NCC has set a price tag and price floor for the network operators which they are not supposed to go beyond. “NCC keeps monitoring them and there is a department that is set up in the commission to take care of issues of over billing and charging. “Before any service provider put out any billing or charges on the services it is providing for subscribers, such provider must get approval from NCC and anyone that À outs that order gets penalized. Empowering the consumer was one of the commission’s driving forces for the year having declared it as ‘Year of the Telecom Consumer’,” she said. Obi urged consumers to take advantage of “STOP” to the short code “2442’’ to stop all unsolicited text messages or “HELP” to the same code to be availed with options of interest. She said, “If the issues were not resolved by their telecom operators or the consumers were not satis¿ ed, they should make their complaints known to the commission via its ‘622’ toll free line. Speaking earlier, the Principal of the Government Secondary School (GSS), Lugbe Mr. Gilla John commended NCC for the initiative of coming to the grassroots to interact with the masses saying the forum have enable them to aired their problems. On his part the Royal Head of the Lugbe community, the Hakimi, Mr Salisu Gode, said that he had listened to all the questions asked and was satisfied with the response given by NCC. The programme which is designs to provide avenue to bring the commission’s activities closer to the consumers at the grassroots had previously held in Minna, Jos, Lokoja, Makurdi, Suleja, Mandala and Gwagwalada in FCT