Reps order NCC to stop unsolicited caller tunes, messages

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has been asked to halt some unfair practices being perpetrated by mobile telecommunication service providers in the country.

This directive was handed down on Wednesday by the House of Representatives, citing what the Honourable Members called the increasing cases of “unsolicited caller tunes” and text messages to subscribers by service providers as one example that the NCC must stop immediately.

The lawmakers also observed that the caller tunes and promotional text messages were not only unsolicited but also carried charges, noting that such charges were deducted from the airtime of subscribers in most cases without their knowledge.

Hon. Ali Madaki, APC-Kano, who moved the motion, told the House: “In the recent past, mobile telephone service providers in Nigeria started charging their subscribers for caller tunes unsolicited in contravention of the NCC Act, 2003.”

According to him, he once took his phone to a service provider’s office in Kano to have an unsolicited caller tune cancelled and his money returned, adding that a few days later, another embarrassing caller tune played on his phone.

“Mr. Speaker, they played a caller tune, ‘My Sweetie, my lover’.

“It is immoral to do such a thing by sending such tunes to subscribers who did not subscribe to them,” Madaki added.

House Majority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, in his own contribution, described such acts carried out by service providers as “harassment and invasion of privacy”, reminding the House that besides the powers conferred on NCC by the enabling Act, there were laws that guaranteed the privacy of Nigerians.

Citing section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Gbajabiamila noted that when the privacy of individuals was invaded, they could seek the protection of the law.

“If you invade my telephone with unsolicited information, there should be a penalty for it,” he said.

Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf, PDP-KOGI, drew the attention of members to another instance of “deceiving” subscribers to participate in promotions with promises of non-existing prizes.

“People buy airtime and soon realise that the entire money is taken.

“This is illegal and it must stop,” he added.

The resolution was passed in unanimous voice vote at the session presided over by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.