The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently disclosed that telecommunications giants MTN and Globacom have successfully reached an agreement to amicably resolve their lingering interconnect debt dispute. Originally slated for disconnection today, the NCC has opted to defer this action for a period of 21 days, commencing from January 17th, 2024. During this interim period, both companies are expected to collaboratively address and fully resolve the outstanding financial matters.
This development follows the NCC’s approval last week of MTN’s partial disconnection of Glo, a consequence of the latter’s failure to settle its interconnect debt. Under this partial disconnection, Globacom’s subscribers would have been unable to initiate calls to MTN numbers, while still retaining the ability to receive inbound calls from MTN customers.
Reuben Mouka, the Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, affirmed this positive turn of events in an official statement. Mouka announced that, in the exercise of its regulatory powers, the Commission has decided to put the phased disconnection on hold for the stipulated 21-day period. He emphasized the Commission’s expectation that both MTN and Glo will diligently resolve all outstanding issues within this timeframe, globacom.
Furthermore, the NCC underscored the importance of settling interconnect debts, categorizing it as a vital component for all operating companies to fulfill their regulatory obligations. The statement reiterated that mobile network operators (MNOs) and other licensees within the telecom industry must adhere strictly to the terms and conditions outlined in their interconnection agreements.
It is pertinent to recall that as of 2020, Prof Umar Danbatta, the former Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, highlighted the gravity of the interconnect debt challenge in the industry. At that time, he estimated the accumulated debt figure to exceed N70 billion, emphasizing the detrimental impact on operators’ capacity to expand their infrastructure and provide enhanced service quality.
Globacom
In light of these recent developments, the telecom industry awaits the resolution of this interconnect debt issue, hoping for a positive outcome within the specified timeframe, as mandated by the NCC. The ongoing efforts to address such financial matters are crucial for fostering a stable and compliant environment within the telecommunications sector in Nigeria.
Source: guardian.ng
