ALTON Tasks NCC On Unsolicited SMS

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to provide a long-lasting solution to the issue of unsolicited Short Messaging Service (SMS).

This was contained in a statement by the Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, who told the NCC to clearly spell out the rules and regulations of unsolicited messages, so as to keep the service providers on their toes.

According to the statement, majority of the unsolicited messages received by subscribers were actually by the Value Added Service (VAS) providers, and that the NCC should come hard on both the telecom operators and the VAS providers.

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The statement read: “There are many ways through which the issue of unsolicited text messages flow; one of such is through the internet, which is an open platform that is not regulated.

“This is because once those who send those messages have access to your phone number, they can go on the internet portal and pump messages to you.

“The other is those who are providing value added services, who are called the secondary operators and they work and ride on the platforms of the service providers, to deliver their services.

“It is easy to regulate them because you can sign to a code of conduct, you can sign to a code of performance, you can sign to a code of satisfaction.

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“The Value Added Providers are the major culprits on this issue of unsolicited messages and they need to have very strict regulatory supervision, without which it might be difficult to regulate their platform.”

Adebayo also urged subscribers to limit the circulation of their phone numbers, and that they should always report all forms of grievances.

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