By Nse Anthony-Uko
ABUJA, (Sundiata Post) – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given mobile telecommunications operators till Friday July 28, 2017 to desist from unethical practice of allowing call masking and call refilling to go in their network with a warning to cease from such or face severe sanctions.
In a letter from the Commission to mobile operators dated July 24, 2017 was issued on Monday, the NCC said it had received complaints from different stakeholders over receiving international calls which display numbers in the National Numbering Plan (NNP) as the calling number.
The NCC letter stated that the Commission has been investigating this unwholesome practice of call masking and refilling in the telecommunications industry before and after the complaints, and its findings show this practice is widespread.
“Due to the serious security and economic implications of this practice, the Commission is by this letter giving your organisation a deadline of Friday July 28, 2018 to ensure that no call masking and refilling takes place in your network.
“The Commission explicitly prohibits the practice and as such shall carry our robust compliance monitoring and enforcement actions after the expiration of this deadline to ensure full compliance to the directive. The Commission shall fully apply relevant regulatory sanctions on your organization if found to be in breach post the one week deadline” the letter read.
In addition, NCC said there may be additional actions taken against the mobile operators if found to be in breach after the stated deadline by relevant security agencies (under the auspices of the National Security Adviser) due to the national security implications.
Meanwhile, the Commission is inviting the concerned telecom operators to a meeting at its headquarters in Abuja at 11.00 am on August 3, 2017 including the chief Technical officer (CTO) and other relevant members of their organisation.