NCC bans MTN’s TruTalk promo

NCC bans MTN’s TruTalk promo

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has placed a ban on the ongoing MTN TruTalk+ saying that failure to comply with the directives given in the memo halting the promo will attract sever sanction.

NCC asked MTN Nigeria Communications to stop the implementation of a tariff
plan called MTN TruTalk+ or face serious sanctions as the regulator said it did not give any approval for such service.

A press statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo
also barred MTN from further advertisement of such service in the
print, electronic media or its websites.

The Commission in a letter dated May 19, 2015 with ref No NCC/
MTN/18/15 and signed by the Head, Compliance Monitoring and
Enforcement, Mr. Efosa Idehen and Head, Legal and Regulatory
Services, Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye, said the records of the Commission
showed that the operator has no approval of the regulatory authority
before embarking on the new promotional tariff plan.

The Commission said that its Compliance Unit revealed that the new
tariff with daily access fee of N5, allowed subscribers to call all
networks at 11k/sec and N20k/sec to UK, USA, India, Canada and
China.

“The Commission’s investigations showed that MTN Nigeria
Communications Ltd has already configured this tariff plan on their
network and has therefore implemented same” without the appropriate
regulatory approval. It said the action contravenes section 108 (1) of
the Nigeria Communications Act 2003.

“Consequent upon the above, the Commission thereby directs MTN
Nigeria Communications Ltd to immediately discontinue this Tariff Plan
and all associated advertisements regarding same or otherwise face
regulatory sanctions accordingly” it said.