SIM Deactivation: Telcos May Incur Additional Fines.

 


 There are indications that telecommunications operators (Telcos) may incur additional fines other than the combined fine of N120.4 million imposed on the four operators for failure to deactivate all pre-registered SIM cards, improperly registered SIM cards, and incomplete registered SIM cards that are still active on their networks.

  NCC sealed the fine on them last week, at the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum given to the operators to carry out the deactivation exercise, and gave them up till yesterday (Monday, September 7) to pay the fine or risk additional fine of N100,000 per day for each of the operators, as long as the main fine remained unpaid.

   Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, told THISDAY that the operators may not have reason to contest the recent fine, since it was a violation of directive from NCC, and not on poor service quality, which he said, the operators were not supposed to take all the blames for any infraction on poor service quality.