The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has decided to suspend the planned barring of Globacom (Glo) subscribers from calling MTN lines for 21 days.
This announcement follows the NCC’s initial Pre-Disconnection Notice issued on January 8, 2024, which had approved MTN Nigeria Communications Plc. to commence the phased disconnection of Glo from MTN lines starting from January 18, 2024, due to a longstanding interconnection debt dispute.
In a statement signed by Reuben Mouka, the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, it was revealed that the commission is pleased to announce an agreement reached between the parties to resolve all outstanding issues.
As a result, the phased disconnection is now put on hold for 21 days from January 17, 2024.
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While expecting MTN and Glo to resolve outstanding issues within the 21 days, NCC insists on the settlement of interconnect debts by all operating companies as a necessary component for compliance with regulatory obligations.
The extension notice also emphasized that mobile network operators and other licensees in the telecom industry must adhere to the terms and conditions of their licenses, particularly those outlined in their interconnection agreements.
The interconnection dispute revolves around the interconnect charge, the fee telecom operators pay one another for calls terminating on their networks.
The disagreement between MTN and Glo over this fee has persisted for some time, with MTN briefly disconnecting Glo subscribers in 2019 over a N4 billion debt.
Despite indications from sources close to Glo that the telco has paid within the allowed window, issues reportedly persist, including interest payments and VAT remittance.
The National Assembly has reportedly intervened in the matter, with the NCC waiting for a resolution before advising subscribers on the next steps.
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