The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has telecommunications operators to simplify their tariff plans, bundles, and promotional activities. According to a statement issued by the regulator, the move aims to provide clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate information about the cost of voice, short messaging service (SMS) and data services to subscribers. 
The guideline is the outcome of consultations with industry stakeholders, including MNOs and Consumer Focus Groups, and extensive data analysis on consumer preferences and expectations. 
Titled: Guidance on the Simplification of Tariffs in the Nigerian Communications Sector and issued on July 29, 2024, the directive mandates Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to publish a comprehensive table showing the features of their tariff plans and bundle offers. 
The objectives of the simplification guidelines are to reduce the complexity of tariff plans and bundles, ensure transparency and fairness of promotional elements of tariff plans, protect consumers’ interests by providing clear and understandable tariff information so that they make informed decisions, and promote fair competition among licensees by standardising tariff structures. 
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The table should contain all necessary information for subscribers to make informed decisions, including details on add-ons, their prices, how consumers can opt in or out, terms and conditions for renewal, and rollover policies. 
Service providers are also required to display all relevant information about their tariffs, such as the name of the plan, price, validity period, price-per-second for on or off-network and international calls, expected data speeds, and fair usage policies. 
“Operators can maintain existing bonus-led tariff plans till 31st December 2024, within which period operators are expected to educate and migrate all subscribers to the simplified tariff plans,” the directive stated. 
The guidelines further mandate that MNOs communicate tariffs to subscribers in “clear language and a user-friendly format,” with full disclosure of a subscriber’s tariff plan via Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). 
Additionally, “operators must offer stand-alone data bundles at fair prices to avoid tying consumers with products they do not need; bonuses on promotions must be stated in actual value; access fees and asymmetric fee structures must be eliminated,” among other conditions. 
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The NCC emphasised that while complying with these guidelines, operators must also meet the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) standards as stipulated in the Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations. 
<h4 id="ncc-denies-approving-call-and-sms-tariff-increase" class="wp-block-heading">NCC denies approving call and SMS tariff increase</h4> 
Recall that yesterday the regulator <a href="https://technext24.com/2024/08/05/ncc-speaks-on-call-and-sms-tariff-increase/">denied reports circulating online</a> that it approved new tariffs for mobile network operators. 
“The NCC has neither approved any new Telecom Tariff Plans nor hike as reported on online. The public is advised to please disregard. NCC issued a directive for all operators to simplify their current tariff plans in a transparent &amp; fair manner for consumers,”&nbsp;the <a href="https://x.com/NgComCommission/status/1819738570497696232" target="_blank">NCC wrote on X</a>. 
For over a year, telecom operators in the country under the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) cannot increase calls, data, and SMS tariffs by 40 per cent. According to&nbsp;<a href="https://technext24.com/2022/05/05/increased-tariff-for-calls-data-in-nigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ALTON’s request</a>, call prices will rise from ₦6.4 to ₦8.95, while the SMS price cap will rise from ₦4 to ₦5.61. 
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The telecom operators argue that the business has been harmed financially due to the country’s economic downturn in 2020. Consequently, the cost of doing business has risen by over 40% within the same period. 
This is similar to the situation in neighbouring Ghana where Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) had to respond in May to growing public concerns about high internet data pricing and the recent classification of MTN as a Significant Market Power (SMP). 
In a report by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.modernghana.com/news/1328926/mobile-data-price-in-ghana-third-cheapest-in-afric.html#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Modern Ghana</a>, citizens have taken to social media to voice out their data pricing concerns and how NCA forced MTN to increase tariffs. According to the report, the NCA accused MTN of violating SMP rules by offering lower-priced data bundles compared to competitors. This was reported to raise concerns about predatory pricing to stifle competition.
The post <a href="https://technext24.com/2024/08/05/ncc-directs-telcos-to-simply-tariffs/">NCC directs telecom companies to simply tariffs, bundle plans and promotions</a> first appeared on <a href="https://technext24.com">Technext</a>.

NCC directs telecom companies to simply tariffs, bundle plans and promotions

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