NCC Suspends Phased Disconnection Of Glo From MTN

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has put on hold a plan to effect a phased disconnection of Glo from MTN.

The Commission said the suspension of the phased disconnection would be for a period of 21 days, starting from yesterday (17 January), for the two parties to resolve all outstanding issues between them.

The decision was contained in a press release, tagged “Re: Pre-Disconnection Notice”, by the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Rueben Muoka, dated 17 January, 2024.

The Commission stated that the decision to suspend the phased disconnection was a fallout of an agreement between Glo and MTN to resolve all outstanding issues between them.

“The Commission is pleased to announce that the parties have now reached agreement to resolve all outstanding issues between them.

“For this reason, and in exercise of its regulatory powers in that regard, the Commission has put the phased disconnection on hold for a period of 21 days from today, 17 January, 2024.

“Whilst the Commission expects MTN and Glo to resolve all outstanding issues within the 21-day period, the Commission insists that interconnect debts must be settled by all operating companies as a necessary component towards compliance with regulatory obligations of all licensees.

“It is obligatory that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and other licensees in the telecom industry keep to the terms and conditions of their licenses, especially as contained in their interconnection agreements,” Muoka stated in the release.

The regulatory agency had, on 8 January, 2024, published a Pre-Disconnection Notice informing subscribers of the approval granted to MTN Nigerian Communications Plc (MTN) to commence the phased disconnection of Globacom Limited (Glo) with effect from January 18, 2024.

The pre-disconnection notice, the Commissions had stated, was due to a long-standing interconnection debt dispute between the two parties.

NCC, however, stated that despite granting the approval, it continued to engage both parties to facilitate a resolution which prioritises and protects consumer interest and the seamless operation of the national telecoms network.

Muoka added that the intervention by tho regulatory agency was because it was deeply conscious of the potential impacts of the decision to disconnect Glo from MTN on the consumers.