Telecom Services-A Season of induced flips and flops, By Our Reporters
Telecommunications Subscribers in parts of the country have in the past 48hours been having nightmares following a near complete breakdown of voice and data services.
Unlike in March this year when Subscribers were unable to make calls due to glitches attributed to a fiber optic cable cuts caused by road contractors employed by the federal government, no one could hinge precisely what the issue is this time around.
The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo confirmed the glitches in the case of March problems.
On Monday, a group of irate MTN customers vandalized the office fence at the company’s FESTAC office in Lagos as a result of the telecom provider’s recent barring of phone lines for failing to comply with the NIN-SIM linking rule.
Many subscribers were affected by the blockage leading to widespread discontent and protests at MTN offices across the country.
The protesters expressed their disappointment and frustration at being unable to access their phone services including internet.
As at Tuesday 30, 48hours to the commencement of #EndBadGovernance protest, NEW SENTINEL checks showed subscribers reports indicated mindboggling problems of No Signal on Mobile internet while mobile calls was something else.
NEW SENTINEL checks after an MTN subscriber, Chukwueke Ugonna called today[Thursday]to find out what the problem was with the operator, MTN responding late has this to say,” We sincerely apologize for the delayed response and the network issue experienced. We are aware some customers are having challenges accessing the internet and applications. Our technical team is currently working hard to get it resolved. Kindly bear with us”.
Stephen Temkin, an MTN subscriber yelled in annoyance and frustration, “What is happening today. Calls outgoing and incoming not working properly. 5G and lte dropping to 3g or gprs when making calls”.
Most hard-hit and affected according to our findings was mobile internet with about 84 percent while No signal at all recorded 11 percent.
Meanwhile, reports gaining currency in the telecom space alleged that the current flop in services may either be traced to the Operators or Security Agencies fueled by the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest.
There is this allegation that Security Agencies do not want the masses to have unfettered access to the mobile internet thereby starving them of prompt information.
But it is instructive to note that Operators are in business to make money and profit. This school of thought does not therefore see reason why Operators will allow their operations to be allegedly tied to the apron string of Security Agencies.
A report by Peoples Gazette @GazetteNGR monitored last night alleged that “Telecom Operators have informed Peoples Gazette that NCC and NSA are hampering internet speed across the country in order to suppress information flow from the protesters to other Nigerians and the outside world.”
Continuing, the Peoples Gazette further alleged: “isolating the protesters will deprive them of crucial oxygen of global support and make the unfolding crisis easier for the government to control”.
All efforts to get NCC Officials to confirm or deny the alleged report initially proved abortive as the numbers dialed were either switched off or could not be reached. But at the nick time of going to press, an official who preferred anonymity dismissed the allegation stressing that NCC can never give such instructions to Telecom Operators. The anonymous NCC Official advised subscribers and Nigerians not to take the alleged report seriously.
Meanwhile, Rights activist, Mr. Emeka Mbah has called on President Tinubu to let Nigerians share their frustration over reported acute hunger and corruption ravaging the country.
” The government can’t take peoples livelihood and still take their voice alongside” Mr. Mbah said.
