The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a directive requiring telecommunications companies (telcos) to block stolen subscriber identification module (SIM) cards within five minutes of receiving a report from subscribers. The NCC also mandates that any charges incurred after the report is made should not be billed to the consumer. This directive was part of the NCC’s recently published ‘Quality of Service Business Rules,’ released in August 2024, which includes several new standards to enhance customer service in the telecommunications sector. The guidelines set minimum service standards, relevant measurements, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for telecom operators.
One of the key requirements outlined in the new regulations is that telcos must ensure subscribers receive assistance within 30 minutes of arriving at service centers.
“The waiting time must not exceed 30 minutes. The licensee shall provide a means of measuring the waiting time, starting from the time of arrival at the premises,” the NCC stated.
The commission has also introduced additional improvements to customer service, such as ensuring that customers can speak with a live representative within five minutes.
“The maximum number of call attempts before connecting to customer care lines should not be more than three. The maximum number of rings before a call is answered by either an IVR machine or a live agent should not be more than five. Where a customer decides to speak to a live agent, the maximum time allowable in the queue/IVR should be five minutes before the call is answered,” the NCC said.
In cases where a live agent is unavailable within five minutes, customers should have the option to hang up and receive a callback within 30 minutes.
Regarding internet services, the NCC stipulated that internet outages should not exceed two hours unless due to lawful disconnection.
Additionally, the commission addressed the issue of deactivating subscriber lines, warning that lines inactive for over a year without any revenue-generating activity could be blocked. Subscribers are advised to request line parking if they have valid reasons for inactivity to avoid losing their numbers. The NCC specified that if a subscriber’s line remains unused for six months, it may be deactivated, and if inactivity continues for another six months, the subscriber risks losing their number unless network-related faults are the cause.
These measures, the NCC stated, are designed to advance the commission’s goals of developing and monitoring performance standards and metrics related to the quality of telephone and communication services in Nigeria.
