Celtel complies with NCC directive, compensates subscribers

PAN African mobile operator, Celtel, has commenced the compensation of its subscribers in Nigeria in compliance to the recent directive by the telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Confirming this development in a press statement, the Public Relations Manager, Celtel Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Otokhine said that it’s in accomplishment of the promise by the operator to pay customers the N175, (about $1.48 cents) compensation.

Otokhine also said that the exercise which began last Thursday is the initial phase of payments.

According to him, the compensation which comes in batches is a plan released last May by Celtel Nigeria, which outlined that 40 per cent of active subscribers as at January 31, 2008; for those who are still active as at 1st July, 2008, “will be compensated between last Thursday and July 15, 2008.”

The chief executive of Celtel Nigeria, Mr. Bayo Ligali, was quoted in the press statement as explaining that the objective was to sustain the integrity of the network.

Ligali also said that Quality of Service (QoS) could be compromised if every customer receives and utilizes the N175 airtime simultaneously.

Stressing that in line with the telco’s agreement with the NCC, Celtel had promised to make the payment in three batches between July 1st and August 15th, 2008.

He also explained that the first batch, 40 per cent of active subscribers as at January 31st, 2008, who are still active as at July 1, 2008) will be compensated in the period July 1 and 15, 2008.

The batch two, he said, made up of about 30 per cent of the active subscribers as at January 31, 2008 and who are still active as at July 16, 2008 and will be compensated in the period between July 16 and 30, this year.

Equally the batch three, Ligali said, would consist another 30 per cent of the active subscribers as at January 31, 2008, who are still active as at August 1, 2008. This group, he said, would be compensated in the period beginning August 1 and 15, 2008.

He restated his appreciation to the company’s over 14 million customers for their patience, understanding and continued custom and regretted the inconveniences caused by the Quality of Service challenges.

Ligali further stated that several initiatives have been embarked upon by Celtel in order to deliver on the four cardinal elements of GSM service, namely the coverage, capacity, quality and excellent customer service, have started yielding positive results.

“I make bold to say that we have significantly boosted the robustness of our network with massive generator swap outs, capacity enhancement and coverage expansion projects” he said.

He explained that Celtel’s $1 billion aggressive network rollout plan in 2008 buoyed by the 4000 km fibre-optic transmission backbone nationwide, will deliver the capacity and quality for world class operations.


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