… Immediate disconnect of ICSL, SISL
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has sanctioned some interconnect clearing houses licensees for alleged call-masking,
call-refiling and SIM-Boxing, with immediate disconnection of Information Connectivity Solutions Limited (ICSL) and Solid Interconnectivity Services Limited from all networks, reports ITRealms.
This, ITRealms gathered,
is coming as the Commission also barred over 750,000 numbers assigned to PrivateNetwork Links (PNL) and Local Exchange Operator (LEO) licensees, found to be
aiding and abating this unwholesome practice.
Director, Public Affairs Department of NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo,
confirmed this to ITRealms, Tuesday,
saying they were recently inundated with complaints from service providers and
consumers regarding the high incidence of call-masking, call-refiling and
SIM-Boxing, hence they have to take action.
Generally, he defined the practice complained of as “disguising
international calls as local calls in order to profit from price differentials
between international and local calls. Apart from the resultant loss of revenue
by service providers, the practice some also has negative security
implications.”
He also said that this follow a painstaking investigation
process which included collaboration with the Office of the National Security
Adviser (NSA) and the Department of State Services, the Commission has imposed
a range of sanctions on licensees involved in the fraudulent practice.
The sanctions, he said include the suspension of the
Interconnect Clearinghouse License issued to Medallion Communications Limited
for a period of 90 (ninety) days, in the first instance; Issuance of a strong
warning to Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria Limited; Disconnection of
Information Connectivity Solutions Limited (ICSL) and Solid Interconnectivity
Services Limited from all networks, until they regularize their operations.
In addition, Ojobo told ITRealms that NCC issued letters of
caution to three other licensees, namely the Exchange Telecoms Limited, NiconnX
Limited and Breeze Micro Limited, warning them against engaging in the fraudulent
practice, whereas, barring over 750,000 numbers assigned to several Private
Network Links (PNL) and Local Exchange Operator (LEO) licensees, which number
ranges were found to have been utilized for the practice.
The sanctioned entities, NCC spokesman said in a press statement made available to ITRealms, were found to
be directly and indirectly complicit in several infractions, including,
covertly allowing organisations with expired licences to transit calls, failure
to undertake due diligence on parties seeking to interconnect, deliberately
turning a blind eye to masking infractions by interconnect partners, and using
a licence issued to another organisation to bring-in and terminate
international calls which were masked as local calls to other operators.
On the barring of numbers, he reiterated that over 750,000
individual numbers across the nation, made up of about 31 number ranges have
been barred.
NCC further said that licensees whose numbers have been
barred are Vezeti Communications Services Limited, Voix Networks Limited,
Mobitel Limited, Peace Global Satellite Communications Limited, ABG
Communications Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Swift
Telephone Networks Limited, QVODA Telecoms Limited, Wireless Telecoms Limited
and Emcatel Networks Limited.
According to NCC, culprits were found to be terminating
millions of minutes, whereas they only have very few active customers.
“The Commission is pleased to note that the incidence of
call masking has significantly reduced since it commenced a multi-faceted approach
to address the menace,” he said.
Insisting that the actions so far taken by NCC, were just
the first stage of the exercise, stressing that the second stage which has now
commenced, will focus on the Mobile Network Operators and other persons
involved in SIM-Boxing.
“The aim of the Commission is to completely stamp out the
fraudulent practice in the overall interest of all Nigerians. Accordingly,
every service provider that has been sanctioned still has an opportunity to
correct the identified anomalies and satisfy the Commission that it should be
allowed to continue to operate in Nigeria.
“The Commission reserves the right to revoke the licence of
such service providers where they fail to take the necessary corrective
measures,” NCC declared.
Chuks Egbune/GEE
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