The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has put on hold its earlier approval given to MTN Nigerian Communications (NCC) to commence the phased disconnection of Globacom Limited (Glo) with effect from today, Thursday, January 18, 2024, due to a long-standing interconnection debt dispute between the parties.
A statement signed by Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Mouka, said: “The Commission is pleased to announce that the parties have now reached an agreement to resolve all outstanding issues between them. For this reason, and in the exercise of its regulatory powers in that regard, the Commission has put the phased disconnection on hold for a period of 21 (twenty-one) days from today, 17 January, 2024.”
The commission said that in granting the approval as contained in its Pre-Disconnection Notice of January 8, 2024, it was “deeply conscious of the potential impacts of the decision on consumers and therefore continued to engage both parties to facilitate a resolution which prioritizes and protects consumer interest and the seamless operation of the national telecoms network.
“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,” the commission said.
