The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has placed on hold its earlier clearance for MTN Nigerian Communications Plc. (MTN) to begin the phased disconnection of Globacom Limited (Glo) on Thursday (today).
The previous intended disconnection was due to a long-standing interconnection debt dispute between the parties.
A statement from the NCC, issued by the Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Mouka, read: “The Commission is happy to announce that the parties reached an agreement to resolve all outstanding issues between them.
“For this reason, and in execution of its regulatory powers, the Commission has put the phased disconnection on hold for 21 days beginning today, January 17, 2024.”
The NCC disclosed 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 that prioritizes and protects consumer interests and the seamless operation of the national telecom network.”
“While the Commission expects MTN and Glo to resolve all outstanding concerns within 21 days, the Commission urges that interconnect debts be settled by all operating businesses as a vital component of all licensees’ regulatory compliance.
“It is obligatory for mobile network operators (MNOs) and other licensees in the telecom industry to follow the terms and conditions of their licenses, particularly as contained in their interconnection agreements,” it added.
