In line with its mission of supporting a market driven Communications industry and promoting universal access, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has urged Nigerian telecommunications consumers to always verifying their desired mobile devices to ascertain if they are type-approved before purchase.
Engr Bako Wakil, director of Technical Standard and Network Integrity, NCC, made this appeal in a public notice posted on the commissions facebook handle.
He advised consumers to confirm this on its website (www.ncc.gov.ng) before any payment transactions can be made.
According to the him, the type approval process is to ensure, checkmate and reduce the importation and usage of sub-standard telecommunications devices in the country.
He however noted that the verification is not limited to handsets alone but expands to tablets, laptop and other devices.
Recall, NCC hosted a workshop last year to sensitise and educate its licensees and other relevant stakeholders in the Nigerian telecom industry on the importance of type approval of telecoms equipment and other mobile and terminal devices.
This was in continuation of its ceaseless efforts to effectively regulate the industry by ensuring that licensees comply with the extant industry type approval regulation, which overarching objective is to ensure industry interoperability, quality of service (QoS) and safety.
Engr Wakil further noted that if substandard mobile devices are not disallowed or checkmate in the Nigerian telecom industry, it can wreak a lot of havoc in the sector and to consumers at large.
One of the major challenges, according to him is the issue of radiation. Substandard handsets can radiate beyond the specified/ required percentage, thereby causing harms to the user.
In addition, Wakil said sub-standard mobile devices cause noise and interferences into the network.
“Oftentimes, telecom consumers complain of poor network services while unknown to them, it is the quality of their mobile devices that is the cause of the problem.
“This is the reason, the commission is appealing to every consumer to check the NCC website before purchasing any model of their desired devices.
“We have model number list of the type-approved mobile devices either mobile phones, Tablets, Laptops Or any devices that will be connected to the national network.”
He also stated that this will ensure mobile devices are produced according to the speculated standard.
Furthermore, he stressed that the state of the country is one major factor responsible for the influx of fake and substandard devices.
These devices are in high demand because they appear to be cheaper, thereby encourages sales and more patronage from unsuspecting telecom consumers.
They implore users to discontinue these actions because of the damages to health and the telecommunications network.
