The Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS) is urging the Federal Government to dismantle the monopoly held by Multichoice, emphasizing the need for a leveled playing field in the sector.
During a press conference in Lagos, Mr. Sina Bilesanmi, the National President of ATCIS-Nigeria, expressed concern over consistent tariff hikes in Multichoice's pay TV services, emphasizing the detrimental impact on his members.
Bilesanmi highlighted Multichoice's near-monopoly in the broadcast industry, urging the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to adopt consumer protection measures similar to those implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Expressing uncertainty about the NBC's supervision over the pay TV industry, Bilesanmi passionately appealed to President Tinubu to scrutinize and break Multichoice's monopoly, stressing the importance of preventing an operator from becoming too powerful.
Bilesanmi recommended the formation of a committee to investigate the challenges faced by indigenous operators attempting to enter the pay TV industry, advocating for genuine sector liberalization.
Advocating for consumer rights, Bilesanmi called for the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to scrutinize the pay TV sector, proposing subscriber-friendly policies such as subscription rollovers.
Bilesanmi extended his concerns to the telecommunications sector, citing an increase in service quality issues as subscriber figures rise. He urged telecom operators to enhance services and requested expedited approval for infrastructure expansion.
He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and secure approval from the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja for telcos to build a more resilient network, citing a decade-long delay in granting approval.
Bilesanmi acknowledged ATCIS's awareness of operating challenges but stressed the demand for commensurate service quality with subscribers' expenditures.
Discussing the advent of 5G technology, Bilesanmi expressed concern about its exclusivity due to high device costs, appealing to the Federal Government for intervention.
During the "ATCIS-Nigeria 8th Edition Press Briefing" in Lagos, Bilesanmi urged subscribers to safeguard their passwords, emphasizing the risk of exposing personal information.
Bilesanmi reiterated the call for President Tinubu's intervention in granting approval for telcos to build a resilient network in the FCT, emphasizing ATCIS's commitment to advocacy for over 200 million Nigerians and 159 million internet subscribers.
®Lagoscommunitynewsreview.com.ng
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