Hephzibah's Commentary on The Disguised Communication Tax

Yesterday,  I got this silly message from my service provider - "Dear Valued Customer, Effective 1st Dec 2016, we will review our data plans & prices in compliance with NCC directive. Dial *200*3# NOW to buy MORE DATA"

I was not shocked because MTN subscribers had already blown the whistle on social media. Etisalat was just catching up.

My comments on this madness are actually questions

1. Why are we hearing about the NCC directive from the service providers?  Is the NCC not funded by taxpayers' money and therefore accountable to taxpayers?

2. If NCC truly issued such a silly directive,  why the hurry?  Why did we only hear about it 3 days to implementation?  Is it not a joke that an agency (Abi a parastatal) that has "Communication" in its name and as its core function is not communicating? The joke is very "unfunny", by the way.. I am looking at the Telcos one kain ooo because they are yet to fully comply with the very public NCC directive to stop sending unsolicited emails or be fined.  That one was effective from July 1, 2016. Meanwhile, they are rushing to comply with a nocturnal directive within 3 days.  I am not fooled,  abeg.

3. If the NCC truly issued this directive, are we not joking when we say that the Telecommunications sector is deregulated?  Which kind of deregulation allows the government,  not the market forces of demand and supply,  determine prices?
On the bright side,  I see opportunities for upcoming Telcos to repeat Globacom's entry strategy of introducing Per Second Billing when the existing cabal insisted that it was not possible. It's time for new Telcos to break in and take the data market from these jokers... Otherwise,  we will go back to posting letters and calling from our landmines.

To be fair,  I expect some form of price increase because the economic forces indicate that except a Telco can find innovative ways to bring down their expenses,  price increases should be the way to go.

I don't think,  though,  that there is anything in the NCC act that gives NCC the powers to direct the Telcos to hike prices.  I will search for the Act and share so we can review it together.  If the NCC actually issued such a directive,  we need to confirm that they are empowered to do so.  If the Telcos are telling lies against NCC,  I expect NCC to penalize them one way or the other.  The NCC cannot afford to keep quiet on this matter.  They owe us an explanation....