Operators Threaten to Shut Telecoms Networks in 7 states

Telecom operators have threatened to shut down network services in seven states over closure of Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) by the state governments.

Chairman of Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria,ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo said many sites in the listed states have been shut down or about to be shut by agents of government not minding the security and economic implications on their states.

He said the Association has resolved that its members will not reopen any sites closed by state or local government authority.

“The arbitrary sites closure without following the Nigeria Communications Commission, (NCC) guidelines and best practices will no longer be tolerated,” he added.

He noted that ALTON’s members continue to record cases of sites closures in many states in an attempt to force service providers to pay local taxes and levies.

He said some of these levies and taxes are multiple in nature because most of them are only aimed toward telecom operators.

He said:“We are considering very carefully the situation of site closure and harassment of our members in some of those states and we may begin anytime soon to have them feel the impact of their actions on telecom operators if they do not desist from deliberate disruption of our operations.”