It is now possible for telecoms subscribers in Nigeria to stop telecoms operators from calling and sending unsolicited SMS with the decision of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to compel all operators in the country to set up a USSD service that enables subscribers to remove their lines from the mailing list of the telcos.
With the 2442 service, subscribers can choose to opt-in to the “Do Not Disturb” (DND) database restricting unsolicited marketing messages.NCC said it shall be mandatory for mobile operators to create sufficient awareness to its subscribers on the existence of the DND on their networks; that they shall also comply with the quarterly and reporting template prescribed by the NCC to ensure feedback and compliance.
The commission also warned operators that generated SMS shall comply with the 8am to 8pm stipulation (12 hour period) for sending SMS to subscribers and that the opt-in process shall be free. operator-generated SMS, NCC said, is excluded from the DND list in as much as such messages are in conformity with NCC’s directive on timing and regularity and do not constitute a nuisance to subscribers and the subscribers shall have right to partial or full DND implementation.
