Pascal Oparada
There is no respite in sight for Internet users in Nigeria, who complain of fast Internet data depletion. This is because many believe that the regulator, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), maybe in tacit cahoots with the providers.
Subscribers, especially on mobile networks migrate from providers to providers in search of better alternatives.
In July, the major mobile networks, MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9Mobile cumulatively lost about eight million data subscribers mostly due to fast depletion.
Information from the NCC indicates that the total number of mobile subscribers of the four major telecommunications outfits dropped from 141.41 million as of April to 140.13 million by the end of May 2021.
The data subscriber base in Nigeria has been on a consistent downturn since the NIN-SIM linkage directive by the ministry of Communications began in December last year.
Though the reason for the loss of subscribers is largely attributed to the recent directives for them to link their SIM to their national identity database, experts believe that subscribers are also searching for relief and better alternatives.
While the operators are silent over reasons for fast Internet data depletion, the regulator, the NCC is not firm and has not taken subscribers complaints seriously.
The Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said the ‘illegal deduction’ of subscriber’s data was not in the real sense of the word illegal and was also not a result of any proven ‘sharp practice’ by the operators.”
“The reasons for the rise in data consumption and depletion, which is classified by some users as ‘illegal deduction’, including the advancement in technology, which has led to the rise in applications, updates and services that leverage on this technology and advancement of supportive data infrastructure,” he told The Guardian.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has stepped up measures towards protecting the consumers by tightening the noose against cases of data depletion and wrong deductions of consumers’ credit through an ongoing forensic audit instituted by the Commission to ensure maximum protection for consumers.
“Consumer protection remains a key focus area of the Commission’s regulatory activities; it has accomplished significant improvements in this direction through various initiatives aimed at putting mobile operators on their toes to be more consumer-centric.
“The ongoing forensic audit, the Commission plans “to get to the bottom of why consumers are experiencing data depletion and the possibility of compensating them for wrong deductions, which may arise from short message service (SMS).
“We have instituted and we have insisted that despite the fall in data price, that the forensic audit must go on and must be concluded and the outcome communicated to the CEOs of telecom companies,” Danbata said.
National Coordinator, Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), Olusola Teniola, said the NCC is currently intervening in the matter.
Teniola said concerning data usage over different bundle data offerings, more consumer awareness is required, urging service providers to step up their campaigns.
He said it is important for affordability and trust that terms and conditions are spelt out so that consumers can double-check what they have purchased and precisely when they have exhausted it.
According to him, the most prudent thing for consumers is to ensure that any application they have loaded on their smartphone or device doesn’t consume data when they are not expecting it to do so.
“It appears the greatest challenge is that ‘automatic updates’ is an activity that depletes a consumer’s data and depending on the frequency and size of the update, it depletes the available data to the consumer’s surprise,” he stated.
Spectranet, which has been listed among the operators with the challenge, explained that fast depletion primarily happens due to high speeds offered by 4G LTE, leading to quicker downloads vis-à-vis 2G/3G. It stressed that under certain conditions 4G LTE can download data eight-10 times faster.
The Chief Executive Officer, Spectranet, Ajay Awasthi, told Nairametrics that data consumption on 4G LTE networks (WIFI) is faster than the GSM broadband because modern-day smart devices are organised to ensure a heavy amount of data transfer like Operating System (OS) updates, photo syncing, and videos streaming on high definition, among others are conducted over WIFI networks only.
Awasthi said data consumption could occur with or without the knowledge of the subscriber.
“With your knowledge, data is consumed when you are opening web pages and browsing while being connected to the Internet as well as during file downloads or video streaming or when any browsing activity is performed.
“Without your knowledge, data gets consumed when you open a video or audio streaming website, where media has already streamed while you decide not to watch or listen any further. The already streamed media, though not completely watched, would have used up the total.”
The Spectranet boss said for subscribers to avoid these challenges, they should deactivate all cloud storage systems, except where necessary; change of wireless password fortnightly for safe Internet usage; the device may be switched off when not in use.
He urged subscribers to reduce video streaming quality from video sites such as Youtube from108OP or default/auto to 240P for optimal viewing and lower data consumption.
He asked customers to turn off automatic updates on computers and mobile gadgets, stressing that if operating on a Windows 10, a user may also turn off updates from more than one place.