Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has lifted the license suspension placed on Medallion Communications for allegedly engaging in call masking.
Medallion Communications described the allegation of engaging in call masking as shocking.
Call masking is a practice in which callers hide their true numbers when making calls, especially international calls, in order to evade the international call rates.
Ikechukwu Nnamani, chief executive officer, Medallion Communications Limited, said the regulator has rescinded the suspension, describing the suspension as unfortunate.
“I am glad to report that following our appeal of the suspension the Regulator has lifted the suspension against Medallion and we are now able to run our interconnect business. I am also glad this was resolved without Medallion needing to take the Regulator to court which was to be our next line of action if our request for review of the decision was not positive in line with the provisions of the Communication Act 2003,” he enthused.
It would be recalled that NCC in February this year suspended the operating licenses of some telecommunications operators for engaging in call masking.
The commission also issued warning letters to others it said were caught engaging in the practice.
A statement issued by Tony Ojobo, director of Public Affairs, NCC, said the telecommunications regulatory agency had also begun the second phase of investigation on the involvement of digital mobile operators in masking activities.
“The NCC has recently been inundated with complaints from service providers and consumers regarding the high incidence of call masking, call refiling and SIM boxing,” the statement said.
“Generally, the practice complained of involves disguising international calls as local calls in order to profit from price differentials between international and local calls.
“Apart from the resultant loss of revenue by service providers, the practice also has some negative security implications. Following a painstaking investigation process, which included collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services, the commission has imposed a range of sanctions on licensees involved in the fraudulent practice.”
