Handset theft: NCC sets up price-fixing committee

The Nigerian Communications Commission has set up a committee to recommend an acceptable charge for the blocking and recovery of stolen handsets in the country.

This follows the licensing of a Nigerian firm, Netvisa GSMsecured Nigeria, as the sole Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR).

A CEIR will establish a central database of mobile handsets that would be utilised to track and block stolen handsets from being used on any mobile operator's network in the country.

HANA's correspondent gathered that the in-house committee of the NCC will come up with a very minimal charge that will help make the implementation of the system as easy as possible and less burdensome to customers.

The issue of the theft of mobile phones has been one of concern to most subscribers. Many victims have suffered injuries, while the thieves usually get away as there is no way of recovering the phones or preventing them from being used.

Based on the need to find a solution to the problem, the NCC had, on 30 August 2006, held a public forum on the matter, where it listened to proposals from solution providers.

While a national newspaper had reported that subscribers may have to pay N20 per month for the system, sources at the NCC said this was not true.

The Head of Public Affairs at the NCC, Dave Imoko in June denied the fixing of any cost by the commission. However, the latest developments indicate that subscribers will pay between N1 and N10 if the current proposal submitted by Netvisa is accepted.

While not willing to divulge much information on the matter, Chief Executive Officer of Netvisa, Prince Uchendu, said discussions were yet to be completed on the matter.

"Discussions are still ongoing to arrive at a mutually-beneficial price for everyone who has a stake in the telecommunications sector. We are particularly concerned with our subscribers who have already borne much burden in the course of the development of Nigeria's telecommunications industry and would not want to increase their burden," he said.

Uchendu added that the entire purpose of the current scheme was to ensure that Nigerians have adequate protection for their phones and also ensure that criminal elements do not benefit from where they did not sow.

Some estimates had put the number of stolen phone per month to 50,000 as of 2006.

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