Globacom Ltd. has denied that the reports making round that it was owing MTN interconnect charges.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday, reported that a reliable source in Globacom disclosed that the amount due for payment was N1.6 billion and it had been paid without controversy.
The telco official who spoke with NAN said a proper cross-checking of facts ought to have been done before concluding that Globacom owes MTN.
- “We are not owing MTN any interconnect charges,” the Glo official said.
Nairametrics had earlier reported that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a partial disconnection of Globacom by MTN over the former’s refusal to pay interconnect debt.
The Globacom official further stated that Glo was the first telecoms company that introduced the pay-per-second form of billing which cut the monopoly of the other foreign companies operating in Nigeria.
Backstory
On Monday 8 January, 2023, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in a public notice revealed that it granted a partial disconnection of Globacom from MTN due to non-settlement of interconnect charges.
In the notice, NCC disclosed that Globacom had 10 days, starting from January 8, to pay the debt or the disconnection would be implemented.
The partial disconnection means that Globacom’s subscribers will not be able to make calls to any MTN number. However, Glo customers can receive inbound calls from MTN customers.
Here’s what the NCC notice read:
- “The Nigerian Communications Commission hereby notifies the public and subscribers of Globacom Limited (Globacom) that approval has been granted for the partial disconnection of Globacom from MIN Nigeria Communications Plc. (MTN), due to non-settlement of interconnect charges.
- “Globacom was notified of the application made by MTN and was allowed to comment and state its case. The Commission, having examined the application and circumstances surrounding the indebtedness, determined that Globacom does not have sufficient or justifiable reason for non-payment of the interconnect charges.
- “All subscribers are, therefore, requested to TAKE NOTICE that: The Commission has approved the Partial Disconnection of Globacom to MTN in accordance with Section 100 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, and Paragraph 9 of the Guidelines on Procedure for Granting Approval to Disconnect Telecommunications Operators, 2012.
- “At the expiration of 10 (ten) days from the date of this notice, subscribers of Globacom will no longer be able to make calls to MTN but will be able to RECEIVE CALLS. The Partial Disconnection, however, will allow inbound calls to the Globacom network. Please note that this disconnection will subsist until otherwise determined by the Commission.”
Part of the public notice read: “All subscribers are requested to take notice that the commission has approved the partial disconnection of Globacom to MTN.
- “This is in accordance with Section 100 of the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) and paragraph nine of the Guidelines on Procedure for Granting Approval to Disconnect Telecommunications Operators (2012).
- “At the expiration of 10 days from Jan. 8, 2024, subscribers of Globacom will no longer be able to make calls to MTN but will be able to receive calls.”
The Glo official said a proper cross-checking of facts should have been done before concluding that the telco was owing MTN.
- “We are not owing MTN any interconnect charges,” the Glo official said.
The official added that Glo was the first telecoms company that introduced the pay-per-second form of billing, thereby cutting the monopoly of the other foreign companies operating in Nigeria.
According to the Glo official, the report against Nigeria’s fully indigenous telecommunications company that has redefined access to communications at all levels is false.