Telecommunication subscribers have cried out over the on-going exploitation by the country’s major networks; MTN, GLO, Airtel and Etisalat, begging the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to come to their rescue. Correspondent Mayowa Okekale took to the streets of Ibadan and reports on the deluge of complaints, ranging from poor network to illegal deduction on call credit and extortion on the part of customer care agents, etc.

Bolaji Amosun: MTN should device another means of getting money, but not go the way of extortion. People are angry. This automatic subscription on caller tune gives me headache and proves to be worrisome. How? More than five times in 24 hours, I send STOP to 41!00 to deactivate my line from caller’s tune which MTN would automatically place me on. NO! I don’t want it. MTN has been compulsive on this unnecessary extortion. Haba! Even God himself does not force anyone.

Busayo Olanipekun: In the space of 30 days, after the compulsory subscription, I think MTN harvests much on this new strategy, with the deduction of N50 each, from every intimidated subscriber. This is terrible and insane. There should be a solution to this soon. I cannot be spending money on other things and MTN still forcefully collects from me. Though the money could be very little, subscribers should not be compelled to be offered any service unwillingly.

Dapo Falade: I have been hearing of rip offs by our mobile telecoms providers for quite a while. But I experienced the worst this evening. I just called a friend on Airtel to Airtel and her ringing tone was the one dedicated to the late African iconic leader, Nelson Mandela. My surprise and disappointment was that Airtel stole N150 from, claiming that I have subscribed to the tone. This was done, not at my own prompting. What other 419 act could be greater than this?

Olaoseeji Sunday Michael: I remember a day Airtel asked me to press a code and I was credited with N200 even when I had N720 worth of credit on my phone. I was told that I should make sure I have enough credit to pay back on a specific date. What a mess! They instantly removed N20 as interest. Telecoms providers have turned to 419. MTN is also doing the same to the masses. Let us fight for our right now before it gets worse than this.

Prince Gbadegesin Yusuff Tunde: I wanted to subscribe on my BB and bought N1,000 airtime (N200 card x 5). In each of the card, I was recharged with N150 instead of N200. I eventually loaded 4 cards and was recharged with N600 airtime instead of N800. I returned the 5th card to the seller. Day 21 today, MTN has not returned my credit. This is really nonsensical.

Samson Fadoyin: Not Airtel alone, but all service providers in Nigeria should be charged for illegal deduction from innocent Nigerians. We have to save ourselves. You can imagine how much they have stolen from all of us. Seriously, NCC should really make them pay back or consumer complaint commission and its you guys in the media that can be the voice of d masses. This nonsense has to stop.

George Wilfred

MTN stole N50 from my credit claiming I subscribed to that useless 777 caller tune, whereas I did not. Who will save us from these extortionists? That 777 ring tone was forced on people. Is it by force? What a lawless country! A place where you pay a NEPA bill you didn’t enjoy. Now, you load recharge card which they fraudulently deduct from.

Olamide Kayode: Though I like the crooner of that song, and my 2nd best network, MTN, I seriously feel MTN is riding on our legal rights in Nigeria! Must they give subscribers a compulsory caller-tune?

Madinah Adebusola Tijani: There is even another issue which is fraudulent on the part of Nigerian telecommunications staff. Once you over scratch a recharge pin and you call their customer service, they request for the over scratched serial number and the first five and the last five numbers of the recharge pin. You will be told your account will be credited, only for you to later discover the recharge has been used by another customer upon calling the same call centre. I had similar experiences with Airtel and MTN.

Emmanuel Boluwatife: In fact, if the caller tune was interesting, we would say our money wasn't a waste. The song was local, boring. MTN is really messing up itself.

Ajibola Joseph: Nigerians should do something about this cunny way MTN is milking the customers on its network, especially through caller tune and some other varying complaints. I cannot imagine MTN advertising a callertunez of N5 and i subscribed only to be told later that monthly subscription fee of N50 has been deducted with the N5 making N55. We deserve full information and truth in their various promos. This is a serious rip off.

Gbenga Oladipo: I hope that this opinion makes it to the necessary quarters, so that Nigerians can be enlightened on the current rip off going on especially Nigerians who have MTN Phone lines. On Tuesday, July 31, I received a text message informing that the sum of N50 had been deducted from my account for Caller tunez. I was so surprised because the caller tunes I subscribed for was Papa Ayo Caller Tune. I later opted out of it and sent an sms to discontinue when MTN would not renew the Papa Ayo Caller Tune. Sometimes those who call me hear all sorts of music that I would not like to be

associated with. Right now what you hear when you call me is an MTN advert. My question is why should I pay N50 from my account just for MTN to advertise to my callers?

Oladejo Oludele: I will like to advise us to watch out on this issue, simply because millions of naira is made fraudulently daily by these network providers, and many Nigerians don’t bother to know what is happening to their call credit.

•Photo shows NCC Executive Vice Chairman Eugene Juwah.

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