The Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) will go live next month, the Nigerian Communications Commission has revealed.

TIRMS is a digital platform proposed by the NCC for stemming financial fraud and identity theft linked to mobile phone numbers.

It works in three ways: phone number tracking, flagging risky Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), and real-time verification.

For phone tracking, TIRMS monitors mobile phone numbers, known as MSISDNs, across different telecom networks and, in flagging risky SIMs, identifies numbers that are recycled, swapped, churned (abandoned) or barred.,

In real-time verification, it gives banks and service providers instant access to telephone data.

The NCC also announced in a communiqué after its 110th board meeting on September 9 that the zero-rating of educational platforms and contents aimed at improving digital inclusion and expanding access to learning resources would begin October 1.

It added that 8,526 of the 12,179 additional coverage and capacity sites aimed at improving network coverage, capacity and quality of service across the country have been deployed by telecommunications operators (telcos).

In the communiqué made available at the weekend, the national telecommunications regulator explained that TIRMS is expected to strengthen the governance of telecommunications identities, including mobile numbers, while reducing risks associated with their misuse, reassignment and recycling. According to the communiqué, the board stressed that the deployment of both systems must comply with applicable legal, privacy and data protection requirements while protecting consumers and safeguarding the integrity of the telecommunications market.

On the zero-rating of educational platforms and content aimed at improving digital inclusion and expanding access to learning resources, the board commended the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders for their collaboration.

It also explained that deployment of 8,526 of the 12,179 additional coverage and capacity sites represents about 70 per cent of the operators’ commitments.

The NCC statement added that development is significant progress from the approximately 5,000 sites reported at the previous meeting of its governing board.

According to the commission, the board raised concerns over a sharp rise in network disruptions recorded in June due to fibre cuts.

It emphasised that the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure must be matched by stronger protection of critical communications facilities and called for sustained investment in network resilience and service reliability. (The Nation)