Nigeria Communication Commission Renews MTN Digital Mobile License

Despite the constraints and huge burden the N1.04 trillion fine by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC  may have brought to MTN Nigeria in the past two weeks, there are two cheery sets of news that just might make the telecommunications operator Y’ello   again.
One is that the same Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has approved the renewal, and consequent extension of the tenure of its operating spectrum in the 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands.

With this renewal and extension, MTN’s operating spectrum which was issued along with the Digital Mobile License (DML) in 2001 (with an original expiry date of 31 August 2016), has now been extended to 31stAugust, 2021.
The second is that many of  the operators’ subscribers across Nigeria have expressed the willingness to stick by its network despite the burdens of the fine on its operations. Many of the subscribers who spoke to Vanguard Hi-tech, expressed brand loyalty, saying regardless of the fine,  they would stick with the MTN through thick and thin as long as the telecoms giant remains constant in its delivery of quality service.
The commission imposed a whopping sum of $5.24 billion on the telecoms operator, penultimate week, over what it described as non-compliance in the deactivation of improper registered subscribers. In a latter development however, MTN revealed that the commission has in a letter dated November 2, 2015, signed by the acting Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umaru Dambatta, extended its operating license.

MTN quoted part of the letter to have read: “MTN will, however, be required to pay the sum of $94,225,152.75 (ninety four million, two hundred and twenty five thousand, one hundred and fifty two dollars, seventy five cents) as Spectrum fee for the 5 year extension period.”