Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, the President, National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), on Thursday cautioned operators against sending unsolicited text messages to consumers during this Yuletide.

Ogunbanjo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the season was a joyful one hence; telecommunications subscribers would not want any disturbing and annoying message.

He described unsolicited Short Messaging Service capabilities (SMS) a message not asked for, not requested for, not demanded for and not canvassed for.

According to him, unsolicited text messages are a modern scourge, plaguing telecoms consumers' mobile phones with unwanted advertisements and offers, often from network operators and dodgy companies.

“Unsolicited messages should be stopped because we don't want them, they are so disturbing.

“Unsolicited SMS is a credit-eating virus, created and inflicted on subscribers by network operators in Nigeria.

“Network operators send several forms of unsolicited SMS like Automatic Data Plan Renewal to their subscribers, who do not ask for the service and deduct the service cost from credit without the subscribers consent.”

“We do not have any evidence yet in Nigeria that replying ‘STOP’ to such a message will stop further unsolicited texts.

“The first step according to the regulator’s guideline is to report it to your network operator who may be able to prevent further unsolicited SMS from the originating number or from the network operator itself.”

Ogunbanjo, however, noted that even when a customer contacted the network provider by calling or sending STOP, the operator paid lip service to the resolution.

He said that the operators would assure the subscriber that the issue had been resolved only to still deduct the customer’s credit and sending the same SMS again.

The NATCOMS president said that rather than bulge their customers with unwanted messages, service providers must ensure that subscribers got good quality services this Yuletide.

He added that telecoms operators should give subscribers unconditional bonuses for standing by them throughout the years.

According to him, the unconditional bonus from the service provider to their customers should not be less than N5,000. (NAN)

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