The telecom industry have continued to record huge losses in Nigeria to call-masking.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), up to $60 billion is lost from masking of calls globally which has continued unabated.
Speaking at the 86th edition of the NCC quarterly Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, Thursday, the NCC executive vice chairman, said the commission has however found technological solution to bring the menace to the bearest minimum.
The EVC who was represented by executive commissioner stakeholder management, Mr. Dare Sunday, said, “We don’t have the exact figure for NIgeria and I do not want to give out the figure that is incorrect but we know that from global calculation, in the region of 54 to $60bn loss globally from call masking whichshows its a global menace. Its not specific to Nigeria.
He explained that call masking is possible because of available innovative technologies like “Voice Over Internet Protocol (VIOP) and Over the Top Platform (OTP) where you do WhatsApp and video calls. These are technologies which allows some of these things happen.
“But we are happy in the last eight months, the NCC took very proactive measures, investigations… task force and we have been able to reduce the incidences of SIM boxing (call masking) in Nigeria by 34 percent.
“i think the most critical point is we have tried to look for a technological solutions to what’s like a technological problem. As I speak now we have found a solution after a prove of concept.
“That concept was tried in Lagos. About 12 people were arrested in the basement of their houses and in booth of their cars with the boxes. We have tried that concept and its working and we hope to launch it in January.
“I can assure Nigerians that before the end of 2019 we will have had up to 80%,” reduction in call masking.
He therefore urges consumers to report masked international calls to NCC, to help it take appropriate sanction against the perpetrators.
Call masking/refiling is basically when an international call is terminated in Nigeria as a local number. The perpetrators have ulterior motive of profiting from price differentials between international and local calls termination rates.
“As a Commission, we have discovered that call masking is being perpetrated with small movable devices called SIM boxes, which are electronic boxes loaded with SIM Numbers. A SIM box has capacity to receive and transmit calls undetected. However, the challenge is that these SIM boxes are never type-approved by the Commission, a clear indication that they are being used illegally,” he said.
The 86th edition themed: “Overcoming Challenges of Call Masking/Refiling: Task Ahead for the Telecoms Industry” is featuring this year for the second time in succession.
