Glo Subscribers To Face Call Restrictions to MTN Lines From January 18

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) revealed on Monday that Globacom subscribers might soon lose the ability to call MTN lines due to unresolved interconnect charges. In a notice signed by Director Reuben Muoka, the NCC partially approved MTN’s request for Globacom’s disconnection from its network, allowing only incoming calls to Glo numbers.

The NCC highlighted that after a 10-day notice period, Glo users won’t be able to make calls to MTN but can receive incoming calls. This impending disconnection follows a history of similar actions; in 2019, MTN briefly disconnected Glo subscribers due to a N4 billion debt.

The telecom regulator previously authorized network operators to disconnect non-paying counterparts, citing mounting interconnect debts. Presently, the industry’s disconnect fees total approximately N165 billion. Interconnect charges, representing fees paid between telecom operators for calls terminating on their networks, underlie this ongoing dispute.

Reports indicate that Glo allegedly owes MTN approximately N6 billion in interconnect fees. Despite ongoing efforts, Glo has yet to comment on the matter.

As of August 2023, Glo boasted 61.39 million mobile subscriptions. However, as per the latest NCC notice, these lines will lose the ability to call MTN lines starting January 18, 2024.