The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has shut down Cobranet, a broadband service provider, over the alleged illegal use of frequency to deliver its services.
The NCC said it took action against the Lagos-based firm over illegal occupation of frequency assigned for broadband services.
The move, according to the NCC, was the beginning of fresh sanctions against illegal activities and players undermining the rules of the telecoms sector.
The sanction resulted in the sealing of Cobranet's Lekki office, with its service switched off and its equipment disconnected for disrupting the service of other companies.
Reuben Muoka, NCC spokesman, said the action was taken after several warnings to the company to vacate the frequency were ignored.
“The Commission in 2009 developed guidelines for the deployment of frequency services on the 5.2GHz to 5.9GHz bands. In April 2011, the Commission declared the 5.470GHz to 5.725GHz portion of this spectrum as licensed, licensable and not licence exempt in Nigeria. Consequently, it warned all companies without a licence from the Commission to avoid transmitting signals, or using equipment on this frequency band,” Muoka said in a statement.
He said the Commission, after a final warning on the issue in June, discovered that Cobranet was transmitting signals on the affected frequencies, resulting in enforcement action against the company.
Efosa Idehen, the NCC's head of compliance monitoring, said the NCC was still considering the punitive sanctions it would impose on Cobranet.
Idehen said the company's actions were detrimental to the service quality of other providers, as illegal occupations of frequencies degrade the quality of service of other operators, who may be legally operating on such frequencies.
The statement from the NCC noted that the current leadership at the Commission was focused on compliance with rules, hence the need for all operators to adhere strictly to all rules and conditions in service provisioning for the benefit of the subscribers and the nation.
“The frequency spectrum is a finite resource whose use must be in accordance with the set guidelines and conditions,” the statement added.
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