By Funmilola Gboteku
Subscribers of telecommunications company, 9mobile, have flooded the company’s X (formerly Twitter) page with complaints over its poor network services in parts of the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a look at the telco’s X page revealed bitter complaints by subscribers in different states of the country of the deplorable condition of its network services.
Mr Johnson James (@DonJoshnson0), a subscriber, said: “Because of you guys my subscription have expired, I don’t have network on my phone since last week this frustration is too much I may be leaving this line very soon.
King Wisdom David (@ I am KWD), who also complained on the telco’s X page said : “I can’t verify my WhatsApp due to no network for more than one month now, this is really bad and heart breaking.
On his part, Ubong-Abasi Maurice (@MORISOFLIFE), another subscriber, said it was hard to contact 9mobile’s customer service, adding that their Whatsapp channel was also not working.
“I am sad and regret the day I ever bought 9mobile. Please fix your line,” he said.
Nafi’u Abdul (@froshgreg) said: “What is happening to your network, it has been five days now, I can’t receive or make call. I can’t even use my own data.
Similarly, Anita Biddel (@AnitaBiddel) also said: “No network for almost a week now.
“I can’t receive or make calls, plus my data should have probably expired now.
“How would you guys compensate us for this, because for many of us, this might be our work lines,” she said.
Also complaining, Ibraheem (@Ajibsonn1) said that the network had been shabby for the past three days in Kano metropolis.
“This is bad, you need to fix your line,” Ibraheem said.
Another subscriber, Abdulgafar Khalid (@abdulgafarkhal6) said: “Honestly speaking, I regret using your network.
“It has been more than three weeks since when I last saw network on my line here in Bauchi State.
“I can’t remember when last I had network in my line for 24 hours, but I think it’s now time to part ways,” he said.
Also, Mr Deolu Ogunbanjo, President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), confirmed to NAN on Sunday in Lagos that subscribers complaints on poor quality of services by the telco was true.
According to Ogunbanjo, rumors have been circulating that another telco was planning to acquire 9mobile.
“I believe the telco has stopped putting efforts into expansion and investing in infrastructure because it would soon be acquired, hence the reason for its poor network services,” Ogunbanjo said.
To buttress subscribers’ grievances, NAN reports that data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) revealed that 9mobile suffered more customer losses in November 2023 as 1,646 of its customers moved to other networks.
According to the latest industry statistics released by the telecom regulator, a total of 2,433 mobile subscribers ported out of their networks in November.
Out of these, 1,646, representing 68 per cent, left 9mobile to other networks.
Other operators also recorded outgoing porting, but the numbers were insignificant compared with 9mobile.
MTN, for instance, lost 274 customers, same as Airtel, while Globacom recorded 239 outgoing porting.
On the other hand, MTN, which is the largest operator by subscriber number, still gained more customers from other operators.
Out of the 2,433 incomings reported in the month, MTN received 1,470 customers from other networks.
The data shows that Airtel also received 668 customers from other networks, while Globacom gained 211 customers from other operators.
However, 9mobile, which lost a significant number of customers to other networks, also recorded the least incoming porting as only 84 subscribers moved to the network in the month under review.
The movement (porting) of subscribers was achieved through the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) instituted by the telecoms regulator, which allows customers to change their service providers without changing their numbers.
NAN reports that efforts to reach the telco to get a reaction failed to yield result.
However, 9mobile on its X page had apologised for the inconveniences caused by poor network services to each subscriber that complained.
(NAN)
