N1.6bn Debt: Globacom Denies Owing MTN Interconnect Charges

Globacom has denied the report that it is owing MTN interconnect charges, claiming that the report is a campaign of calumny against the company that has redefined access to communications at all levels.

A source, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria, affirmed that, what was due in payment was N1.6 billion, and the said amount had been paid without any controversy, wondering where the peddlers of the fake news got their information from.

The source said: “It is either the act is deliberate or gross ineptitude on the part of the detractors, who find it difficult to do ordinary cross checking of facts. Glo does not owe MTN, not anybody.”

Recall that on Monday 8 January, 2023, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in a public notice revealed that it granted a partial disconnection of Globacom from MTN due to non-settlement of interconnect charges.

In the notice, NCC disclosed that Globacom had 10 days, starting from January 8, to pay the debt or the disconnection would be implemented.

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The partial disconnection means that Globacom’s subscribers will not be able to make calls to any MTN number. However, Glo customers can receive inbound calls from MTN customers.

The statement reads: “The Nigerian Communications Commission hereby notifies the public and subscribers of Globacom Limited (Globacom) that approval has been granted for the partial disconnection of Globacom from MIN Nigeria Communications Plc. (MTN), due to non-settlement of interconnect charges.

“Globacom was notified of the application made by MTN and was allowed to comment and state its case. The Commission, having examined the application and circumstances surrounding the indebtedness, determined that Globacom does not have sufficient or justifiable reason for non-payment of the interconnect charges.

“All subscribers are, therefore, requested to TAKE NOTICE that: The Commission has approved the Partial Disconnection of Globacom to MTN in accordance with Section 100 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, and Paragraph 9 of the Guidelines on Procedure for Granting Approval to Disconnect Telecommunications Operators, 2012.

“At the expiration of 10 (ten) days from the date of this notice, subscribers of Globacom will no longer be able to make calls to MTN but will be able to RECEIVE CALLS. The Partial Disconnection, however, will allow inbound calls to the Globacom network. Please note that this disconnection will subsist until otherwise determined by the Commission.”

The source said, a proper cross-checking of facts should have been done before concluding that the telco was owing MTN, adding that, “We are not owing MTN any interconnect charges. Recall Glo was the first telecoms company that introduced the pay-per-second form of billing, thereby cutting the monopoly of the other foreign companies operating in Nigeria.”