After an
extensive investigation, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has
substantiated allegations of violations of consumer rights by MultiChoice
Nigeria Limited in the provision of its Digital Satellite Broadcast Television
(DStv) service.
Consequently,
the Council has issued far-reaching orders, including suspension of service
when consumers are away; release of free-to-air channels, even when
subscription expires; compensation across board to consumers for lost viewing
time, introduction of local toll free lines; and reasonable equitable spread of
popular sports channels, among others.
The
multinational pay-media company is also required to present written assurances
in line with Section 10 of the Council’s enabling law that it will not engage
in any conduct which is detrimental to the interest of consumers.
In the
same vein, the company shall for 18 months from the date of the orders, subject
its processes to the Council’s inspection to ensure compliance with the
directives contained in the orders.
During
the course of the investigation, the Council observed that the company’s
billing system, whereby “billing is not contemporaneous with the provision of
service” was not in the best interest of consumers and therefore ordered
MultiChoice to install a billing system that ensures billing starts with the
provision of service
The
pay-television company was also ordered to within 90 days provide across board
compensation to its subscribers, considering the fact that many of them have
over time lost legitimate and paid viewing time by its conduct of not restoring
service contemporaneously after payment as well as other instances of
disruptions.
Similarly,
the company was also directed by CPC to within 180 days adopt a “technology
that supports suspension of service when subscribers are otherwise unable to
enjoy their service on account of being away for a limited period of time”,
provided such a request for suspension of service is done for a period of
between 7 to 14 days and not more than twice in a year with a 72-hour notice to
MultiChoice.
On
non-availability of popular channels in certain bouquets, the Council ordered
the firm to within 90 days ensure “a reasonably equitable spread of popular
sports and other channels hitherto concentrated in its premium bouquet over all
available bouquets”.
MultiChoice
was ordered to keep local and free-to-air channels open so that subscribers
would have the opportunity of watching these channels, even when their
subscriptions have expired.
In order
to aid easy and fast access to the company by subscribers who wish to make
complaints or enquiries, CPC directed MultiChoice not only to maintain local
toll-free telephone access lines for its call centres, but should also ensure
the call centres operate for longer hours during public holidays and weekends.
MultiChoice
was also directed to formulate within 90 days a written compensation policy
which should “outline amongst other things, the procedure for compensating
subscribers for injury they suffer on account of MultiChoice conduct and take
into consideration not just viewing time lost, but inconveniences suffered by
subscribers”.
The
agency also directed MultiChoice to “develop a Customer Care Manual which shall
contain mechanisms to address customer complaints in an accurate, friendly,
timely, efficient, courteous and honest manner”.
It was
also directed to ensure that the list of all its accredited dealers and
installers and their details be freely given to its customers at the point of
subscription and also made available on its website and other information
channels.
In
addition, the pay-media company is not only to ensure these accredited dealers
and installers carry certified means of identification issued by it,
subscribers must also be periodically educated on the means of identification,
while it should also reasonably and adequately compensate subscribers where
they experience loss of signal on account of faulty, poor or unprofessional
installation by agents of MultiChoice.
On the
pay-television firm’s agreements with its subscribers, the Council disclosed
that several provisions of the Service Level Agreement and the Terms and
Conditions of Subscription signed on by subscribers were found to be grossly
unfair, unjust and one-sided, directing that such provisions should be
expunged, re-drafted and submitted to the Council.
All the
orders, which have already been served on MultiChoice, are effective, not later
than 90 days from their receipt.
Commenting,
the Council’s Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, expressed optimism that
compliance with these reforms would bring about a new dawn for Nigerian
consumers, who would henceforth enjoy value for money in their engagement with
the company.
Mrs.
Atoki reiterated the Council’s commitment towards sanitising the nation’s
market-place for the benefit of consumers, assuring that no stone would be left
un-turned to ensure it is no longer business as usual and shoddy service
delivery becomes a thing of the past in the country.
Ends.
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