The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has ordered MultiChoice Nigeria Limited (MCN), the owner of GOtv and DStv, to develop a feature that allows customers to lock their subscription for at least a year.
The FCCPC stated that this was part of a resolution reached following an investigation it launched on the company in 2020 over complaints of abuse of dominant position in the pay-per-view subscription market.
In a statement signed by its director of legal services, Tam Tamunokonbia, the FCCPC also directed MCN to allow subscribers to suspend their subscription four times per year, as opposed to the current two-year period of seven to 14 days.
“It should guarantee a price lock option that allows subscribers to maintain the same subscription fee for a minimum of one year subject to a contractual agreement that clearly specifies the applicable terms,” the statement says.
The commission also urged MCN to communicate with each subscriber about all channels available within their bouquet option and to have completely toll-free customer service lines available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The commission also urged MCN to provide it with a report on challenges in implementing the new guidelines, as well as submit a compliance report demonstrating full compliance with the order, warning that violation of a commission order would result in a N5m fine.
