With effect from February 5, all domestic Off-Net Short Messaging Service (SMS), will cost N4.00. This is according to a directive by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The directive, which was signed by the Director, Legal and Regulatory Services of NCC, Ms. Josephine Amuwa, in a statement issued by the commission’s Head of Media and Public Relations , Reuben Muoka, has been communicated to the operators since January 3, 2013.
But she maintained that the commission will not place a price cap yet on International SMS.
The commission, she said, arrived at the new price cap after due considerations of the submissions made by the operators at various consultative meetings.
She said having evaluated and analyzed SMS traffic information provided by the operators, the commission noted that “There was a general recognition that the cost of SMS is too high, especially in view of the interconnection rate of N1.02 for SMS as determined by the commission in 2009.”
While noting that the operators had proposed a price cap ranging between N5-10 per message for Off-Net SMS, she said the operators also urged NCC not to set a cap for international SMS due to the fact that Interconnect rates for International SMS are outside the commission’s purview.