By Emeka Aginam

The spectrum monitoring team of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, yesterday, in Lagos clamped down on three operators for illegally using the unlicensed 5.4 GHz frequency band,.

Before now, the telecom regulator had warned internet service providers and other companies illegally occupying the spectrum to discontinue use of such or face the consequences.

Although seven illegal users have been identified by the spectrum monitoring team of the telecoms regulatory authority, only three operators including Netcom Africa, Switch Talk Technology and Multi Dimension said to be tenants under the mast of Medallion Communications have been clamped down. Some of these operators, it was gathered, offer internet and radio services.

Accordingly, the power unit and radio services of the operators have been shut down by the spectrum monitoring team of NCC.

Meanwhile, the remaining four operators, according to NCC monitoring team, will be visited today and tomorrow respectively.

The Head, enforcement unit of the spectrum monitoring team of the regulatory agency, Salisu Abdul who addressed Technology Journalists shortly after carrying enforcement exercise said that these companies would be liable to paying all the relevant fees for using the frequencies illegally based on the provisions of telecommunications regulatory statutes.

According to him, the enforcement action was in line with the Commission’s mandate and commitment to ensure that the frequency spectrum was not abused.

“We have enforcement here in Lagos to clean up the 5.4 frequency band.”