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Glo subscribers won’t be barred from calling MTN lines — NCC

Fintech unveils platform to support businesses streamline  operations  Tomisin Fatoba  FinTrust Technologies Ltd., a fast growing fintech business has launched the PawaSuite platform to help businesses streamline their operations.    FinTrust through PawaSuite initiative, it brainchild project, is providing comprehensive business management solutions that are meticulously crafted for the unique demands of the Nigerian market.   The transformative platform is poised to revolutionize the operations and success trajectories of businesses, NGOs, and government agencies across Nigeria and beyond.  According to FinTrust,  the platform isn’t just another software platform, it’s an all-encompassing business management ecosystem designed to streamline operations across various sectors.   With its suite of features including sales, finance, HR, CRM, project management, marketing, and communication among others covers every aspect of organisational functionality.  “Our mission with the platform is to empower businesses of all sizes, from startups to established enterprises, with the tools they need to succeed in today’s competitive landscape,” Eyo Eluma, founder and CEO of FinTrust Technologies Ltd said.   “We understand the unique challenges faced by businesses in Nigeria, and PawaSuite is our answer to those challenges.”  Speaking on what sets the platform apart from others, the founder said whether it’s managing sales pipelines, handling finances, tracking projects, or nurturing customer relationships, the platform offers specialised modules tailored to specific industries- hotel management, pharmacy management, NGO management, and more.  The platform’s user-friendly interface and intuitive functionalities make it accessible to users with varying levels of technical expertise, he noted.  “Unlike complex and cumbersome alternatives, PawaSuite is designed to be flexible and easy to use,” he said.   “We believe that technology should empower, not hinder, business growth.”  Key features of the platform includes bulk communication that reaches customers effortlessly through bulk email, SMS, and WhatsApp messaging, and CRM which nurture leads, manage client interactions, and enhance collaboration with comprehensive CRM tools.  Others are HR management which  simplify HR tasks such as attendance tracking, leave management, payroll, and performance evaluation, and project management which helps businesses keep projects on track with task management, milestone tracking, and seamless team collaboration.  The platforms also provides sales and finance, customization and security for businesses

Globacom subscribers won’t be disconnected from calling MTN lines, the Nigerian Communications Commission has confirmed.

This is as the commission announced, on Thursday night, that MTN Nigeria Communications Plc., and Globacom Limited have amicably resolved their dispute. It stated that due to this development, the disconnection approval granted to MTN for the disconnection of Globacom has now been withdrawn.

Read also: NCC vows renewed focus on consumers, plans new modalities for tariff

Before now, 61.54 million mobile subscriptions (as of November 2023) on Glo’s network were at risk of getting disconnected from making calls to MTN. This was because, in January, the NCC notified the public that Glo subscribers would get barred from making calls to MTN lines if Glo did not settle its interconnect charges.

This announcement, by the NCC, is coming two days after the expiration of a 21-day grace period granted to Glo (on January 17, 2024) to resolve its debt issue with MTN. This resolution has brought an end to a drawn-out disagreement that had dragged on for years.

In a statement signed by Reuben Muoka, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, the commission reiterated that strict adherence to the terms and conditions of licenses, particularly those spelled out in interconnection agreements, are imperative for all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and other licensees within the telecommunications industry.

To avoid a repeat of the Glo, MTN saga, the telecoms regulator has asked MNOs to begin to submit relevant records and regular updates as it seeks to adopt a transparent approach towards industry indebtedness.

“This statement serves as a reminder of the Commission’s commitment to fostering a stable and compliant telecommunications ecosystem in Nigeria,” it added.

On Wednesday, BusinessDay reported that the two telcos had resolved their outstanding debt issues. One source close to the matter said, “Yes, an agreement has been reached. They have paid how much they owe. But interests had accrued over time, but we have agreed to collect N2bn as interests.”

Read also: NCC partners NIMC, security agencies to tackle heightening insecurity

Muoka, on Wednesday, hinted to BusinessDay that the commission would release a statement to confirm the development soon.

Interconnect charge is the price that a telecom operator will pay other operators for calls made to it from the other’s network. This had caused a disagreement between MTN and Glo for a while and in 2019, Glo subscribers briefly got disconnected from MTN over a N4bn debt.