Despite subscribers’ claims in respect to data exhaustion, users has said that the service providers are stealing their data and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has identified nine strategies for Nigerians to manage their data to prevent rapid depletion.
The NCC pointed out that rapid technological improvements have resulted in new features and functions on smartphones that many customers may not fully grasp, even though the Commission and telecom operators have consistently refused the subscribers’ assertion regarding data depletion.
According to the Commission, this information gap frequently leads to an unexpected high data use, which can irritate consumers and undermine confidence.
The 9 NCC Data Management Guidelines are;
Nigerians can manage their phone data usage by doing the following steps, according to the Commission’s “Smart Data Management Tips”:
- To Track Data Usage: Use third-party apps or built-in trackers to periodically check data use.
- The Use of Wi-Fi: To save cellular data, connect to Wi-Fi whenever you can.
- Turning off Automatic Updates: Turn off software and app updates that happen automatically; when using Wi-Fi, update manually.
- Limiting Background Data: Set limits on how much background data particular programs can use.
- To Download Media and Content for Offline usage: When using Wi-Fi, download media and content for offline usage.
- Data Caching: To minimise the requirement for repeated downloads, store frequently accessed data locally (offline).
- Disable Location Services: Turn off location and GPS services for individual apps or the entire system.
- Data-saving Modes: To cut down on usage, go to settings and activate your phone’s data-saving mode.
- Data rollover: Move unneeded information to the following month or billing cycle.
The Commission has pushed for a research on subscriber complaints of data depletion, according to Mrs. Freda Bruce-Bennett, Director of the NCC’s Consumer Affairs Bureau.
In order to improve the industry’s overall Quality of Experience, she added the Commission has also taken proactive measures by supporting programs for data usage transparency and enforcing fair usage laws. Additionally, there is a continuous engagement with service providers.
“The overall objective of encouraging efficient data management is closely linked to these initiatives. Whether their plans are daily, weekly, or monthly, it is necessary that telecom users understand how to track, manage, and maximise their use of their mobile data bundle the allocation, she stated.
Bruce-Bennett added that a number of variables can influence how quickly a subscriber uses up or consumes data.
We need to understand that data depletion has been one of the most common complaints from telecom users nationwide, according to recent data made public by the Commission.
The Commission explained that most browsers play videos by default, even when a user has simply viewed a website to read text, which causes subscribers to face data depletion at one of its forums.
The Commission also mentioned data-intensive elements including streaming music and videos on apps like Spotify, Netflix, and YouTube.