Drama as NCC issues statement on Starlink price increase, then withdraws it

This can best be described as a mild drama. After the Starlink price increase, NCC issued a statement saying that the increase was carried out without its approval. But in a sudden turn, the regulatory body has made a follow-up statement saying that the earlier statement was issued in error.

Yes, somehow that statement was crafted by someone and bypassed all the established channels for vetting external communications and got released without official approval.

This drama surrounding NCC’s statement on Starlink price increase is Comedy Central. Let me walk you through the details.

Last week, specifically on the first of October, Starlink announced new prices for new and old subscribers. The price increases include a 100% hike in monthly subscription fees. Naturally, there has been an outcry against this by the public.

Following on that, the NCC announced that the price hike had no approval and that they would take punitive action against the satellite internet provider. The statement read in part:

“The decision by Starlink to unilaterally review its subscription packages upwards did not receive the approval of the Nigerian Communications Commission.”

According to the NCC, Starlink had filed a request for a price adjustment, but it had not been approved yet before Starlink announced the price hike to its subscribers last week.

Anyway, earlier today, I observed that media channels that carried the news of NCC’s planned enforcement measures against Starlink had deleted the news items. It was not long before I heard that NCC released another statement saying that the statement was a mistake and asking that media outlets delete it from public access.

According to The Punch [1], the NCC’s Manager of Media Relations, Kunle Azeez, stated as follows:

“Kindly note that this press statement on Starlink was issued in error. It is hereby WITHDRAWN. If already published, kindly BRING DOWN.”

Does this mean that the NCC has now approved the price increase? Or is there more to it than meets the eye?

Oh, well. Just another day in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There is nothing new under the sun.

References

1. The Punch (source link)

Author: Mister Mobility

Mister Mobility, a techie with a passion for storytelling. I have owned, used, and reviewed hundreds of mobile phones since 2001. I started Mobility in 2008.