The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said it has started the process of reviewing mobile voice termination rates for telecommunication industries in the country.

NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Umar Garba Danbatta,  made this known, in Abuja, while arguing that the move would make the industry achieve full competition and effective regulation by providing a level playing ground for all participants.

According to him, : “It is very important we ensure that interconnect services are not only fairly priced and non-discriminative but should reflect the cost of providing such services in the market. It is in this regard that the Commission has decided to review the rates set in its 2013 Determination in the light of current market realities.”

Going further, he added that: “This study also provide the opportunity to thoroughly examine the emergence of grey market activities in the telecoms industry in Nigeria such as call refilling, call masking, and sim-box fraud as a result of the international traffic.

“The supply of industry statistical data is most critical to the success of determining appropriate interconnection termination rates for the telecoms industry.”

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The implication of this move by the NCC according to observers is that there will be a change in the money Nigerians will pall for making calls.

Observers are, however, reluctant to say if the change will be an upward review where Nigerians will have to pay more as against the current tariff rates.

The expected review is coming amidst recession currently facing the country.