Nigeria’s Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has commenced investigation into allegations of subscribers’ rights abuses by South African pay TV operator, DStv.
Nigeria’s Thisday reports that the investigation was necessitated by the series of complaints levied against DStv by subscribers which indicated a wide-range abuse of their rights. CPC’s Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki issued MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv, the notice announcing the commencement of the investigation.
“These complaints … allege that the DStv service does not conform with international best practice and is specifically designed to exploit Nigerian consumers who have suffered loss by not being able to fully enjoy or receive the benefit or actualise the full purpose for which they purchased or subscribed to the service.” the notice reads. “Advertisements on customer care lines at the expense of consumers; poor implementation of decoder swap policy; and effecting price increase for subscriptions despite payment before due date of increase.”
There were also allegations of a poor redress mechanism and customer services.
MultiChoice is to forward a written response to CPC on the allegations as contained in the notice it was served and also other documentations that’s relevant to the case.
Prior to this time. CPC had set up meetings, telephone and written correspondences with DStv to ensure that the satellite company addresses the incessant complaints forwarded to the regulatory body by subscribers. The complaints from subscribers however didn’t abate after this.
Source: Thisday
