Consumer Code of Practice Of BroadBased Communications Limited

PART I – INTRODUCTION

This general code of practice represents the minimum operational standard of Broadbased Communications Limited (BBC) in accordance with acceptable international standards and principles governing the business of telecommunication.

The code of practice or any part thereof is intended and shall not replace or supersede any formal contract lawfully entered into or executed by Broadbased Communications Limited and the Consumer.

PART II – PROVISION OF INFORMATION TO CONSUMERS

1. Broadbased Communications Ltd, hereinafter referred to as “BBC”, shall provide Consumers with information on our services that is complete, accurate, and up-to-date and in simple, clean language
2. BBC shall endeavour to respond in a timely manner to Consumer requests for information on its services, and such information shall be provided free of charge and shall include at least the following:

• • Current service, arrangements, including rates and terms and conditions for all services offered to the public, shall be readily available in print and electronic format (including on BBC’s website). Such information shall also be available at all retail outlets where BBC’s services are sold;
  • BBC services that are subject to price or tariff regulation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (hereinafter referred to as “NCC”) are to be described in service tariff pages published in an accessible form, including being made available at designated company offices and on BBC’s website broadbased.net;
  • The terms of service shall be printed in the front section of directories published by BBC; and
  • Where BBC seeks any change in the tariff rates for services, affected Consumers shall be notified of the proposed price change in an effective manner that in, particular, allows them to comment to NCC, on the proposed changes and to confirm approval of the NCC, where desired.

3. BBC shall supply, or make available on request, a copy of the contract or agreement for the provision of services, and such contracts shall be written in plain and clear language.

4. Before entering into a contract for any service;

• Consumers shall be provided a complete description of the service in clear and plain language, avoiding unnecessary technical Where other services are required in order to effectively utilise the service, the Consumer shall be sufficiently informed of such requirements or service dependencies.
• BBC shall also provide information on the service quality levels offered, the waiting time for initial connection and any service areas and coverage maps if applicable.
• BBC offers the following services:
  • Fibre Optic enabled point-to-point broadband connectivity internet solutions services to corporates, estates and private individuals;
  • international data access connectivity solutions through point-to-point as well as point-to-multipoint for voice and data reception within Nigeria or any other international destination;
  • Open Access Fibre Infrastructure Network in Abuja including the provision of Layer 1 and Layer 2 network services, inter-city and inter-regional fibre capacity, and the establishment of Points of Access to enhance seamless interconnection with Service Providers and other licensed InfraCos;
  • Access Tandems as well as transmission facilities and carries long-distance traffic within the geographical borders of Nigeria for the purpose of interconnecting with Private Network links and the networks of access providers;
  • Open Access Metro Fibre Network infrastructure and Last-mile broadband connectivity solutions for point-to-point as well as point-to-multipoint locations;
  • Private Network Links infrastructure and connectivity solutions for point-to-point as well as point-to-multipoint locations; and
  • Sales and Installation of Terminal Equipment
• BBC shall provide specific information regarding any compensation, refund or other arrangements, which may apply if contracted quality service levels are not met, along with the procedures and methods for resolving disputes in respect of the service
• Where services are packaged with one or more other services or products, BBC shall provide the Consumer in relation to each service or product.
  • A description of each component service or product, and where BBC sells the service or product component separately, the price that BBC would charge for the component on a stand-alone basis; and
  • For services that are bundled with services from third parties, BBC shall be fully responsible for the effective performance of the entire package, including service support, maintenance, complaints handling, dispute resolution and other administrative
• Where services are subject to upgrade or migration options, Consumers shall be provided with clear and complete information regarding the upgrade or migration terms, including any changes in service performance and any duly approved fees or charges resulting from the upgrade or

5. Before a contract for service is entered into, BBC shall inform the consumer of:

• The applicable rates or charges;
• What the charges include;
• Each part or element of an applicable charge, and the method of its calculation;
• The frequency of the charge or other circumstances that give rise to the charge;
• Whether, the charges or elements thereof are subject to change from time to time, the circumstances of such changes and how the Consumer will be informed of such

6. The contract itself shall contain the following information regarding the term:

• the commencement date of the contract;
• What the minimum contract term is, if applicable;
• Where applicable, the minimum contract period and the manner and consequences of termination;
• The situations where early termination is possible;
• The amount or method of calculating any charges payable upon early termination;
• The conditions and terms of renewal of the contract, if applicable;
• The conditions and terms of disconnection and reconnection and fees that may be charged for disconnection or reconnection;
• Terms and conditions that may apply to refund of any deposit including timing and any deductions or charges applicable;
• Terms and conditions relating to situations that may give rise to the interruption, withdrawal or discontinuation of the service; and
• Terms and conditions relating to the delivery, installation or activation of the service.

7. Before entering into a contract to provide services;

• BBC shall inform the Consumer as to whether there is any contractual warranty relating to products (if any) supplied for use in connection with the service, including how to obtain warranty service if needed and where a copy of the warranty is not provided with the products, BBC shall inform the Consumer how and where it is available
• BBC will provide specific information regarding any maintenance services of

8. BBC shall provide services within any service supply time targets set out in the Commission’s Quality of Service Regulations, subject to the following:

• in the event BBC encounters technical problems that interfere with provisioning of the service(s), the time for provisioning will be subject to any time or process of rectification permitted by the Commission;
• BBC will not be responsible for any readiness of premises or availability of infrastructure or equipment that is beyond the reasonable control of BBC; and
• BBC will not be responsible for delays or refusals of service requests caused by the Consumer being identified as not credit-worthy.

9. BBC shall:

• implement the facilities and processes needed to permit Consumers to report faults 24 hours a day.
• comply and shall cause our agents to comply with the relevant fault repair standards set out in the Commission’s Quality of Service
• endeavour to give advance warning of anticipated service disruptions or planned outages, including details of the disruption or outage, the services and service areas affected and any applicable compensation or other
• In the event of force majeure such as floods and storms, BBC shall endeavour to rectify the fault within such period of time as may be reasonable in the circumstances.

 10. BBC shall:

• ensure that any Consumer can access:
  • Operator assistance services; and
  • A directory enquiry facility containing directory information on allsubscribers in Nigeria, except for those subscribers who have exercised their right to have their directory information suppressed or
• Where BBC assigns circuit numbers to subscribers, it shall ensure that each of those subscribers is, on request, supplied free of charge, with a directory containing directory information on all subscribers who have been assigned circuit numbers in the subscriber’s local
• Any directories supplied shall not contain directory information for those subscribers who have exercised their right to have their directory information suppressed or
• A directory may be produced by or for BBC, or by another person not acting on behalf of BBC. Where a directory is produced by or for BBC, BBC shall ensure that it is updated on a regular basis (at least once a year).
• BBC may charge Consumers a reasonable fee for providing directory enquiry services, subject to the approval of NCC, and may charge a reasonable fee for any additional directories requested by

11. BBC shall:

• from time to time consult the Consumer Forum to ensure that the requirements and interests of disabled Consumers are fully taken into account in the development and provision of its
• comply with any specific obligations that NCC may impose on operators in respect of special services or service arrangements for subscribers with

12. BBC shall:

• comply with any network or other requirements that may be approved by the Commission in respect of the provision of emergency services, including such measures as location identification information, special numbers and routing to emergency services
• Emergency services shall be free of char
• BBC may apply to the Commission regarding the recovery of any special costs of implementing or operating emergency services, which the Commission may consider pursuant to section 107 of the

PART III – ADVERTISING AND REPRESENTATION OF SERVICES

 13. The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) regulates advertising practices in Nigeria, and has established the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice. BBC shall comply with the advertising standards established by APCON, and any other applicable laws or standards, in addition to the rules regarding the advertising or other promotion of telecommunications services set out in NCC’s General Consumer Code of Practice.

14. BBC shall:

• make clear in advertising materials which promote the availability of a service any geographical or technical limitations on the availability of the service to consumers which:
  • Substantially affect the performance of the service; and
  • Are known to
• BBC shall make clear in any advertising materials which promote a service offer any limitations in the offer which restrict it—
  • To a particular group of people;
  • To a partial zone, region or other geographical area within the country;
  • to a particular period of time; or
  • Through the limited availability of equipment, facilities or other materials.

15. Where;

• BBC represents in advertising materials that a service is provided as part of a package, BBC shall ensure it is able to supply all components of the service package. In the event BBC is or may be unable to supply any component of the package, appropriate information about this limitation shall be included in the advertising materials.
• Where advertising materials indicate the price of a component of a service package, BBC shall include in the advertising materials a statement of the minimum total charge for the package, and indicate any conditions that may apply to obtain the component at the stated

16. BBC;

• shall not engage in unsolicited telemarketing unless it discloses:
  • at the beginning of the communication, the identity of BBC or other Person on whose behalf it is made and the precise purpose of the communication;
  • During the communication, the full price of any product or service that is the subject of the communication; and
  • that the person receiving the communication shall have an absolute right to cancel the agreement for purchase, lease or other supply of any product or service within seven (7) days of the communication, by calling a specific telephone number (without any charge, and that BBC shall specifically identify during the communication) unless the product or service has by that time been supplied to and used by the person receiving the
• BBC shall also conduct telemarketing in accordance with any “call” or “do not call” preferences recorded by the Consumer, at the time of entering into a contract for services or after, and in accordance with any other rules or guidelines issued by the Commission or any other competent authority.

 17. BBC shall include a Disclaimer in its adverts. The Disclaimer Clause shall be subject to modification from time to time as the need arises. The Disclaimer Clause shall be as follows:

This advertisement is for informational purposes only. All products and services advertised are provided by Broadbased Communications Limited subject to applicable terms and conditions, service agreements, and relevant regulatory requirements.

For detailed information on our service terms and conditions, privacy policy, or to confirm availability and pricing, please visit https://broadbased.ng/ or contact our customer service team at 02012270015.

PART IV – CONSUMER BILLING, CHARGING, COLLECTION AND CREDIT PRACTICES

18. BBC shall at all times endeavour to—

• Ensure that billing is accurate and timely;
• Ensure that billing accuracy is verifiable;
• Ensure that sufficient information shall be on the bill or otherwise readily available to the Consumer for verification of the bill without any charge;
• ensure that upon a bona fide request from a Consumer, BBC shall inform or provide the Consumer with timely, accurate and current information about its billing terms and conditions and options relevant to that Consumer;
• Retain records of a Consumer’s bill and related charges for a minimum period of twenty-four (24) months; and
• In interpreting the obligations described in this section, references to “billing” or “bill” include BBC’s systems for recording and processing any prepaid transactions, including the debiting of data charges against prepaid card balances.

19. BBC shall ensure that, at a minimum, the following information is included in any bills issued by it or on its behalf:

• The Consumer’s billing name and address;
• BBC’s current business name, address and registered number;
• A way of identifying the bill uniquely;
• The billing period;
• A description of the charges (and credits) for which the Consumer is billed;
• the total amount billed, applicable credits, payments or discounts, and the net amount payable by the Consumer (or repayable by BBC);
• The date on which the bill is issued;
• The bill (or refund) payment due date;
• Methods of bill (or refund) payment;
• Methods of contact for complaints and billing inquiries; and
• Any call charges applicable for complaints and billing inquiry

20. BBC shall:

• ensure that Consumers have access to itemised details of all charges, either on the bill or on a separate statement provided by BBC upon request
• Unless otherwise requested by or agreed with the Consumer, BBC shall provide itemised details during the current billing Where applicable, BBC shall inform Consumers of the notice period required to obtain itemised billing. In addition, BBC shall ensure that itemised details contained in previous bills are available for 12 months, or any longer period required by law.
• not charge Consumers for bills of billing-related information, except where the Consumer requests information not required to be provided under this General Code, such as requests for billing details more than one (1) year old. BBC shall inform Consumers of any applicable charge resulting from their billing requests, and shall obtain the consent of the Consumer to any charge before it is imposed.

 21. BBC shall process and issue bills within 10 days of the closure of each billing period. A bill shall include all charges incurred during the billing period except where:-

• There exists a separate agreement with the Consumer to the contrary; or
• There is a delay as a result of the inclusion by BBC of information from other suppliers or service providers in the bill; or
• there is a delay as a result of a change initiated by the Consumer, such as where the Consumer has requested a different billing frequency or billing period; or
• There is a delay as a result of the suspension of charges that are in dispute; Or;
• There has occurred a billing system or processing problem, in which case the problem shall be rectified and bills issued without undue delay and in accordance with any time periods identified by NCC; or
• Billing is delayed by circumstances beyond the reasonable control of BBC, such as an event of force

 22. BBC shall ensure that Consumers are able to verify their bill payment by acknowledgement of payment on the next bill issued, telephone confirmation by calling a specified number, or such other appropriate and accessible methods as may be made available by BBC.

23. BBC shall provide Consumers with advance written notification of any proposed changes in billing periods, such advance notification to be at least equal to two (2) of its otherwise applicable billing periods (i.e. at least 2 months in advance where the billing period being changed is monthly).

24. Where a Consumer has not paid BBC all or part of a bill for services provided by BBC, any measures taken by BBC to effect payment or disconnection shall—

• Be proportionate and not unduly discriminatory; and
• Be accompanied by appropriate warning to the Consumer in advance of any resulting service interruption or disconnection; and
• Confine any service interruption or disconnection to the service(s) concerned, as far as technically feasible.

PART V – CONSUMER OBLIGATIONS  

25. Consumers shall be bound by BBC’s terms of service on return of a signed service agreement, or on clearly accepting the service terms by any form of telecommunications. Consumers shall also be deemed to accept BBC’s service terms on any commencement of use of the service that follows adequate communication by BBC of its service terms.

26. Consumers shall grant BBC or its authorised representatives, without charge, access to premises, equipment or facilities as reasonably required for any provisioning or maintenance of the services, equipment or facilities.

27. Further,

• Consumers shall not use any equipment or related facilities provided by BBC for reasons other than those related to normal service, and shall not do anything that interferes with the functioning of such equipment or facilities, without prior written authorization from BBC, Consumers shall be responsible for any loss of or damage to equipment or facilities that results from actions contrary to their service terms or NCC’s General Consume Code of Practice.
• Equipment owned by BBC and connected to a telecommunications network may not be moved to a location or address other than the location or address where service was installed, without prior written authorisation from BBC. This restriction should not apply to any equipment that is accompanied by operating instructions indicating that it may be disconnected and reconnected as part of its normal
• Modification or attachment of any unauthorised device to BBC’s equipment or facilities is prohibited without prior written authorisation from BBC.
• No equipment or device that interferes in any way with the normal operation of a telecommunications service, including any equipment or device that intercepts or assists in intercepting or receiving any service offered by BBC that requires special authorisation, may be installed by or on behalf of any Consumer.
• Consumers shall not re-sell any service provided by BBC except as permitted by the service agreement of BBC (and subject to any applicable licensing or authorisation by NCC pursuant to the Communication Act).
• Consumers shall not misuse public telecommunications services, including by:
  • Dishonestly obtaining telecommunications services; or
  • Possessing or supplying equipment that may be used to obtain such services dishonestly or fraudulently; or
  • Using services to send messages that are obscene, threatening or otherwise contrary to applicable laws or

28. In addition,

• In a competitive market, a Consumer may be tempted to accumulate payment arrears with one NCC Licensed Telecommunications Service Provider for services used, then ‘switch’ service to another NCC Licensed Telecommunications Service Provider without settling payment with the previous Telecom Service Provider. This type of “dishonest churning” by Consumers constitutes an abuse of a competitive telecommunications market. To prevent this abusive behaviour, Consumers shall be required to settle all valid payment arrears with a Licensed Telecommunications Service Provider before switching to another Telecom Service Provide
• BBC shall be permitted to investigate if a person seeking its services has settled with his or her previous supplier, before having any obligation to provide service to that

PART VI – PROTECTION OF CONSUMER INFORMATION

29. Objective

• the purpose of this part is to set out the responsibility of BBC in the protection of individual Consumer
• BBC is aware of the authority granted to NCC under Section 147 of the Act, which permits NCC in certain situations to allow “authorised interception of communications”, including stipulating the technical requirements for authorised

30. BBC,

• may collect and maintain information on individual Consumers reasonably required for its business purposes. However, the collection and maintenance of information on individual Consumers shall be—
  • Fairly and lawfully collected and processed;
  • Processed for limited and identified purposes;
  • Relevant and not excessive;
  • Accurate;
  • Not kept longer than necessary;
  • Processed in accordance with the Consumer’s other rights;
  • protected against improper or accidental disclosure; and
  • Not transferred to any party except as permitted by any terms and conditions agreed with the Consumer, as permitted by any permission or approval of NCC, or as otherwise permitted or required by other applicable laws or regulations.

• shall meet generally accepted fair information principles including:
  • Providing notice as to that individual Consumer information they collect, and its use or disclosure;
  • The choices Consumers have with regard to the collection, use and disclosure of that information;
  • The access Consumers have to that information, including to ensure its accuracy; and
  • The security measures taken to protect the information, and the enforcement and redress mechanisms that are in place to remedy any failure to observe these measures.
• These rules apply to individual Consumer information whether initially provided verbally or in written form, so long as that information is retained by BBC in any recorded

31. BBC has adopted and implemented a policy regarding the proper collection, use and protection of information collected on individual Consumers. BBC shall ensure that any other Licensed Telecom Service Provider or other persons with whom they exchange or otherwise disclose such information have adopted and implemented an appropriate protection of Consumer information policy.

32. Furthermore,

• BBC’s policy on the protection of Consumer information is made available in an accessible and easy-to-read manner, including as specifically directed by NCC from time to time.
• The policy states clearly what information is being collected; the use of that information; possible third-party exchange or disclosure of that information; and the choices available to the Consumer regarding collection, use and disclosure of the collected
• The policy discloses the consequences, if any, of a Consumer’s refusal to provide
• The policy also includes a clear statement of how to contact BBC regarding information issues and related information access or complaint

 33. In addition,

• BBC, while collecting, maintaining, using or disclosing individually identifiable Consumer information, shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the information is accurate, relevant and current for the purposes for which it is to be
• BBC shall establish appropriate processes or mechanisms so that inaccuracies in individual Consumer information, including out-of-date information, may be identified and Other procedures to ensure data quality may include use of reliable sources and collection methods, reasonable and appropriate Consumer access and correction, and protection against incidental or unauthorised alteration.

PART VII – COMPLAINTS HANDLING 

34. Further Notes,

• BBC has provided easily understood information about our complaint processes in various media and formats, including as specifically directed by NCC from time to time.
• BBC has ensured that Consumers can easily identify how a complaint may be lodged, either at BBC’s premises or using identified forms of
• Information on the complaints handling processes contains information—
  • To Consumers about their right to complain;
  • On how BBC can be contacted in order to make a complaint; and
  • On the types of supporting information, including documents, the complainant needs to furnish when making a
  • All complaints will be recorded by BBC, and processed in accordance with identified practices and

35. In addition,

• BBC has made adequate provision to ensure that people with physical disabilities or other special needs are able to access our complaint handling processes, including ensuring that Consumers can be easily represented by our authorised representatives in order to make a complaint
• In cases where Consumers specifically request assistance in lodging complaints, BBC shall provide reasonable

36. Further,

• written complaints shall be acknowledged by BBC and acted on within any time frames set out in NCC’s Quality of Service Regulations (or as otherwise directed by NCC from time to time). BBC can acknowledge and otherwise initially respond to a complaint either verbally or in writing, but shall make reasonable efforts to make the initial response in the manner requested by the
• Non-written complaints shall be taken as acknowledged by BBC at the time the complaint was communicated to BBC.
• Where possible, Consumers shall be advised when they make a complaint of the expected actions and timing for investigating and resolving the In the event that BBC regards the complaint as frivolous or vexatious, the Consumer shall be informed accordingly, and if dissatisfied, the Consumer shall have the further recourse described below. In any event, no Consumer complaint shall remain unresolved for more than three (3) months.
• BBC implemented processes to provide Consumers with sufficient information and the means to inquire on the progress of complaints. Such processes include complaint reference numbers or other identifiers in order to facilitate timely and accurate responses to subsequent enquiries by
• Consumers shall be advised of the outcome of the investigation of their complaint, and any resulting decision by
• Where a Consumer is not satisfied with a decision reached pursuant to a complaint, BBC shall give the Consumer the option of pursuing an identified escalation process by which the decision may be examined by a suitably qualified person in BBC’s organisation. Where the Consumer has already been provided with the benefit of BBC’s escalation process and where there are no further escalation processes, BBC shall inform the Consumer accordingly.
• In the event that a complaint has not been resolved to the Consumer’s satisfaction, including as a result of any escalation process, within sixty (60) days of being communicated to BBC, BBC shall inform the Consumer that he or she may refer the complaint to NCC.
• Failure to deal with Consumer complaints, and any related service failures, shall also be subject to the requirements of the Quality of Service Regulations, including payment of any specific service credits or rebates established pursuant to these

 37. Complaint handling processes shall be provided free of charge. However, BBC may impose a reasonable charge for complaint handling processes where investigation of the complaint requires the retrieval of records more than twelve (12) months old, and where that retrieval results in any incremental expense or significant inconvenience to BBC. Any such charges shall be identified and agreed to by the Consumer before being incurred.

38. In addition,

• BBC shall advise Consumers that, in the event they remain dissatisfied with the outcome of a complaint, they may refer the complaint to identified persons or departments, within NCC.
• For disputes that remain unresolved by other means, the Commission will apply the processes set out in its Dispute Resolution
•  

39. Furthermore,

• BBC shall avoid imposing any disconnection or credit management action regarding any service to which a complaint or billing dispute relates while the complaint or dispute is being investigated. BBC shall inform the Consumer that, while the complaint or dispute is being investigated, the Consumer is obliged to make payment of any outstanding amounts other than the amount that is specifically in dispute.
• Where BBC intends to take disconnection or credit management action against a Consumer regarding any amount that has been the subject of a complaint or dispute, BBC will specifically notify the Consumer before taking the intended action.

40. Additionally,

• BBC shall have appropriate recording systems for complaints and outcomes. Such tracking is also needed to meet the requirements of the NCC Quality of Service
• Complaints tracking data shall be categorised and analysed by BBC from time to time to allow for the identification of recurring problems. BBC shall inform the Consumer that a record of their complaints is being kept, and if requested by the Consumer, shall describe the complaints tracking system used by BBC.

 41. BBC shall review its complaint handling and tracking processes from time to time to ensure effective processing of complaints. BBC shall also report on the outcome of these reviews as requested by NCC, and shall make any changes to complaint handling and tracking processes identified by NCC.

42. BBC shall update any information regarding its complaint handling and tracking processes as appropriate, including information provided to Consumers or NCC.

43. Information collected and recorded as part of BBC’s complaint handling processes shall be retained by BBC for at least twelve (12) months following resolution of a complaint.

44. NCC may from time to time audit the complaints handling and tracking processes of BBC, including by exercising its powers pursuant to section 141 of the Act.

45. For the purpose of Customer Complaints Handling obligation, BBC references are as follows:

• Email: customersupport@broadbased.net
• Phone number: 02012271000-1, 02012270015
• Office address: 12 Floor NECOM House, 15 Marina Lagos