NCC announces deadline for mobile network providers to implement the harmonisation of short codes

This instruction comes almost a week after the commission announced the introduction of the uniform short code across all the networks in the country while noting that between now and May 17, 2023, telecom consumers should be able to familiarise themselves with the new codes for various services.

The commission noted that the aim of the uniform short code was to ensure that customers all used the same code to check airtime balance, data purchase, etc. irrespective of the network a customer uses.

With the launch, telecom customers across networks who make up more than 226 million active mobile lines nationwide can now use the same short codes to access services.

Under the new harmonised shortcodes regime, the NCC has approved 13 common short codes which include the following codes: Call Centre/Help Desk on all mobile networks will now have 300 as the harmonised code; Harmonized code for voice Mail Deposit will be 301; For Voice Mail Retrieval, harmonised code will be 302; For borrowing, code is 303; 305 is code for STOP Service; Harmonized code to Check Balance is 310 while 311 will be code for Credit Recharge.

The NCC also revealed that across networks, the unified code for Data Plan is now 312, 321 is for Share Services, and 323 is for Data Plan Balance.

For Verification of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), Registration/NIN-SIM Linkage, the code is now 996. To activate Do-Not-Disturb (DND) unsolicited messaging, the code is 2442, while Porting Services will have 3232 as the common code.

The NCC however, noted that both old and new harmonised short codes will run concurrently up until the deadline date - May 17, 2023. The commission expects that by then, all networks should have fully migrated to full implementation of the new codes.