By: Sunny Orbih
Veritas University Abuja.
The practice of reassigning abandoned telephone numbers to new users by Nigerian telecom providers has raised significant concerns. While this approach may appear efficient for reusing inactive numbers, it has grave implications for the new users of these reassigned numbers. The current system exposes innocent individuals to reputational risks, cyber issues, and even potential legal troubles. It is high time telecom providers and regulatory authorities reconsider this practice to protect users from avoidable challenges.
Telecom providers such as MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9Mobile have a policy; to recycle inactive phone numbers. When a number is not recharged or used for a specified period often ranging from three to six months; it is deemed abandoned and is returned to the pool for reassignment to new subscribers. While this system ensures that the limited number resources are efficiently managed, it does not account for the digital footprints and associations of the phone numbers from their previous users.
We are aware that online and social media platforms, including Truecaller, WhatsApp, and others, associate phone numbers with owners’ accounts. Therefore if a phone number was flagged for fraudulent activities or spamming by its previous user, this reputation follows the number. New users, upon activation then finds their numbers flagged or restricted, as was the case with a recent personal experience. I had registered two SIM cards; *MTN and Airtel* in my name for my son who was resuming school. When the numbers were dialed after activation, strange names appeared on *Truecaller app,* indicating they had been previously registered to others. Two days later, my son’s freshly installed *WhatsApp Messaging app* linked to the numbers were flagged and suspended for spam. We requested a review and they were restored after 12 hours and then restricted again within 10 hours.
After three days of waiting, we had to send an appeal via *email* to *support@whatsapp.com* with evidence that the number was newly registered to us before the flagging was removed and chatting restored. The accounts are now placed under strick monitoring and intermittent flagging. My son has since been complaining of receiving embarrassing chats from unknown persons not in his contact. This goes to prove that despite registering a number under a new subscriber’s name and identity (NIN), the digital memory of the number and it’s past users persists.
In these days of high profile crimes being committed with the aid of telephones and social medias, it is very possible that some of these reassigned numbers might have been linked to criminal activities such as financial fraud, cyberbullying, or even heinous crimes like kidnapping and murder. Security agencies often track criminal individuals through phone numbers, and a reassigned number therefore could inadvertently expose an innocent new user to unwarranted scrutiny, harassment and even harm.
The new users of a recycled numbers would also be receiving embarrassing calls and messages meant for the previous users of the numbers. For instance; a phone number which had been abandoned but still listed on a website for a polytechnics registrar turned out to now belong to a roadside mechanic when dialed. Such situations undermine trust in official communications and create unnecessary confusion.
For individuals or businesses registering numbers for professional purposes, the consequences can be even more dire. A flagged or restricted number can harm a business’s reputation and disrupt operations. For instance, the flagged WhatsApp Business account sited in my experience demonstrates how reassigned numbers can hinder legitimate business activities.
To address these challenges, the following measures should be considered:
1. Telecom providers should significantly extend the dormancy period before a number is reassigned. A minimum of five years is suggested to ensure that the digital footprint and associations of the previous user have diminished.
2. Before reassigning a number, telecom providers should implement a robust cleaning process. This includes notifying major digital platforms (e.g., WhatsApp, Truecaller, and Google) about the number’s reassignment and ensuring its reputation is reset.
3. Telecom providers should inform new subscribers if the number they are activating was previously used. This allows users to make informed decisions and take proactive steps to address any associated issues.
4. Regulatory bodies such as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) should create and manage a shared database of blacklisted numbers. Such numbers should be permanently retired from use to protect new subscribers.
5. Telecom providers and regulatory authorities should educate the public on the implications of reassigned numbers. This can help users understand the risks and steps to mitigate them, such as verifying their numbers on key platforms upon activation.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) must play a pivotal role in addressing this issue. As the regulatory body overseeing the telecom industry, it has the authority to mandate reforms in the reassignment policy. Furthermore, the NCC should collaborate with global digital platforms to develop a standardized process for resetting the reputation of reassigned numbers.
In conclusion, it is my believe that reassignment of abandoned phone numbers to new users by Nigerian telecom providers is fraught with risks that outweigh the perceived benefits. Innocent individuals are exposed to potential reputational, legal, and operational dangers due to the lingering digital associations of these numbers. By extending the dormancy period, implementing robust digital cleaning processes, and enhancing transparency, telecom providers can protect their customers and foster greater trust in the telecommunications system.
Reforming this practice is not just a matter of policy; it is a necessity to safeguard the rights and reputations of millions of Nigerians who rely on their phone numbers for communication, business, and security. It is time for telecom providers, the NCC, and other stakeholders to act decisively in the interest of the public.©®
