Mobile network subscribers decry fast depletion of data

A cross section of mobile network subscribers have complained of huge costs incurred on mobile data provided by the mobile network operators and called for an increase in data bundle.

The subscribers spoke in separate interviews with our reporter in Lagos on Friday.

They complained that once they recharged their lines, the data got depleted in a twinkle of an eye after just few usage.

They also complained of fast depletion of data bundle after each successful purchase of data bundle from the service providers.

A subscriber of one of the mobile networks, Mosun Adebayo, an Hair Stylist in Surulere, said that the rate at which the data got depleted from her devices after visiting few sites on the net was alarming.

Adebayo said: “As soon as I loaded data into my device and I visited few websites, the data bundle finished faster than expected, forcing me to buy a fresh data when I had the need to go online.

“Most times I watched cartoons or movies during my less busy times and before saying ‘Jack’ the data is finished.

“The services of MTN mobile network are so good and fast but they should please do something about the data,” she said.

An Undergraduate, Doris Udoh, said her monthly data bundle of 1.5 Gigabyte for N1,500, which is supposed to last for a period of one month, did not stay up to two weeks before she got a notification.

She said that she got notified only when she had consumed up to 85 per cent of her data usage, saying that within one or two days she would be cut off because of insufficient data.

A Glo Subscriber, Mr Sakiru Isiaka, however, said the data usage was averagely okay, saying that he paid N1,000 which covered one month.

Other complaints from subscribers include fast data depletion while on social media and inability to access the internet with sufficient data bundle.

A student of Lagos State University, Abolore Williams, called on regulatory bodies to come to their rescue and to compel Internet Service Provider to ensure that service providers deliver unhindered internet access to customers.

“I am student and I surf the internet for my assignments and other information. It will be nice if MTN can have a data plan for students so that the data can last longer for us,” Williams said.

We will appreciate if we can enjoy more data as students. It will help our studies and improve our use of the internet,” she said.

An official of MTN Nigeria said that customers paid for mobile data based on the way they surf the internet, which might consume more data.

“The faster the internet, the more it consumes data. There is no special preference in location or time,” the source said.