The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed mobile network operators (MNOs) to commence implementation of approved harmonized shortcodes (HSC) for providing certain services to telecom consumers in Nigeria.
NCC has also set May 17, 2023, as the deadline for all mobile networks to fully migrate to HSC.
The use of harmonized shortcodes is aimed at achieving uniformity in common shortcodes across networks. This means that the code for checking airtime balance is the same across all mobile networks for the same function, irrespective of the network a consumer uses.
With the new codes, the telecom consumers using the over 226 million active mobile lines in the country, can now use the same codes to access services across the networks.
The following are the new harmonized codes:
300 to be used as the harmonized code for Call Centre/Help Desk
301 for voice Mail Deposit;
302 for Voice Mail Retrieval;
303 for Borrow Services;
305 for STOP Service;
310 for Check Balance,
311 for Credit Recharge.
312 for Data Plan
321 for Share Services
323 for Data Plan Balance.
996 is now for Verification of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration/NIN-SIM Linkage
2442, is retained for Do-Not-Disturb (DND) unsolicited messaging complaint management,
while the common code, 3232, is also retained for Porting Services, otherwise called Mobile Number Portability.
The old and new harmonized shortcodes will run concurrently up until May 17, 2023, when all networks are expected to have fully migrated to full implementation of the new codes.
The initiative, which is in line with NCC’s regulatory modernization program, is essential to make life much easier for telecom consumers, as it is now easier for Nigerians to memorize single codes for various services across all mobile networks they may be using, thereby improving consumer quality of experience (QoE).
