As part of its effort to sensitise and educate Nigerian subscribers about the operations within the Nigerian telecommunications space, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is out again to inform telecom users in Nigeria about the harmonisation of all short codes in the country.
Though the Commission has since ordered that from 17 May 2023, all mobile networks be fully migrated from hitherto diverse short codes to harmonised codes, and this has been adhered to by the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) since then, the latest information on the Harmonise Short Codes (HSC) on the NCC’s Official Facebook page, is to keep on sensitising the subscribers on the existence and the usage of the codes.
The Harmonised Short Codes include: Call Centre/Help Desk: 300, Super Code to check all Common,Codes: *301#, Voice Mail Deposit retrieval: 302, Borrow Services: *303#, STOP Services: *305, Check Balance: *310#
Others are: Credit Recharge: 311PIN#, Data Plan: *312#, Shared Services: *321#, Data Plan Balance: *323#, Verification of SIM Registration/NIN-SIM Linkage: *996, DND (Do-Not-Disturb): 2442, Porting Services (Mobile Number Portability): 3232, Super Short Code: *301#
The NCC says the USSD Super Short Code *301# is a Super Short Code to provide more information on all other common Short Codes and Services
The initiative of the harmonised Short Code is in line with NCC’s regulatory modernisation programme, which is essentially to make life much easier for telecom consumers, as it is now easier for Nigerians to memorise single codes for various services across all mobile networks they may be using, thereby improving Consumer Quality of Experience (QoE).
In addition, the policy will provide an opportunity for licensees in the Value-Added Services (VAS) segment of the telecoms sector to be able to use freed-up/old codes for other services, as well as enhance cohesive regulatory framework in keeping with world-class practices.