“Do Not Disturb.” It is a service the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) directed telecom operators to implement to protect subscribers from receiving unsolicited text messages.
Benefits of Do Not Disturb
Do Not Disturb popularly known as DND gives subscribers the freedom to choose what messages to receive from the various networks. Many Nigerians suffer the inconvenience of being overwhelmed with spam and unsolicited messages. With DND, the chances of receiving these types of messages have drastically reduced.
Types of DND Do Not Disturb
1. Full DND Service
This is when a mobile subscriber decides not to receive any SMS service from any telecom service provider. To activate full DND, text “STOP’ to 2442 to activate the full DND service.
2. Partial DND Service
This is when a mobile subscriber decides not to get a specific type of promotional or commercial communication. A subscriber can select and send a corresponding digit to 2442 to implement partial DND service.
Below are the various options for partial DND;
Text 1 to 2442 to receive Banking/Insurance/Financial Products
Text 2 to 2442 to receive Real Estate
Text 3 to 2442 to receive Education
Text 4 to 2442 to receive Health
Text 5 to 2442 to receive Consumer Goods and Automobiles
Text 6 to 2442 to receive Communication, Broadcasting/Entertainment/IT
Text 7 to 2442 to receive Tourism and Leisure
Text 8 to 2442 to receive Sport
Text 9 to 2442 to receive Religion
Text 10 to 2442 to receive information on new products/services from the Service Provider
Text 11 to 2442 to receive News Alerts.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR DND STATUS
To check the status of your DND, simply send “STATUS” to 2442.
WHY DID THE TELECOM SERVICE PROVIDERS IMPLEMENT DND?
All telecom service providers in Nigeria got a directive from the Nigeria Communication Commission, NCC to integrate the DND function into their system effective from 1st July 2016.
NCC wants the mobile network subscriber to have the choice to choose what messages they receive from telecom service providers. Following this directive, the mobile network operators were given the mandate to dedicate a common Short Code (2442) which will enable subscribers to activate DND or deactivate it, depending on their preferences.
The Commission is aware of the range of services offered through SMS, which comprise:
1. Banking/Insurance/ Financial Products.
2. Real Estate
3. Education
4 Health
5. Consumer Goods and Automobiles
6. Communication/ Broadcasting/ Entertainment/ IT,
7. Tourism and leisure
8. Sports,
9. Religion (Christianity, Islam, others)
NCC directed the mobile network operators to provide the needed guidelines to enable their subscribers to subscribe to any service.
When a customer SMS “STOP” to 2442 it should be a FULL DND and the subscriber should not receive any unsolicited message from the mobile network operators.