Telecom
80m Calls in 3 Days: The Phone Scammer Lifecycle- Report

Robocalls continue to plague consumers, but what does the life of a phone scammer look like? Jonathan Nelson, Product Manager in the Reputation Service Unit at Hiya shares a glimpse of the work undertaken by their state of the art unit dedicated to detecting and monitoring spam numbers.
Phone Reputation Service engines constantly evaluate phone number behaviour to sniff out spammers and scammers.
The service runs in real time, observing traffic patterns and collecting reports from users provided directly or via partnerships, as well as from public sources such as the FCC Consumer Complaints database.
In all, a new high-volume scammer coming online is detected within about 15 minutes of their first scam call.
This service runs fairly consistently with approximately 100,000 spammers being tracked within the +1 dialing code (which includes the United States, Canada, and much of the Caribbean). During the five months prior to the holidays, the total active spam number count fluctuated by about 10%.
(The holiday season is excluded from analysis because every year, the spammers and scammers take the holidays off just like the rest of us.)
Within this fluctuation, there is significant turnover within the numbers themselves. On average, approximately 5,000 numbers join the spam list every day, replacing roughly the same amount of phone numbers that have stopped being active.
While there is a consistent amount of phone numbers being used for scam at any one time, the numbers themselves are constantly rotating in and out to help scammers avoid detection.
To get a better grasp on how these scam numbers behave and how long they remain active, let’s take a closer look at 13,000 phone numbers which arrived as new spammers over a three-day period.
The goal is to explore the space of “turn and burn” scam numbers, which do a large and very brief batch of scam activity.
It’s worth repeating: Over 1 in 10 of every new spam number detected is a number that will only exist for, at most, a few days.
In fact, 72 of them aren’t even valid phone numbers. This almost certainly indicates “spoofing”, a scammer who hides their actual phone number in favor of a fake one. Phone numbers in the United States must abide by the rules of the “North American Numbering Plan”, which defines area codes and 10-digit phone numbers for the US, Canada, and over 20 other countries within the Caribbean.
This numbering plan has some special rules such as which digit can be a ‘1’, not to mention which area codes have been assigned. Some scammers don’t bother to check if their pretend number is valid before they start using it.
It is estimated these numbers created over 80 million calls in three days. What were they doing? The best place to look is user reports. Every month, well over half a million reports are received from users who are looking to help inform and protect others receiving the same calls.
The ~1,500 turn-and-burn scammer numbers have together amassed nearly 15,000 comments against them. 92% of these reports arrived within a five-day window around the analyzed segment. Most of these numbers have little to no history before being used for the scam campaign. (User reports go back to early 2010).
To get an overall picture of the complaints, all the comments left against these numbers were fed into a word cloud. (above)
Unfortunately, the one statistic that cannot be measured is how many innocent people fall victim to these scams.
Hopefully, spam blocking services can continue to provide some advance warning and make sure everyone stays suspicious of unexpected threats or unlikely offers.
The best way to bring an end to the influx of scam activity is to make sure it’s not profitable for the scammers.
Source: mobileecosystemforum.com
Telecom
Vitel Wireless Lures Subscribers with “Data that Never Expires” Campaign

Vitel Wireless, pioneer Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has launched an audacious “data that never expires” campaign designed to address consumer pain points in the market.

Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Fast-depleting data is a major issue for mobile users, particularly in Nigeria, with numerous complaints against network providers alleging that data plans exhaust prematurely.
But Vitel Wireless said it is now addressing the situation after extensive engagement with Nigerian consumers, particularly young people and small businesses.
Kenneth Neabueze, chairman of Vitel Wireless, said “What we’re saying to Nigerians is this, you buy the data, and you keep the data for as long as you want. There’s no more. You bought 2GB for two days, and it expires. If you buy that data under our scheme, it stays with you forever,” he said.
He added that the model promotes transparency and cost efficiency. “So it’s saving us money, it’s giving us transparency, and it’s giving us the ability to have control over how we spend and use our data,” he stated.
He noted that the concept was inspired by research into the everyday challenges Nigerians face.
“We talked to students who would tell us that in the middle of doing a project, they would be told that the data had expired, and we asked, ‘ How do we innovate?” We have analysed it, and we know, given the current economic conditions in Nigeria, you should buy the data with discounts of almost 40 per cent, and that’s why we are transparent”
The company has also unveiled a suite of products and services aimed at redefining connectivity, including its flagship Vitel Xphone.
The company explained that its services are available via both physical SIMs and eSIMs, with the 0712 number offering global use.
According to the firm, users can retain existing mobile numbers or migrate seamlessly, while enjoying nationwide coverage across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory with full GSM services including voice, SMS, USSD, and mobile data.
Chudi Nwabueze, chief operating officer of Vitel Wireless, described the firm as a technology telecom focused on innovation beyond traditional voice and data services.
“We’re coming in with a lot of innovation to activate applications and create tools that people can use in their businesses, homes, and daily lives,” he said.
He added that eSIM technology allows users to operate multiple lines on compatible devices, while introducing a range of digital solutions aimed at enhancing communication, safety, and business operations, anchored by its flagship Xphone.
Hence, the platform combines GSM and VoIP technologies to deliver seamless voice, video, and messaging services, along with cost-saving benefits and nationwide connectivity.
It is complemented by the Oga App, which enables real-time staff monitoring, automated payroll, and performance tracking to improve organisational efficiency.
Similarly, the network also rolled out SecureMe and Asset Tracker to address security and asset management needs.
While SecureMe provides GPS tracking and emergency alerts for personal and workplace safety, Asset Tracker helps businesses monitor and manage physical assets in real time.
Vitel Wireless noted that on pricing, challenged consumers to compare daily data costs across operators, while adding that the network offers discounts for higher volumes without imposing expiry limits.
Also speaking, Chinenye Adebayo, relationship partnership manager, outlined opportunities for Nigerians to join the company’s distribution network by visiting the website and becoming a mobile agent or sun-agents in any state.
The company noted that its offerings, including Close User Group (CUG) services and high-speed wireless network, are designed to provide integrated digital solutions for individuals and enterprises, as it seeks to position itself as a disruptive force in Nigeria’s telecom sector.
Telecom
Nigeria, Ghana Trigger Stunning 45 Percent Surge in MTN Dividends

MTN Group delivered impressive financial and operational achievements for 2025, boosted by strong performances in MTN Nigeria and MTN Ghana, as well as solid earnings from MTN South Africa.

The three core markets of Africa’s largest mobile provider enhanced profitability, free cash flow, and shareholder dividends by 45%.
IT Web Africa reported that Ralph Mupita, group CEO and president, MTN, highlighted that the telecoms giant’s robust commercial momentum across key markets capped the final year of its Ambition 2025 strategy, while laying the foundation for a new long-term growth phase under Ambition 2030.
“The Group’s overall performance in 2025 was excellent. In the final year of our Ambition 2025 strategy, we were proud to have exceeded the 300 million customers milestone,” he said.
MTN revealed that it now serves more than 307 million voice subscribers, 172 million data users, and 70 million Mobile Money customers across 16 African markets, reflecting the continent’s growing demand for digital connectivity and financial services.
The operator credited its results to disciplined commercial execution and sustained investment in network infrastructure, with R38 billion spent during the year to expand capacity, improve coverage and enhance service quality.
The group reported that data traffic surged 27%, while average monthly data consumption per user climbed to 12.5GB, up from 10.8GB a year earlier, reflecting Africa’s fast-growing appetite for digital services.
Financially, the performance was driven by MTN’s largest markets.
In constant currency terms, MTN Nigeria grew service revenue by 54.9%, while MTN Ghana increased service revenue by 35.9%.
Meanwhile, MTN South Africa recorded 2% growth, demonstrating operational resilience in one of the continent’s most mature and competitive telecom markets.
MTN Group service revenue rose nearly a quarter to R218 billion, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation climbed to R98.5 billion, supported by R3.6 billion in expense efficiencies.
Mupita stressed that the strong results translated into robust free cash flow and improved return generation, allowing the board to declare a dividend of 500 cents per share, up from 345 cents the previous year.
“This comfortably exceeds the minimum dividend of 370 cents we had previously guided,” he said.
The group also announced a R6 billion share buyback programme as part of an enhanced shareholder remuneration framework aimed at delivering stronger long-term returns.
Alongside its results, MTN unveiled Ambition 2030, a strategy centred on three platforms, connectivity, fintech and digital infrastructure, as it seeks to capture the next wave of growth driven by data adoption and financial inclusion across Africa.
“We are hugely excited about Africa’s potential. We are well positioned to leverage our scale, footprint and brand leadership to capture the significant structural growth opportunities identified,” said Mupita.
Source: IT Web Africa
Telecom
ATCIS Urges FG to Ensure Safety of Consumers Data

Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS) non-profit consumer rights group dedicated to protecting the rights, interests, and welfare of telecommunications subscribers, has urged the Federal Government to ensure safety of telecom consumers’ data hosted by government agencies.

Dr Sina Bilesanmi, president of the body stated this World Consumers Day in Lagos.
He alleged that said subscribers” data are being jeopardised by some of its agencies.
Bilesanmi urged government to ensure that every subscriber in Nigeria can use digital service without fear of physical, financial, or data-related harm.
The ACTIS president said safety in the telecommunication sector extends beyond physical hardware to include data privacy and protection from cyber fraud.
“We call for stricter enforcement by the Standard organization of Nigeria (SON) to eliminate substandard mobile devices and Cable Tv equipment that pose fire or electric hazards.
“We also want safe services from telecoms that are transparent – free from hidden charges and misleading advertisements”, he said.
He urged subscribers to utilize platforms like ACTIS as well as NCC and even FCCPC web portal when they encounter service failures.
He also tasked FG on hosting Nigerian Data Privacy in the country.
He said: “We ask for more robust surveillance and swifter penalties for entities that violate consumer safety standards. We admonish the subscribers to be aware and speak out, a vigilant consumer is a protected consumer.”
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