“They gave me a ‘free’ router, then came to take it back”: Inside the hidden broadband clause many don’t know about

In December 2025, when Glory walked into her local Airtel outlet to acquire a 5G Outdoor Unit (ODU) broadband device (Router), the offer and details that followed seemed simple, and the customer care representative recommended the router and presented the setup as flexible. The device was essentially free, and all she had to do was pay an initial ₦25,000 to cover her monthly subscription fee, nothing more, nothing less.

So she was made to believe…

Glory filled out the standard onboarding form by writing down her name, address, and National Identification Number (NIN), then handed over her payment and left the store with the router, believing she now owned it. Neither the assigned field installation technician nor the sales agent at the showroom handed her a copy of the terms and conditions (T & C). Also, she wasn’t supplied with any verbal explanation of what she needed to know about the service’s legal terms.

After she paused her active subscriptions starting in February 2026, the calls began in June 2026. Airtel representatives reached out demanding the return of the equipment, citing a clause Glory had never heard of that ***three consecutive months of non-subscription gave the operator the right to retrieve the router. ***

So apparently if you purchased this Airtel Odu and Idu device, just know that the device doesn’t belong to you but rather it’s still the PROPERTY OF AIRTEL. I got a call earlier today, that they want to come retrieve it because I haven’t used it since February this year https://t.co/wqI1RoZ2u8 pic.twitter.com/I3mlFhPTXi

— MissG (@MissGijae)

June 18, 2026

What came next was weeks of calls filled with retrieval demands until an agent finally arrived at her residence in October 2026 to dismantle and collect the hardware. Her experience has now exposed a striking leakage in how “free” routers can be far from ownership.

The legal terms: Airtel ODU, MTN FibreX, and FlyX

For all mobile network operators (MNOs) and internet service providers (ISPs) in the broadband product business, there exist contractual terms that stipulate what binds the usage, ownership and modalities of such routers. Unknowingly, the commencement of their use is an automatic agreement to these terms and conditions.

A major clause most Nigerian subscribers do not know is that they don’t own the fixed wireless or fibre terminals installed in their homes, even after paying initial onboarding fees, which is actually the first payment for the subscription.

A look at their terms and conditions shows that the binding clause states the ownership terms and how a customer can lose access to the router.

For Airtel ODU and IDU, the operator’s policy retains company ownership of the routers for an extended lock-in period, which is always the first two years. Under these terms, the hardware is tied strictly to active usage, while three consecutive months of non-subscription (termed inactivity) grants Airtel the legal right to repossess the router from the subscriber’s location.

Another key clause says customers are not allowed to move the router from the installed location without getting consent from the provider. So, if a subscriber is relocating, s/he must get approval to move the device because the router is not his/her property.

Screenshot of Airtel 5G ODU Terms and Conditions

Please note that Airtel has the right to recover the 5G Router device from customer if not recharged for 3 months consecutively.

— Airtel Nigeria (@AirtelNigeria)

July 18, 2025

MTN Broadband product FibreX holds a strict stance on its ownership terms. According to Section 3 of the “MTN FibreX Terms and Conditions for Free-To-Use ONT – MTN Nigeria”, titled **Provision, Ownership and Return, **the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) remains the sole property of MTN Nigeria at all times but is provided free to eligible users.

Also, the customer is obligated to return or make the router available for retrieval upon service disconnection or after prolonged inactivity (meaning no revenue or data traffic) for a continuous period of six (6) months, following prior notification.

While the ONT ownership belongs to the provider, the customer is held responsible for the protection of the ONT from the date of installation and shall remain so. For instance, in the case of loss or damage to the device, the Customer is liable for loss, theft or damage to the ONT. This will not apply unless the loss or damage is due to fair wear and tear or activity resulting from defects not caused by the Customer.

Screenshot of selected MTN FibreX T & C

In the same light, MTN’s FlyX agreement explicitly states under Section 3: ODU Ownership that the router remains the property of MTN Nigeria at all times. Section 6: Service Subscription Requirements states that customers must maintain an active subscription, and failure to do so for 90 consecutive days (3 months) leads to service suspension and retrieval of the ODU.

Section 9: Device Recovery provides more clauses on how a customer can lose access to the device. Aside from inactivity, MTN can retrieve the device if it’s relocated without prior authorisation, there are any traces of fraudulent use of the service or conscious service termination by the customer.

Screenshot of MTN FlyX terms and conditions

Also read: A battle for ISP supremacy: between MTN FibreX, Airtel ODU and others.

In addition, Internet Service Providers also make distinctions between the router they supply and its ownership status.

Spectranet’s terms and conditions state that customers cannot claim ownership of certain equipment or accessories supplied and installed by the company. Also, Section 12.3 states that the services can be terminated in the absence of a revenue-generating activity for a cumulative period of 3 months due to non-use of the service, and such equipment must be returned in good condition.

In terms of responsibility for damage and loss of the router, Section 9.2 says Spectranet will not be responsible for any loss, direct or indirect, which is not as a result of the provider’s negligence or breach of the agreement.

Also, the leading ISP’s Fair Usage Terms, broadly stated under Section 5, say the provider will adopt a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) which establishes a data transfer threshold for each customer, and limits the high-speed bandwidth and network resources provided to a subscriber.

Section 12 of Spectranet’s Terms and Conditions

Wifiber’s terms of service stipulate how customers can lose access to the router. Under Section 11 (Non-Payment of Bills), Wifiber can disconnect the equipment in the event of non-payment of bills to the service provider, after all measures have been taken to recover the fee. Section 11.2 added that the provider can impose late fees or interest for any overdue repayment.

Also, under Section 14 (Product Warranty and Maintenance), customers will be held responsible for equipment damage caused by negligence, misuse, or not following instructions.

Section 12 – 14 of Wifiber Terms and Conditions

How Agents keep customers in the dark

The clauses exist in official documentation, but most subscribers are unaware until they fall into these legal pits.

However, a field study by Technext shows that agents (sales representatives) make intentional omissions at the point of purchase to lure customers for sales incentives.

During the study, Technext asked more than 10 fixed wireless users, of whom only one was aware of any terms and conditions and able to provide them upon request. On another occasion, a respondent asked the supposed agent, who responded to the user days later with a link to the operator’s terms and conditions.

In another chat with Glory, who visited an Airtel outlet, she explained that she was unaware of any binding document upon receiving payment confirmation emails and being matched with an installation agent for the device’s installation. She was caught unaware when the calls started coming in June.

For sales agents, they are driven only by sign-up targets and commission flows. Disclosing that a customer could lose their equipment after 90 days of non-subscription creates friction that might deter sales, which prompts agents to intentionally skip contractual details.

Screenshot of chats with Airtel 5G Router Agent

In another chat with an agent, where Technext acted as a customer wanting to onboard, the agent said:

“The price is #25,000. Comes with 30 days of unlimited data. More than 30 can connect at the same time. Fast and lovely. It comes with a power bank too.”

During that long chat, the agent made no mention of any terms and conditions. When Technext asked this agent about the 90-day non-usage and the return policy, the agent said: “*Depends on where you get it.” *What followed was “Let me register you,” and “Let me know when you are ready,” showing how they are heavily driven by the sales target and seem less concerned about the aftermath.

At the point of signing up, subscribers are given basic paper forms or digital tablets that capture only identity verification data such as Name, Address, and NIN. The actual legal terms governing hardware lease limits, return obligations, inactivity penalties and other clauses are neither provided as printed documentation nor verbally stated during sign-up.

Also read: I tracked my data consumption for 48 hours, and measured against Airtel and MTN’s reports; here is what I found.

In a fast-evolving telecoms industry and at a time when high-speed internet is sought after, the gap between telecom marketing claims and hidden contractual lines leaves subscribers vulnerable to unexpected repossessions and service disruptions.

While operators have the right to manage their equipment assets, failing to provide physical copies of terms and conditions at points of sale and agents continuing to advertise devices as free are unfair trade practices.

For consumer protection, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) must enforce strict rules that ensure agents provide customers with clear guidelines before taking any subscription fees.