Features of the week:
Recent increases in the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators’ tariffs for the Commercial Telephone Operators (CTOs), is forcing some to close shop, reports REMMY NWEKE.
From salon to call operator
As a barber for over five years, Mr. Aye Ogun, in his 30s, early in December 2005 took a decision to diversify into call center business to optimize the barber’s shop he uses at Oshodi in Lagos State.
Initially he closed his savings account with a bank in which he had about N30,000, with the hope of re-opening it as soon as business starts to boom.
He used the money to buy a GSM phone, Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) and a wireless fixed line for a start in addition to a table and chair to go with.
Three months later, Mr. Ogun was having accounting difficulties with the call operator, hence he sacked him. Then the few customers he had disappeared because he insisted on calling at a higher tariff, owing to a sudden hike in tariffs across the network he was hooked on; that is, N30 per minute, while his neighbours were charging N20 or even less.
Small scale business
Investment in the telecommunications sector in Nigeria has risen from $50 million in 1999 to over $10 billion as at December 2005. As said by the Communications Minister, Chief Cornelius Adebayo recently in Lagos, the average growth rate of telephone lines in the country is about four million per annum.
Although the teledensity has grown to over 20 million by December 2005, at approximated rate of 14 per cent from 0.4 per cent as at May 1999, most CTOs use, at least, one phone from each of the four GSM operators.
These include the GSM arms of the first and second national carriers, MTel, and Glo Mobile as well as MTN and Vmobile, in addition to having at least, one fixed wireless telephone line so as to remain in business.
Investigations conducted by ITRealms Online among CTOs revealed that at the beginning, every CTO operator starts with one line but due to arbitrary increases in call tariffs across networks, it becomes imperative for CTOs to have at least, two of the ‘happening networks’ of the moment available.
Another reason given is the reliability ratio on one network, which is still at a low rate and the low tariffs charged within. Most CTOs were made to buy these lines due to various promotions mapped out for them from one teleco to another.
For instance, while Glo dangles the monthly rental under its ProfitMax Plus, Vmobile has the Bumpa in three series, MTN showcases Booster series and MTel’s PowerTalk is not left out.
One unique feature about these offers targeted at CTOs is that the higher the denomination, the lower the tariff. Such that N9,000 monthly Vmobile Bumpa value card afforded users to pay about 20 kobo per second (PS) within the network and others 40 kobo (PS) which amounts to N24 per minute.
For Glo Profit Max it is N21 flat per minute for all networks in the country. And for the Profit Max Plus with N5,000 rental, calls cost 18 kobo Glo to Glo, while 28 kobo to other networks.
Also before now, MTN’s Super Booster was about N15 within and about N24 across networks.
Rise in tariffs
In the last few months, business has not been the same again for most CTOs, because of the unprecedented increases in tariffs across networks, which most of them described as a means of literally eliminating them from call center business.
Currently, Vmobile and MTN charge N18 within networks which amount to 30 kobo per second and others 50 kobo respectively. Whereas Glo to Glo on ProfitMax Plus is 28 kobo, about N16.80, Glo to other networks cost 40k that is N24 per minute.
Fears and take over …
There are palpable fears that since GSM operators have found their battle ground on CTOs, definitely they, like the proverbial grass would suffer as the contest continues.
And as this ‘war’ on increased tariffs unfold in the GSM platform, Fixed Wireless Access (FWAs) like RelTel and Starcomms are on the verge of taking over as they have succeeded in slashing cost of calls to the GSM networks.
According to the newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer at RelTel, Mr. Kierian Enechi, RelTel’s Bonus card until few months ago was N15 to all GSM networks per minute until the operator came up with 30 kobo per second billing system and increased the bonus availability to N7,000 monthly, even as it now has weekly bonus of N2,000.
Starcomms’ Super Turbo seems static but still worth better than most GSM offering for CTOs according to them, as the network offers N17 on GSM calls.
Reactions
One of the CTOs, who identified himself as Alhaji Amid in a Lagos suburb of Mafoluku, simply said that GSM operators have ganged up against call center operators, hence they “want to kill us” confessing that some, especially new comers into the business are finding it extremely hard to understand the modules of frequent changes in call tariffs and instead of downwards, it is going up.
This, he said, has led to sacking of two school-leavers in his employ in the last two months, who manage the call centers at different locations around the vicinity, even as he is contemplating relieving another until situation improves, because “the profits are dwindling by the day”.
Another CTO, located on Victoria Island, Mrs. Constance Chukwuneke, said the stress was becoming too much and the profit not forthcoming to sustain the business, even the wage of the call operators, since the constant change in tariffs across networks, which means buying almost all the offers for CTOs in the market, especially by GSM operators.
However, major reason for the recent call for a one-day switch off campaign championed by the National Telecom Subscribers Association of Nigeria (NATCOMS) led by Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, was the need to reduce call tariffs.
Chief Ogunbanjo said that it is “only in Nigeria that you see GSM services getting worse with the kind of growth in number of subscribers recorded in recent times”. Noting that they, telecos, keep giving excuses of high cost of infrastructure and laying the same to provide services.
For him, what the group wants include reduced tariffs, free weekend calls and Short Messaging Service (SMS), 75 per cent reduced intra-network and off peak calls and SMS rates, just as they demanded efficient service delivery.
“To say the least, the tariff has been deliberately exploitative and this has been further characterized by poor systems responsiveness, low call set-up, poor call voice quality, high call failure rate, inaccurate billings, low recharge call success rate and poor staff as well as customer-care responsiveness,” he asserted.
Salvaging CTOs
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has to wake up in this area of tariff structure, especially for CTOs who depend on call revenues for livelihood and provision of employment for others, of which many of the people employed at this level constitute mostly post-primary school leavers.
It was also gathered that most times telecom operators do not give CTOs ample time to exhaust what they have loaded before the tariff rises, thereby short-changing them.
Focus, therefore on consumer needs is very essential in business and consideration should be given to those who have loaded these offerings to ensure they all have the basic values as well as removal of unfair tariffs.
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Thursday, March 16, 2006
WiMax is cheaper than VSAT – Ajayi
President of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Mr. Lanre Ajayi, has declared that WiMax is reasonably priced than Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), which currently is largely in use in the country.
He also said that WiMax would bring about cheaper broadband when massively deployed before the end of this year.
WiMAX is a standards-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput broadband connections over long distances. WiMAX could be used for a number of applications, including “last mile” broadband connections, hotspots and cellular backhaul, and high-speed enterprise connectivity for business.
His declaration came as the Lagos State government has entered into partnership with an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) firm, Polestar Nigeria to deploy high speed WiMax in the state, even as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has announced its deployment in the city.
Speaking to ITRealms Online exclusively in his office, Mr. Ajayi who also is the chief executive of PiNet Informatics, said that access would soon be readily available to the Nigerian people, because “we anticipate that before the end of this year, there would be deployment of WiMax in most cities of the country, which would start making impact by end of year”.
This he said, would bring about a revolution in the industry, especially in Internet penetration and usage in the country, stressing that the revolution would be likened to that of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM).
The WiMax terminal devices, he explained, are very useable compared to Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) that is being offered today.
“WiMax would bring broadband, just the way VSAT is also bringing broadband and at affordable cost,” he asserted.
He emphasized that WiMax is very cheaper than VSAT, and would boost access to the Internet.
A WiMax terminal equipment, he said, cost less than $400, about N51,200, when compared to over $4000 for VSAT, about N512,000.
“This would make access more affordable to corporate and homes, that require broadband,” he declared.
Another success factor, he said, is the transmission link, which today calls for lots of cable being laid across the country such as fibre optic, noting that these are currently being used mainly for voice services.
He anticipates that when WiMax is there for the people to use, some of these transmission links would be used tremendously for data and Internet access.
Saying that with the progress made so far by the likes of the second national operator (SNO), Globacom, on installing fibre optic nationwide and coming of WiMax, promotion of local content to the rest of the world from Nigeria would be an easy ride.
He maintained that the cost of bandwidth today is still very exorbitant.
He also said that WiMax would bring about cheaper broadband when massively deployed before the end of this year.
WiMAX is a standards-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput broadband connections over long distances. WiMAX could be used for a number of applications, including “last mile” broadband connections, hotspots and cellular backhaul, and high-speed enterprise connectivity for business.
His declaration came as the Lagos State government has entered into partnership with an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) firm, Polestar Nigeria to deploy high speed WiMax in the state, even as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has announced its deployment in the city.
Speaking to ITRealms Online exclusively in his office, Mr. Ajayi who also is the chief executive of PiNet Informatics, said that access would soon be readily available to the Nigerian people, because “we anticipate that before the end of this year, there would be deployment of WiMax in most cities of the country, which would start making impact by end of year”.
This he said, would bring about a revolution in the industry, especially in Internet penetration and usage in the country, stressing that the revolution would be likened to that of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM).
The WiMax terminal devices, he explained, are very useable compared to Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) that is being offered today.
“WiMax would bring broadband, just the way VSAT is also bringing broadband and at affordable cost,” he asserted.
He emphasized that WiMax is very cheaper than VSAT, and would boost access to the Internet.
A WiMax terminal equipment, he said, cost less than $400, about N51,200, when compared to over $4000 for VSAT, about N512,000.
“This would make access more affordable to corporate and homes, that require broadband,” he declared.
Another success factor, he said, is the transmission link, which today calls for lots of cable being laid across the country such as fibre optic, noting that these are currently being used mainly for voice services.
He anticipates that when WiMax is there for the people to use, some of these transmission links would be used tremendously for data and Internet access.
Saying that with the progress made so far by the likes of the second national operator (SNO), Globacom, on installing fibre optic nationwide and coming of WiMax, promotion of local content to the rest of the world from Nigeria would be an easy ride.
He maintained that the cost of bandwidth today is still very exorbitant.
Internet usage quadrupled in five years – Report
Global use of the Internet in the last five years witnessed quadrupled growth according to the latest World Bank report on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Development (IC4D).
Regional highlights by main topics made available to ITRealms Online, indicated that worldwide, “Internet use more than quadrupled between 2000 and 2005.”
In the Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the report said, is in the lead among developing regions, with 117 Internet users per 1,000 people in 2004 — four times as many as in 2000 and six to eight times as many as in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Also, the report said, the fastest growth of 370 per cent was witnessed in the Middle East and North Africa.
On the telecommunications Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) the report said that between 1999 and 2003, telecommunications projects accounted for 12 per cent of FDI in developing countries.
However, low-income countries received just six per cent of such investment.
While Latin America and the Caribbean attracted more than half of FDI in telecommunications, Eastern Europe and Central Asia received about a quarter.
These two regions, the report said, with mostly middle-income countries together received about 80 per cent of the overall worldwide FDI flows in telecommunications.
“Latin America and the Caribbean and Eastern Europe and Central Asia are the two regions where foreign capital has become a significant source of funding for the telecommunications sector,” the report edited by Christine Zhen-Wei Qiang said.
Also in South Asia, East Asia and Pacific, a substantial portion of telecommunications investments came from domestic investors, including large family groups that historically kept their investments within the region.
However, Brazil recorded $51 billion, thus becoming top single recipient of telecommunications FDI.
While India made impressive mark with $4.8 billion and Russia was close to $2 billion ranking 11th and 17th, respectively in the report.
The report further states that although the BRIC region, that is, (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, and China) economies together attracted 30 per cent of telecommunications FDI from 1990 through 2003. China had no foreign direct investments in telecommunications because of the restrictions it placed on FDI in this sector.
Whereas over 85 per cent of South-South telecommunications FDI flows during 1990–2003 stayed within the same geographic region. East Asia and Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa received South-South FDI only from investors in their respective regions.
On the other hand, Middle East and North African telecommunications FDI to Sub-Saharan Africa has included investments from Morocco and Tunisia to Mauritania, and from the Arab Republic of Egypt to 12 Sub-Saharan African countries.
On the telephone subscription rate, the report said that among developing regions, the telephone subscription rate was highest in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where between 2000 and 2004 it more than doubled to 730 per 1,000 people. While growth, was the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the rate tripling despite low teledensity of 103 subscribers per 1,000 people.
On aggregate, there were more mobile than fixed phones, and about 70 per cent of the developing world’s population, most of which came from Sub-Saharan Africa have over 50 per cent, and live on the footprint of mobile phone service.
Regional highlights by main topics made available to ITRealms Online, indicated that worldwide, “Internet use more than quadrupled between 2000 and 2005.”
In the Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the report said, is in the lead among developing regions, with 117 Internet users per 1,000 people in 2004 — four times as many as in 2000 and six to eight times as many as in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Also, the report said, the fastest growth of 370 per cent was witnessed in the Middle East and North Africa.
On the telecommunications Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) the report said that between 1999 and 2003, telecommunications projects accounted for 12 per cent of FDI in developing countries.
However, low-income countries received just six per cent of such investment.
While Latin America and the Caribbean attracted more than half of FDI in telecommunications, Eastern Europe and Central Asia received about a quarter.
These two regions, the report said, with mostly middle-income countries together received about 80 per cent of the overall worldwide FDI flows in telecommunications.
“Latin America and the Caribbean and Eastern Europe and Central Asia are the two regions where foreign capital has become a significant source of funding for the telecommunications sector,” the report edited by Christine Zhen-Wei Qiang said.
Also in South Asia, East Asia and Pacific, a substantial portion of telecommunications investments came from domestic investors, including large family groups that historically kept their investments within the region.
However, Brazil recorded $51 billion, thus becoming top single recipient of telecommunications FDI.
While India made impressive mark with $4.8 billion and Russia was close to $2 billion ranking 11th and 17th, respectively in the report.
The report further states that although the BRIC region, that is, (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, and China) economies together attracted 30 per cent of telecommunications FDI from 1990 through 2003. China had no foreign direct investments in telecommunications because of the restrictions it placed on FDI in this sector.
Whereas over 85 per cent of South-South telecommunications FDI flows during 1990–2003 stayed within the same geographic region. East Asia and Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa received South-South FDI only from investors in their respective regions.
On the other hand, Middle East and North African telecommunications FDI to Sub-Saharan Africa has included investments from Morocco and Tunisia to Mauritania, and from the Arab Republic of Egypt to 12 Sub-Saharan African countries.
On the telephone subscription rate, the report said that among developing regions, the telephone subscription rate was highest in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where between 2000 and 2004 it more than doubled to 730 per 1,000 people. While growth, was the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the rate tripling despite low teledensity of 103 subscribers per 1,000 people.
On aggregate, there were more mobile than fixed phones, and about 70 per cent of the developing world’s population, most of which came from Sub-Saharan Africa have over 50 per cent, and live on the footprint of mobile phone service.
GBNlive makes a debut
Glory Online Communications has announced the debut of its webcast streaming programme, Glory Broadcast Network (GBN Live).
Webcast programmes are Internet-based streaming either recorded or live and hosted on a given portal or website.
Executive chairman of the firm, Mr. Davids Awanebi, while disclosing this in Lagos, decried the wrong use of the Internet by a section of the nation’s Internet enthusiasts.
He pointed out that this negates the original intents of the fathers of the Internet, stressing that the aim of his organization is to drive a wheel of change to harness the good potentials of the Internet.
Mr. Awanebi noted that by ensuring good use of the Internet, the benefits of knowledge economy would come to bear, mostly for Nigeria as a developing country.
The GBN Live, accessible at www.gbnlive.com, he said, has over six station’s in its knitty cutting across religion, current affairs, business, musicals, economic news and sports among others.
He explained that already, two out of the number are up and running, just as stations 1 and 2 are packed with extensive information from economic news rhythm and blues, which he said are ‘musicals’.
Awanebi further said that his firm has partnership with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and some indigenous independent programme producers, such as award winning ICT Africa currently streaming on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
To showcase the readiness of his firm to offer 24-by-7 service, he said, they have two generating sets and solar energy system to support the services.
Webcast programmes are Internet-based streaming either recorded or live and hosted on a given portal or website.
Executive chairman of the firm, Mr. Davids Awanebi, while disclosing this in Lagos, decried the wrong use of the Internet by a section of the nation’s Internet enthusiasts.
He pointed out that this negates the original intents of the fathers of the Internet, stressing that the aim of his organization is to drive a wheel of change to harness the good potentials of the Internet.
Mr. Awanebi noted that by ensuring good use of the Internet, the benefits of knowledge economy would come to bear, mostly for Nigeria as a developing country.
The GBN Live, accessible at www.gbnlive.com, he said, has over six station’s in its knitty cutting across religion, current affairs, business, musicals, economic news and sports among others.
He explained that already, two out of the number are up and running, just as stations 1 and 2 are packed with extensive information from economic news rhythm and blues, which he said are ‘musicals’.
Awanebi further said that his firm has partnership with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and some indigenous independent programme producers, such as award winning ICT Africa currently streaming on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
To showcase the readiness of his firm to offer 24-by-7 service, he said, they have two generating sets and solar energy system to support the services.
CTO supports NEPAD on broadband network
•For East-Southern Africa
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO)-led consortium has successfully initiated work on a World Bank funded project to support the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) in efforts toward building broadband network for East and Southern Africa regions.
The implementation would see to a consensus on the policy and regulatory framework in development of an Open Access Cross Border Terrestrial Broadband ICT Infrastructure Network in East and Southern Africa.
The terrestrial infrastructure will also aid the harmonization of the highly anticipated Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) submarine cable, in order to create a broadband ICT network that will eventually enhance the chances of East and Southern African countries in achieving their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The EASSy is an initiative to connect countries along the east coast of Africa including landlocked countries via fibre optic cable to the rest of the world.
Announcing this, Chief Executive CTO, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, said by “Providing the East and Southern Africa region with a broadband network that will enable countries to improve their communication with each other and playing a role in the global knowledge economy is imperative if countries in the region are to achieve their development goals.”
He also said that the consortium comprised experts from the CTO and ICT Consultants (Pty) Ltd of Botswana, just as they would focus on the special challenges faced by land-locked countries in the region and the harmonisation of policy, legislative and regulatory instruments and practices that would facilitate ownership and management of the communications infrastructure.
CTO’s experience he noted, in researching and advising on this project would enable it to provide valuable advice for other multi-country ICT infrastructure projects in the Caribbean, South Asia or the Pacific regions.
Additionally he said, many experts and analysts, implementing a broadband network in Eastern and Southern Africa will not guarantee the improvements in the provision of ICT services and socio-economic development that stakeholders in the region were striving to achieve, “if the project ownership and management structure are not carefully considered”.
Recalling that for several African ICT experts, the limited impact that the SAT-3 submarine cable, which runs along the West African coastline, has had on the development of the region serves as an important warning of the effect of monopolistic arrangements.
Hence, the continued high cost of leasing capacity from the SAT-3 cable, the slower than expected growth of the ICT sector in West Africa region and the relative high cost of telephony and internet services were some of the lessons from the west coast of Africa. that they hope will not be allowed to repeat in the eastern and southern regions.
“Thus, the need to ensure that the broadband network for Eastern and Southern Africa creates as much developmental benefit as possible has led governments from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to call for the network to be founded and developed on five principles,” CTO boss pointed out.
Emphasising that the five principles include the application of ‘open access’ to the network, the use of public-private-partnership in building the infrastructure and the acceptance that the network can be owned developed, and maintained, as appropriate, by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international development partnership between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, businesses and civil society organisations focused on information and communication technologies (ICT) and development.
Also CTO supports the international community’s efforts to bridge the digital divide and promote social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of ICTs in the specific areas of telecommunications, IT, broadcasting and the Internet.
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO)-led consortium has successfully initiated work on a World Bank funded project to support the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) in efforts toward building broadband network for East and Southern Africa regions.
The implementation would see to a consensus on the policy and regulatory framework in development of an Open Access Cross Border Terrestrial Broadband ICT Infrastructure Network in East and Southern Africa.
The terrestrial infrastructure will also aid the harmonization of the highly anticipated Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) submarine cable, in order to create a broadband ICT network that will eventually enhance the chances of East and Southern African countries in achieving their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The EASSy is an initiative to connect countries along the east coast of Africa including landlocked countries via fibre optic cable to the rest of the world.
Announcing this, Chief Executive CTO, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, said by “Providing the East and Southern Africa region with a broadband network that will enable countries to improve their communication with each other and playing a role in the global knowledge economy is imperative if countries in the region are to achieve their development goals.”
He also said that the consortium comprised experts from the CTO and ICT Consultants (Pty) Ltd of Botswana, just as they would focus on the special challenges faced by land-locked countries in the region and the harmonisation of policy, legislative and regulatory instruments and practices that would facilitate ownership and management of the communications infrastructure.
CTO’s experience he noted, in researching and advising on this project would enable it to provide valuable advice for other multi-country ICT infrastructure projects in the Caribbean, South Asia or the Pacific regions.
Additionally he said, many experts and analysts, implementing a broadband network in Eastern and Southern Africa will not guarantee the improvements in the provision of ICT services and socio-economic development that stakeholders in the region were striving to achieve, “if the project ownership and management structure are not carefully considered”.
Recalling that for several African ICT experts, the limited impact that the SAT-3 submarine cable, which runs along the West African coastline, has had on the development of the region serves as an important warning of the effect of monopolistic arrangements.
Hence, the continued high cost of leasing capacity from the SAT-3 cable, the slower than expected growth of the ICT sector in West Africa region and the relative high cost of telephony and internet services were some of the lessons from the west coast of Africa. that they hope will not be allowed to repeat in the eastern and southern regions.
“Thus, the need to ensure that the broadband network for Eastern and Southern Africa creates as much developmental benefit as possible has led governments from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to call for the network to be founded and developed on five principles,” CTO boss pointed out.
Emphasising that the five principles include the application of ‘open access’ to the network, the use of public-private-partnership in building the infrastructure and the acceptance that the network can be owned developed, and maintained, as appropriate, by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international development partnership between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, businesses and civil society organisations focused on information and communication technologies (ICT) and development.
Also CTO supports the international community’s efforts to bridge the digital divide and promote social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of ICTs in the specific areas of telecommunications, IT, broadcasting and the Internet.
Nigeria to host GSM Africa-06
Nigeria is to host this year’s continental Global System for Mobile communications (GSM Africa) exhibition and conferences in Abuja come March 27 through 30.
Vice chairman, GSM Africa and chairman of the GSM Consultative Forum Nigeria, Mr. Ogugua Chioke, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos, said it is the first time the nation is having such privilege.
The event is being sponsored by all the GSM operators in the country, including Vmobile, MTN Nigeria, MTel and Glo, as well as some multinational telecom companies, including Motorola, Celtel, Nokia and Ericsson and others.
Scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja, he said, the event also has the support of the Federal Ministry of Communications and the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Mr. Ogugua said that the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) has graciously accepted to deliver a paper on “Convergence in the communications sector”.
According to him, the conference comprises three sessions, namely the GSM Africa exhibition, strategic and technical in that order.
The technical session, he explained, would complement the strategic conference and would provide a platform for a series of presentations focusing on GSM development and evolving mobile technology in Africa.
Dignitaries billed to grace the event include the chairman, GSM Africa, Mr. Vitalis Olunga, Director, Strategic Initiative at GSM Association, Mr. Ben Soppitt, chief regulatory officer, Vee Networks Nigeria, J.P. Suijders, chief operating officer, Globacom, Mr. Jameel Mohammed and chief executives of MTel, and MTN Nigeria, Messrs Edwin Moor Momife and Sifiso Dabengwa respectively.
Vice chairman, GSM Africa and chairman of the GSM Consultative Forum Nigeria, Mr. Ogugua Chioke, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos, said it is the first time the nation is having such privilege.
The event is being sponsored by all the GSM operators in the country, including Vmobile, MTN Nigeria, MTel and Glo, as well as some multinational telecom companies, including Motorola, Celtel, Nokia and Ericsson and others.
Scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja, he said, the event also has the support of the Federal Ministry of Communications and the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Mr. Ogugua said that the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) has graciously accepted to deliver a paper on “Convergence in the communications sector”.
According to him, the conference comprises three sessions, namely the GSM Africa exhibition, strategic and technical in that order.
The technical session, he explained, would complement the strategic conference and would provide a platform for a series of presentations focusing on GSM development and evolving mobile technology in Africa.
Dignitaries billed to grace the event include the chairman, GSM Africa, Mr. Vitalis Olunga, Director, Strategic Initiative at GSM Association, Mr. Ben Soppitt, chief regulatory officer, Vee Networks Nigeria, J.P. Suijders, chief operating officer, Globacom, Mr. Jameel Mohammed and chief executives of MTel, and MTN Nigeria, Messrs Edwin Moor Momife and Sifiso Dabengwa respectively.
Expert predicts soaring FDI for telecom sector
Expert on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) exhibitions, Mr. John Thomason, has predicted an increased flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the nation’s telecommunications sector.
Mr. Thomson, who also is the managing director of the West African International Telecommunication and Information Communications Technology (W.AfriTel), said, there is renewed confidence on the nation’s economy.
Speaking on W.AfriTel-2006 scheduled to take place in June this year, in Lagos, Mr. Thomson, said the last five years have shown the nation is capable of accommodating more foreign investments.
This, he noted, is predicated on the rising profile of the country’s economy.
ITReamls Online recalls that Nigeria’s FDI in telecom sector rose to $10 billion as at December 2005, against $5 million in 1999.
Mr. Thomson pointed out that with the chapter to be availed in the United Licensing Regime (ULR), the nation’s operators would now enter an era where they are faced with optimising their networks to meet up with higher demands for better quality of service and a bouquet of Value Added Services (VAS).
He also disclosed that W.Afri.Tel 2006, holding from June 20 through 22, has been planned to further the growth in Nigeria’s telecom sector.
“Today Africa’s mobile phone subscriber-base exceeds 100 million but that is only 11 per cent of the continent’s population. The African telecoms market is booming; but the fact is, only the surface has been scratched,” he declared.
He expressed no surprise that Nigeria is leading the continent’s telecom growth, stressing that a recent report showed that in 2004 Nigeria overtook South Africa as the continent’s fastest-growing mobile market with six million new subscribers that year alone, compared to the five million new users in South Africa. This was besides current total subscribers’ number of over 20 million gained in a record time of five years.
“In addition, last year Nigeria grew its subscriber base by a further 173 per cent. Yet despite rocketing growth, with over 20 million cellphone users, Nigeria’s cellphone penetration is still very low. This is a clear indication that the potential for growth in the country and the region is phenomenal,” he said.
In the last five years, W.Afri.Tel, has consistently brought in technology companies from Europe, America and Asia, among other regions, to exhibit their products and services in Nigeria.
Also speaking, editor-in-chief of IT & Telecom Digest, W.Afri.Tel’s sole agents in Nigeria, Mr. Mkpe Abang, said, last year’s show was a sell-out, and this year’s event will offer unequal opportunities for plugging into nation’s engine of growth which he described as ‘telecom’.
Mr. Thomson, who also is the managing director of the West African International Telecommunication and Information Communications Technology (W.AfriTel), said, there is renewed confidence on the nation’s economy.
Speaking on W.AfriTel-2006 scheduled to take place in June this year, in Lagos, Mr. Thomson, said the last five years have shown the nation is capable of accommodating more foreign investments.
This, he noted, is predicated on the rising profile of the country’s economy.
ITReamls Online recalls that Nigeria’s FDI in telecom sector rose to $10 billion as at December 2005, against $5 million in 1999.
Mr. Thomson pointed out that with the chapter to be availed in the United Licensing Regime (ULR), the nation’s operators would now enter an era where they are faced with optimising their networks to meet up with higher demands for better quality of service and a bouquet of Value Added Services (VAS).
He also disclosed that W.Afri.Tel 2006, holding from June 20 through 22, has been planned to further the growth in Nigeria’s telecom sector.
“Today Africa’s mobile phone subscriber-base exceeds 100 million but that is only 11 per cent of the continent’s population. The African telecoms market is booming; but the fact is, only the surface has been scratched,” he declared.
He expressed no surprise that Nigeria is leading the continent’s telecom growth, stressing that a recent report showed that in 2004 Nigeria overtook South Africa as the continent’s fastest-growing mobile market with six million new subscribers that year alone, compared to the five million new users in South Africa. This was besides current total subscribers’ number of over 20 million gained in a record time of five years.
“In addition, last year Nigeria grew its subscriber base by a further 173 per cent. Yet despite rocketing growth, with over 20 million cellphone users, Nigeria’s cellphone penetration is still very low. This is a clear indication that the potential for growth in the country and the region is phenomenal,” he said.
In the last five years, W.Afri.Tel, has consistently brought in technology companies from Europe, America and Asia, among other regions, to exhibit their products and services in Nigeria.
Also speaking, editor-in-chief of IT & Telecom Digest, W.Afri.Tel’s sole agents in Nigeria, Mr. Mkpe Abang, said, last year’s show was a sell-out, and this year’s event will offer unequal opportunities for plugging into nation’s engine of growth which he described as ‘telecom’.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Improved ICT access to boost economies – World Bank
Improved access and quality usage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will boost economies, especially in developing countries of the world.
World Bank in a latest report released weekend noted that it would also make for more efficient and globally competitiveness.
The 2006 Information and Communications for Development Report identified Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), in addition to effective competition as vital to extending the reach and use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) globally.
The report titled, "Information and Communications for Development 2006: Global Trends and Policies" is a new World Bank report addressing critical role being played by ICT in economic development.
It also provides a global overview of ICT trends and policies in developing countries, covering issues such as financing infrastructure, the importance of public-private partnerships and effective competition to extending access, using ICT in doing business and formulating national e-strategies.
According to a press statement made available to Business Champion and endorsed by the duo of Henny Rahardja and Ludi Joseph of World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) said that the ICT At-a-Glance tables for 144 economies showed the most recent national data on key indicators of ICT development.
The data enable assessment and comparison for both over time and across economies to assess ICT capacity, performance, progress and opportunities.
Further, the report said that although there was global progress in improving access to ICT, poor countries still lag behind in making ICT applications such as in commonplaces like in governments, schools and business.
The report urged developing country governments to work across ministries and in partnership with the private sector to extend the reach and use of ICT.
The World Bank’s Information and Communications for Development 2006: Global Trends and Policies takes stock of the progress that has been achieved worldwide in rolling out access to affordable ICT and provides evidence on what makes for success in adopting ICT to meet development challenges.
The report, which includes a series of ICT indicators for almost 150 countries, builds on experience drawn from the Bank’s own significant involvement in the sector.
The Bank is the largest international donor in the field of ICT for development and has ICT projects in over 80 countries with a portfolio amounting to more than US$3 billion about N386,970,000,000 trillion.
World Bank’s Vice President on Infrastructure, Kathy Sierra said "The report shows that private sector competition remains the driving force in extending telecommunications access to billions of people around the World."
Stressing that cooperation is also a key to ensuring further progress cooperation between government and private sector to connect the next billions, "within governments to extend e-services to citizens, and across countries to ensure regional access and connectivity."
was also provided to strengthen institutional support for the Ministry of Works, Communications and Transport and capacity-building for national and external debt management.
The development of a national export strategy to promote economic diversification and an emergency post-disaster scholarship and skills development programme were also part of the assistance programme.
World Bank in a latest report released weekend noted that it would also make for more efficient and globally competitiveness.
The 2006 Information and Communications for Development Report identified Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), in addition to effective competition as vital to extending the reach and use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) globally.
The report titled, "Information and Communications for Development 2006: Global Trends and Policies" is a new World Bank report addressing critical role being played by ICT in economic development.
It also provides a global overview of ICT trends and policies in developing countries, covering issues such as financing infrastructure, the importance of public-private partnerships and effective competition to extending access, using ICT in doing business and formulating national e-strategies.
According to a press statement made available to Business Champion and endorsed by the duo of Henny Rahardja and Ludi Joseph of World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) said that the ICT At-a-Glance tables for 144 economies showed the most recent national data on key indicators of ICT development.
The data enable assessment and comparison for both over time and across economies to assess ICT capacity, performance, progress and opportunities.
Further, the report said that although there was global progress in improving access to ICT, poor countries still lag behind in making ICT applications such as in commonplaces like in governments, schools and business.
The report urged developing country governments to work across ministries and in partnership with the private sector to extend the reach and use of ICT.
The World Bank’s Information and Communications for Development 2006: Global Trends and Policies takes stock of the progress that has been achieved worldwide in rolling out access to affordable ICT and provides evidence on what makes for success in adopting ICT to meet development challenges.
The report, which includes a series of ICT indicators for almost 150 countries, builds on experience drawn from the Bank’s own significant involvement in the sector.
The Bank is the largest international donor in the field of ICT for development and has ICT projects in over 80 countries with a portfolio amounting to more than US$3 billion about N386,970,000,000 trillion.
World Bank’s Vice President on Infrastructure, Kathy Sierra said "The report shows that private sector competition remains the driving force in extending telecommunications access to billions of people around the World."
Stressing that cooperation is also a key to ensuring further progress cooperation between government and private sector to connect the next billions, "within governments to extend e-services to citizens, and across countries to ensure regional access and connectivity."
was also provided to strengthen institutional support for the Ministry of Works, Communications and Transport and capacity-building for national and external debt management.
The development of a national export strategy to promote economic diversification and an emergency post-disaster scholarship and skills development programme were also part of the assistance programme.
Greece suggests dates for IG forum
Remmy Nweke, who was in Malta
Greek government has suggested dates for the hosting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) inauguration, scheduled to hold in Athens, this year.
The suggested dates are October 24, 25, and 26, according to the Greek chairman of the IGF Steering Committee, Ambassador George Papadatos.
Disclosing this recently at the international conference on "Internet Governance: The Way Forward" in Malta, he said, the government came up with these dates after careful examination and in order to avoid conflict with any other international engagements, within the industry.
"On the issue of dates we have already outlined a possibility which in our view had taken into account conflicts with other similar meetings and religious holidays," he declared.
Additionally, the Greek government said the recommended dates are in line with an indication to this effect as contained in a letter from the Secretary General of United Nations (UN), Mr. Kofi Annan.
Dr. Papadatos further expressed hopes that they would soon confirm these dates with United Nations.
He reassured that his committee’s readiness to continue work with all stakeholders towards the "next step after Tunis," the inaugural meeting of IGF.
The conference was organized by Diplo Foundation with offices in Malta and Geneva, Switzerland. This came after a 10-day workshop on ‘ICT and Contemporary Diplomacy’ for members of the diplomatic community made up of candidates from developing countries.
Diplo Foundation organizes online postgraduate level academic courses and training workshops on a variety of diplomacy-related topics for diplomats, civil servants, staff of international organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and students of international relations, especially candidates from developing countries.
It also through research and conferences investigate topics related to diplomacy, international relations and online learning.
Greek government has suggested dates for the hosting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) inauguration, scheduled to hold in Athens, this year.
The suggested dates are October 24, 25, and 26, according to the Greek chairman of the IGF Steering Committee, Ambassador George Papadatos.
Disclosing this recently at the international conference on "Internet Governance: The Way Forward" in Malta, he said, the government came up with these dates after careful examination and in order to avoid conflict with any other international engagements, within the industry.
"On the issue of dates we have already outlined a possibility which in our view had taken into account conflicts with other similar meetings and religious holidays," he declared.
Additionally, the Greek government said the recommended dates are in line with an indication to this effect as contained in a letter from the Secretary General of United Nations (UN), Mr. Kofi Annan.
Dr. Papadatos further expressed hopes that they would soon confirm these dates with United Nations.
He reassured that his committee’s readiness to continue work with all stakeholders towards the "next step after Tunis," the inaugural meeting of IGF.
The conference was organized by Diplo Foundation with offices in Malta and Geneva, Switzerland. This came after a 10-day workshop on ‘ICT and Contemporary Diplomacy’ for members of the diplomatic community made up of candidates from developing countries.
Diplo Foundation organizes online postgraduate level academic courses and training workshops on a variety of diplomacy-related topics for diplomats, civil servants, staff of international organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and students of international relations, especially candidates from developing countries.
It also through research and conferences investigate topics related to diplomacy, international relations and online learning.
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