Glo introduces 0807

By Remmy Nweke

ACCALIMED unpredictable Africa’s fastest growing Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Glo Mobile has announced an additional new numbering series, 0807, to the existing 0805 range.

Glo, mobile arm of the nation’s Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom, also said that the introduction became necessary to accommodate the ever growing number of subscribers on the network.

The telco noted that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently approved the new number series for the operator.

Globacom’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mohamed Jameel, in a press statement made available to Saturday Champion, said it was due to exhaustion of the 0805 numbering range which the company introduced at launch in August 2003.

According to Glo Mobile, the telco now has over 7 million subscribers on its network, a feat achieved in less than 32 months of operation, despite starting operations two years after other GSM operators.

Mr. Jameel further said that the new numbering plan puts Globacom in good stead to take over as the largest operator on the continent, emphasizing its vision of becoming the biggest and best telecommunications company in Africa.

He pointed out that since the network launched services on August 29, 2003, Glo Mobile has been at the forefront of revolutionary changes in the GSM sector in Nigeria.

A wholly Nigerian company, Globacom equally lived up to its commitment to ensure that Nigerians benefit from the advances made in telecommunications and information technology.

Thus the operator demonstrated this by deploying enhanced second generation (2.5G) network which facilitate internet services and the convergence of voice, data and multimedia technologies.

Recently, Glo said it has witnessed a surge in patronage with the launch of Glo Jumbo offer in which 180 cars and other prizes worth N500 billion are up for grabs.

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Cybercrime: Threats to information society

Features of the week:

In order to bring Information Society issues to the front burner, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) declared May 17 the World Information Society Day (WSID) but increasing cybercrimes stand between building trust on the evolving society and digital divide, reports REMMY NWEKE.

AS the world marks the commemoration of this year’s World Telecommunication Day (WTD) today, which coincides with the first ever World Information Society Day (WISD), one thing at the back of every stakeholder’s mind is the likely threat of cybercrime to the new world order of information society.

Noteworthy is that while WTD is celebrating 141 years by the global telecommunications and agency of the United Nations (UN), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), WISD on other hand is making a debut following the outcome of the second phased World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which ended in Tunisia last November, with an agenda to make the world a better place, hence May 17 was also agreed for the commemoration of WISD beginning this year.

Therefore the decision to invariably replace WTD with WISD is a welcome development given the impact telecommunication has played in making the world a better place with delivering of information by the seconds.

Tunis Agenda

Apparently in line with the Tunis outcome, ITU tagged this year’s WTD and WISD theme as “Promoting Global Cybersecurity”. This it said, was based on today’s interconnectedness and increasingly networked world, which has paved the way for societies to become vulnerable to a wide variety of threats.

These include deliberate attacks on critical information infrastructure with debilitating effects on the economies and on the societies at large. This encouraged ITU to institute a survey on online trust recently, noting that in order to safeguard the systems and infrastructure as well as instill confidence in online trade, commerce, banking, telemedicine, e-government and a host of other applications, it has become imperative.

According to ITU, there is need to strengthen collective global cybersecurity, because this depends on the security practices of each and every networked country, business, and citizen, hence this is essential to develop a global culture of cybersecurity.

Therefore it was apt for ITU Council to decide to highlight the serious challenges facing humanity so as to build confidence, ensure the safety and security of networked information and communication systems.

UN’s position

Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Mr. Kofi Annan said the WTD’s annual observance marking the founding of the ITU on May 17, 1865, was to draw attention to the work of ITU and the broader challenges of global communication.

“From the days of the telegraph through space-age communication, and now in cyberspace, ITU has helped to connect the world,” he asserted.

He therefore, charged all UN member states and stakeholders to join hands to increase global awareness of cybersecurity, and to develop an international network of initiatives, saying that ICT-based counter-measures would enhance security and build the needed trust in the use of information and communication technologies.

WSIS a historic conclusion

For the Secretary General of ITU, Mr. Yoshio Utsumi, the 141st anniversary, places the UN agency on the threshold of a new era, noting, for instance, that in the past seven years, the body had guided the landmark known as WSIS to its historic conclusion.

He recollected how world leaders gathered in Geneva in December, 2003 and in last November in Tunis with a common goal of politically backing the roadmap aimed at developing and utilizing ICTs in the service of humanity.

During this period, he pointed out that ITU’s standing as the lead agency in telecommunications and ICT was clearly recognized, which encouraged the body to expand its base; pioneering involvement of all stakeholders in the process. “Governments, technological experts, social scientists, business and civil society leaders, international organizations and grassroots workers as well as the media, have all been deeply engaged in laying the foundations of a more just, equitable and people-centred Information Society,” he declared.

And to guard against the sophisticated skills of cyber criminals, Mr. Utsumi said all stakeholders needed to develop a global culture of cyber security, requiring not only good policing and legislation but also heightened threat awareness and development of tough ICT-based counter-measures.

Nigerian experience

Obviously worried by the same issue of cyber security, the Nigerian Cyber-crime Working Group (NCWG) recently held a one-day seminar on “Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in the Digital Economy”, where the Coordinator of NCWG, Mr. Basil Udotai spelt out the essence of the seminar to include to highlight some of the major shifts occurring in the field of ICT that are likely to affect traditional IPRs and take on some noticeable trends in the ICT sector in the country with attendant implications in addition to examining the proposed computer security bill which seeks to deal with some of the cyber security issues.

However, the nation is yet to ratify the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Internet treaties.

Equally Nigeria has not done badly in the 141 years of ITU and after WSIS-05 as it has grown over 23 million subscribers and even set up a National Internet Exchange Points committee. This paved the way for the Public Private Partnership (PPP) between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN) in making access more affordable.

Honours

The first ITU World Information Society Award would today be presented to two distinguished and eminent personalities, namely President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and Prof. Muhammad Yunus, Managing Director of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh.

While President Wade’s honour was earned following the worldwide acclaim for his vision and dedication in promoting the digital solidarity agenda that led to the creation of the Digital Solidarity Fund (DSF). Prof. Yunus pioneered microcredit for the rural poor and has successfully addressed the issues of poverty eradication and development, mostly via providing wireless payphone service in the rural areas of Bangladesh.

As we celebrate …

Whilst we celebrate WISD, the nation’s cybercrime bill is already in the national assembly and is receiving advanced attention in order to help in repositioning of the country in the eyes of other nations. It should be pointed out that every cybercrime law must address key issues namely; how did the perpetrators began and what impact such has had in a given system or society, according to Udotai, but how long it would take for the bill to be passed which has stayed over four years should be a source of worry for Nigerian stakeholders.

And as rightly stated by the duo of Utsumi and Annan, cyber-security stands as stumbling block between the society and the bid to not only abridge the digital divide but also to enthrone electronic commerce globally, moreso as it concerns the Least Developing Countries (LDCs) of the world. Positive attitude to winning this war is by having a sustainable friendly environment for investment devoid of political instability and rancour.

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MTN still dumps calls - Intercellular

By Remmy Nweke

REGARDLESS of the recent ruling of a committee set up by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Intercellular Nigeria Plc has lamented the continuous dumping of its calls by Global System for Mobile (GSM) operator, MTN Nigeria.

Intercellular Nigeria is a Fixed Wireless Operator using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology, said it has met the obligation as regards to indebtedness and disconnection.

Making this disclosure in Lagos, President Intercellular Plc, Mallam Basire el-Rufai in an exclusive, said, “As I am taking to you, they (MTN) are still dumping our traffic from the south. You cannot get Intercellular Lagos from MTN Port Harcourt.”

Stressing that Intercellular “bound traffics are being dumped”.

According to him, when subscribers dial Intercellular numbers from Port Harcourt it would tell them that the number is not recognized.

“That’s called call dumping, which is anti-competitive behaviour,” he asserted.

Emphasising that the implication is to make life unbearable on the network capable of inducing hatred of a particular network, saying it is a systematic way of creating bad feelings on a network.

“It is deliberate. This situation has been on for three years,” he decried.

On the way out of he woods, Mallam el-Rufai called on the regulatory authority, NCC to live upto expectations by ensuring that when operators are called to order like in the case of Intercellular and MTN, it would be upheld.

“NCC should not be selective thus allowing some networks to operate as if they are above the law,” he said, even as they could not behave similarly in their country of origin, South Africa.

He further urged for application of common sense, understanding and maturity among telecom operators in the country.

As said by Intercellular boss, his firm even during the trouble became public knowledge has been meeting its obligation but it has been one way.

“You could get on but you could not get them (MTN),” he submitted.

However, efforts to clarify the situation from MTN did not yield fruit as the External Relations Manager, Mr. Andrew Okeleke, confirmed receiving our Short Messaging Service (SMS) in a follow up telephone chat, but promised to get back to correspondent before the day runs off, as at the time of going to the press Monday night.

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DBI, Nekede Poly to sign MoU

By Remmy Nweke

International centre for communications studies, Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) Abuja, would tomorrow, Thursday sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri Imo State.

Head, Research, Education and Curriculum Development at DBI, Dr. Idika Ochaa, disclosed this in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online, said that the MoU to be signed at DBI premises at Utako District Abuja, would be graced by the Minister of Education, Mrs. Chinwe Obaji and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Vice Chancellors of Federal and States university, rectors of federal and states polytechnic among stakeholders in the education sector.

While the signing team from DBI would be led by institute’s Director, Dr. Olasupo Ogunfemi, Rector Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, Mr. O. I. Nwankwo would lead the team that would stand in for Nekede Poly.

ITRealms Online recalled that recently a 31-member delegation from the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in United States, paid a one-day visit to the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Abuja.

The team, which was received on arrival at DBI by its chief executive, Dr. Ogunfemi, was accompanied by the EVC of NCC Dr. Ndukwe and some senior members of staff at DBI, directors as well as commissioners from NCC.

DBI, which is approaching its two-year is an initiative by NCC to curb lack of capacity building for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the country and beyond.

Dr. Ogunfemi who revealed the visit to newsmen in Lagos, said though the delegates were led by a Nigerian in diaspora based in United States, whose name he did not disclose, the essence was basically to find areas of co-operation between the two institutes.

Although he noted the partnership would likely toe the path of previous deals with the likes of George Washington University (GWU), Montreal Institute of Telecommunications and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

“There are other plans which are now on the pipeline,” he said.

Dr. Ogunfemi also said, DBI believes in pooling of resources, stressing that it would help to improve the students of DBI and Nigerians expertise in ICT generally.

The delegate, he said, were conducted round DBI premises to see for themselves what the institute is doing and even held some practical sessions before their departure.

DBI an initiative of NCC, is part of a larger effort by NCC to practically sustain and drive the growth trends of the nation’s telecom industry.

Equally, ITRealms Online recollects that soon after the advent of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), there was a shortage of qualified technical and managerial man-power to support the rapidly growing telecommunications industry.

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Hugtech gears up for Info Society, targets schools

By Remmy Nweke

EASTERN Nigerian based Information and Communication Technology (ICT) firm, Hugtech Information Links (HIL), has concluded plans to lift educational institutions in the country by offering trainings to reposition them for the Information Society (IS).

Chief executive, HIL, Mr. Uche Ugochukwu disclosed this to ITRealms Online, saying that the establishment of the organization, which he described as center for Information Society, came in response for the continuous need to abridge the digital divide within the nation’s academic communities.

HIL, a subsidiary of Laferri Nigeria Limited, he said, was structured to align with the international ICT capacity building organizations.

This, he noted motivated the setting up of HIL to play peculiar role in designing a comprehensive promotion and needed campaigns to ensure that Nigerians and particularly eastern part of the country benefit from this project.

According to him, HIL’s objectives have been planned to spread the benefits and features of the burgeoning Information Society among students and lecturers in the nation’s higher institutions.

“We would be involved in a number of ICT initiatives and events that promote the sector as the harbinger of the nation’s economic rebirth,” he declared.

Stressing that in a world where all students and lecturers would have easy, equal broadband and affordable access to creative potentials of ICTs, thereby increasing their academic space and create wealth with the contemporary society which has its root in ICTs.

Although the entire nation is the focus of HIL, Mr. Ugochukwu said the project is taking off from eastern part of the country, and Nsukka to be specific, explaining that over the years since 1960 when the nation got her independence that Nsukka has consistently played major role in repositioning the education subsector of the country.

In essence, he said, HIL has outlined programmes for the first celebration of World Information Society Day (WISD) as a means of carrying the Info society campaign further in Nsukka along with global ICT concerns.

The programme aimed at creating the next generation ICT leaders for the nation, he said, would place Nigeria on the Info society map.

The CEO also emphasized that HIL tends to enhance ICTs research, publication and teaching by deploying ICT values and tools, even as he pointed out that that would boost the chances of assisting the academic communities towards taking local contents online.

“We would encourage adoption of new technologies in higher education and in the academic as well as the social life of students and scholars,” he said.

HIL, he further said would engage these objectives by using various formats including publications, events, library services, that would be on or off-line respectively, just as HIL offers services in the area of domain name registration, website design, hosting and maintenance.

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Nigeria yet to ratify Internet treaties

By Remmy Nweke

Despite being a signatory to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO’s) Internet Treaties, Nigeria is yet to ratify the treaties according to the coordinator, National Cybercrime Working Group (NCWG), Mr. Basil Udotai.

Treaties are usually international agreements between two or more countries addressing specific issues of global concern. While ratification of treaties entails formal giving of consent to already endorsed agreement so as to make it binding among ratifying nations or governments and often require local legislation.

Speaking at a one-day seminar on ‘Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in the Digital Economy’ Mr. Udotai who deliberated on “The challenges of managing IPRs as Digital Rights under Nigerian Last,” informed that several years after the initial signatory to the WIPO Internet treaties, Nigeria is yet to ratify it.

He also said that the position of the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in relation to transmissions possible of infringement is still uncertain within what is obtained in the country today.

Pointing out that restriction against unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials could prove very difficult to extend to ISPs in the country.

This, he said, is so especially with the non-ratification of the WIPO Internet treaties, since Internet is a global resource, even as taking up someone on anti-circumvention provisions remains doubtful of making a good outing in the nation’s law court.

As said by the lawyer cum ICT advocate, the Copyright Act of 1988 protects computer programmes as literary works, as stipulated in Section 39 subsection 1.

As such, many vendors in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry in the country, are faced with the difficulties of how to safeguard trade secrets, usually embedded in programming codes, from employees who work to develop solutions based on these codes.

The doctrine of “Work for Hire”, he said, enables employers to have proprietary rights exclusively against everyone and specifically the employees.

Mr. Udotai also pointed out that many of IPR digital related cases are subjects currently waiting for judicial determination and pronouncement in the country.

He told participants at the first seminar to be organized by NCWG in collaboration with IPR Nigeria chapter that some dispute resolution mechanism, have been developed with peculiar regard to the domain name disputes by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

“Currently domain names on the country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD .ng) complaints could be made to NITDA,” he said.

NCWG was set up in April 2004 as a follow up to the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Illegal Online Activities, which was presided over by the National Security Advisor.

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eNowNow introduces cyber pageant

By Remmy Nweke

Electronic content provider, eNowNow.com, has introduced a cyber pageant on its site to help aspiring models and students gain international exposure and earn extra income.

Content Manager of eNowNow.com, Mr. Biodun Durojaiye, in a press statement explained that the cyber pageant is open to all Nigerian girls above the age of 18 years.

According to him, “the way it works is that visitors to our site vote for one of two contestants whose photos are served on our home page on a daily basis. Whichever of the two is voted the ‘hotter’ contestant emerges winner for that day, and now faces a new ‘challenger’ the next day.

“A contestant who wins 10 days in a row, emerges the ‘Queen’, and wins the sum of N20,000 and a modeling contract with Modela Modeling Agency.”

Mr. Durojaiye equally said girls wishing to participate should send their photos to the designated email address on the eNowNow.com site.

The cyber pageant, the first of its kind by any Nigerian site, is the latest innovation by eNowNow, and comes about two months after the web portal introduced its Celebrity Internet chat series.

The celebrity Internet chat series which made a debut on March 17, 2006, and entails bringing Nigerian newsmakers and celebrities to the eNowNow.com chatroom as guests to answer questions by Nigerians from all over the world.

The series aim, among other objectives, to deepen public discourse and helping young people find inspiration through interaction with their role models.

Some of those who have featured in the eNowNow.com guest chat series include Nollywood star personalities, Stephanie Okereke, Rita Dominic, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Richard Mofe-Damijo.

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HP lifts LBS with digital lab

By Remmy Nweke

Worldwide Information Technology (IT) solution provider, Hewlett Packard (HP) West African office has lifted the Enterprise Development Services (EDS) of the Lagos Business School, with the commissioning of a 24-seater digital laboratory in Lagos, under its Microenterprise Acceleration Programme (MAP).

The laboratory, according to the MAP Project Manager at HP West Africa, Mr. Stanley Muoneke comes with a training curriculum in addition to the smarter technology for a smarter business and certified trainers.

It is also channeled towards providing training for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at the EDS faculty of the Lagos Business School (LBS), the Nigerian campus of the Pan African University (PAU).

Speaking at the occasion, Managing Director of HP West Africa, Dr. Lloyd Atabansi, said the commissioning marks a significant paradigm shift globally and particularly for Nigeria, stressing that as SMEs continue to grow in business, the nation would grow economically as well.

HP, he noted, along with other global players in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector has been consistence in partnering with laudable projects that would help in reducing poverty and at the same time bridging the ugly trend of digital divide.

This, he said, that was why HP has been partnering with NEPAD’s e-school initiative of which it recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to assist teachers in delivering lectures to their students with modern equipments.

“All these are aimed at providing people access to technology,” he said, noting that the commissioning at EDS has added to the way HP wanted to reform the nation.

“The use of ICT in the education of both our present and future generations of economic, social, political and technology drivers,” he asserted.

Dr. Atabansi reassured on HP’s resolve to make the digital lab also known as MAP Centre a success by ensuring that relevant expertise are readily available.

Globally, he said, MAP is gaining overwhelming attention and today has over 35,000 participants per year in over 70 of such centers, even as 11 nations within the Middle East and Africa, are participating including Nigeria, which is taking part for the first time.

Also speaking, Vice Chancellor, PAU, Prof. Albert Alos lauded HP for the support so far as he assured of continuous collaboration between the two entities.

He pointed out that the partnership with HP on EDS would produce substantial knowledge for SMEs in the country, stressing that most of SMEs are afraid of computer keyboards and “once they know what keys to press they would make good of it”.

Explaining further, Mr. Muoneke said that MAP is a programme that presents SME’s, international and local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) training and business development service providers like EDS in communities with access to technology, enabling them to grow and manage their businesses proficiently.

According to him, HP has established alliances with leading country NGOs and local non-profit training and business development service providers like EDS, who are already working with enterprise and small businesses in communities.

He also said that the equipment contributed were based on a thorough technology assessment of the local service providers, and the selection of a unique technology solution to meet the specific needs.

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17 consolidated banks active in eTranzact

By Remmy Nweke

Online real-time payment system, eTranzact has said that it is working with 17 out of the 25 consolidated banks in the country.

Chief executive, Mr. Valentine Obi, disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos, reassuring on secure transactions on the platform.

“Currently, we are working with 17 banks and there are all compliant to the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulation,” he declared.

Although he did not list the banks, Mr. Obi also said that eTranzact’s platform is a multi-bank and multi-network transactions, hence “with eTranzact you can do your transactions from anyway; in your car, home and office”.

He pointed out that the platform was set up to be compatible with all mobile phones, just as every transaction generates text message explaining the status of the transaction, saying this must come within 50 seconds of completing the transaction, otherwise the transaction is nullified.

eTranzact, he said, allows account holders to pay for goods and services purchased from merchants, transfer funds to any bank account, cell phone, any card, pay bills, order products among others without stress.

Mr. Obi said that they are leveraging on about seven channels in offering of their services that has since spread to Ghana, Zimbabwe, and United Kingdom.

These he said, include Web via any internet browser in a secured transaction, mobile phones of any Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) operator, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) or even an analog.

In addition, eTranzact uses Point of Sale (POS), Automated Teller Machines (ATM), other mobile devices like the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and online bank branches.

The eTranzact boss equally disclosed that plans are up to extend operations to the United States and Tanzania before the end of this year.

“Before end of 2006 we would be in six countries” he said, stressing that in any country where eTranzact has a platform, it usually operates with the leading telecommunication companies and banks alike.

Setting up, he said, takes his firm less than two months to be up and running in any country where deal has been sealed.

“It took us less than two months to be up and running in Accra, Zimbabwe and a week in the UK,” he declared.

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iCell ready for W.AfriTel-06

By Remmy Nweke

MOMENTUM for this year’s West African International Telecommunications and Information Communication Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel 2006) has continued to cluster, with leading authorised distributors of several mobile handset brands, iCell General Trading LLC, ready to showcase products at the event.

iCell, which confirmed participation at this year’s exhibition would run a Nokia service outlet at the event along with other mobile phone brands on its shelf.

Marketing Director at iCell, Mr. Miran Ellahee said he is excited over the Nigerian market, which requires serious and committed distributors.

According to him, W.Afri.Tel serves as an ideal platform for iCell to prove its leading position in the handsets distribution trade especially in the country.

iCell is the biggest authorised distributor of various brands including Nokia, Samsung, Motorola and Sony Ericsson, with headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Also commenting editor-in-chief of IT & Telecom Digest, the sole Nigeria agent for Exhibition Management Services, organisers of W.Afri.Tel, Mr. Mkpe Abang, said iCell’s participation is welcomed at the event this year.

Noting it would strengthen immensely the growth of the official channel for mobile phone handsets distribution in the country.

“No doubt the grey market issue is a problem for both the manufacturers and the country. We hope that iCell’s entry into Nigeria will lead to further growth in the authorised distribution channel for the market so that cell phone users in Nigeria can enjoy the various manufacturers’ warranty and therefore be able to enjoy their phones rest assured someone will attend to them were anything to happen after purchase,” Abang said.

Equally, a new entrant into the Nigerian market, Pacific Solutions Technologies Limited, has also signed up for this year’s W.Afri.Tel, in what a top management official of the company, Mr. Jeetu Hira, described as a step in the right direction.

“Although Pacific Solutions Technologies is new in the country my own knowledge of the country, having been here for many years, confirmed to me the importance of W.Afri.Tel and we therefore are participating to announce also to Nigerians what Pacific Solutions Technologies is here to do,” he said.

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Nine Glo subscribers go home with Picanto cars

... introduces new tariffs for Classic

By Remmy Nweke

Nine winners out of the 10 lucky winners of the second draw of the Glo 180 Cars in 180 Days promo were on weekend presented their new cars in Lagos.

The tenth winner, Mrs Cecilia Lajuwomi from Okitipupa in Ondo State, was not present to receive her car.

This is coming as Glo has introduced new tariffs for its Classic subscribers bringing it to 60 kobo per second only on the network on off-peak periods including weekends. Prior to the latest change Classic subscribers pay 70 kobo per second for Glo to Glo calls and 80 kobo per second for across the networks.

The presentation ceremony was the second in the series to reward subscribers of Globacom who have remained in the telco’s phrase “loyal” to the network.

The promo, which has been invigorated to give away 180 Kia Picanto cars, 180 generators of 5kva capacity, cash and airtime totaling about N500 million, will run for six months.

The nine lucky winners who received their cars at the event include Alhaji Shehu Bawa with GSM number 08057745325, Osahon Ozemwogie, 08057305095, Nkemjika Onyido, 08057325470, Atana Eyo, 08059320941, Steven Abam from Cross River State whose number is 08052068730, Mohammed Kazir, a soldier with the Nigerian Army in Calabar with GSM number 08053181299, Mrs Bolade Olabisi Oyetunji (who had a baby two hours before her number was picked among the winning numbers) with GSM number 08055605654 and Cyprian Ibe whose GSM number is 08056082138.

The tenth winner, Mrs Lajuwomi from Okitipupa in Ondo State, with GSM number 08054537778 did not believe she had won a car and as such refused to attend the event, despite calls to her phone in the course of the presentation.

Executive Director, Legal Services, Globacom, Mrs Gladys Talabi noted that the entry qualification for subsequent draws had been reduced to make more subscribers to benefit. “Now, subscribers have to only recharge with N1,000, that is, thirty days before the draw, instead of the former benchmark of N1,500, thirty days before the draw”, she said.

In a related development and determined to drive down the cost of tariffs in the country, Glo Mobile has lowered its tariffs for the Glo Classic subscribers.

The new tariff introduced weekend, would enable Glo Classic subs to make calls for as low as 60 kobo per second, but only on the network and between 10pm and 6.59 am.

Chief Operating Officer, (COO) at Globacom, Mr. Mohamed Jameel, announced the latest tariff and said the new 60k per second rate applies to Glo to Glo calls made during off peak periods.

He defined off-peak period as “10 p.m. to 6.59 a.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on Friday night to 6.59 a.m. on Monday morning.”

Before the new tariff, Glo Mobile had charged a flat rate of 70 kobo per second for Glo to Glo calls and 80 kobo per second for calls to other networks irrespective of what time the calls were made. Significantly, the announcement of tariff reduction by Globacom came when other networks are busy increasing tariffs.

Mr. Jameel also said the introduction of lower tariffs for off-peak calls for Glo Classic subscribers sits well with Globacom’s position as the price leader in the Nigerian telecommunication industry.

“We have since inception offered the most competitive tariffs in the market and we will continue to do this. With the introduction of off peak tariffs, we have further made calls cheaper for our subscribers and empowered them to talk more,” Jameel said, stressing that Glo Classic subscribers stand to make substantial savings on their telephone budget.

“We are also helping to build relationships. Nights and weekends are periods when most calls to friends, family members and loved ones are made. The lower tariffs will enable our subscribers to communicate more with this category of people,” Jameel said.

Despite commencing operations two years after other operators, Globacom has consistently led the crashing of call tariffs and SIM card acquisition cost. It introduced the Per Second Billing system and reduced call rates from N50 per minute, which prevailed before its launch to as low as N35 per minute for on-net calls and N39 per minute for calls to other networks.

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VIA keen to increase PC diffusion

By Remmy Nweke

Constant challenges being faced by Nigeria in its quest to increase computer penetration, education and awareness among the populace may have seen a clear solution in the mold of VIA pc-1 Intrepid computing solution.

This is thanks to the increased interest of Taiwan based global leaders in the Computer chipset and platform sector, VIA Technologies, as the company has advanced plan to unveil its PC-1 in the country before end of this quarter.

Explaining this recently in Lagos was the International Marketing Specialist from VIA, Mr. Werner Du Plessis, who said that through the VIA pc-1 Initiative and its Intrepid Computing Vision, the firm is building on this initial success by creating a sustainable and highly scalable next generation VIA pc-1 System Platform Architecture.

This, he said, combines the traditional strengths of the industry standard x86 infrastructure, namely its unrivaled compatibility, flexibility, functionality, and economies of scale, with ultra low power consumption.

Additionally VIA PC-1 has rich levels of feature integration to take computing technologies beyond the traditional confines of the PC into new markets, new environments, new usage models, and new product categories.

“The VIA pc-1 initiative is borne out of the desire of VIA Technologies to get computer access to the over one billion people all over the world, with concentrated efforts within the developing countries like Nigeria, that is, what Nigeria needs to increase PC penetration,” he said.

He explained that, centered around the ultra low power and highly-integrated VIA pc-1 Processor Platforms, the VIA pc-1 System Platform Architecture includes a growing number of VIA pc-1 Intrepid Computing Reference Designs (ICRD) that have been defined to meet the most common emerging market usage models based around

These designs are in power saving PCs, Mini-PCs, power, heat and dust (PHD) appliances.

Subsequently, VIA systems, e said, are specifically designed to be rugged and resistant to the peculiarities of most developing countries.

Currently, the Intrepid Computing solution that is meant to drive the VIA pc-1 initiative, has been introduced in countries like China, India and Egypt.

“The Nigerian version of the initiative would be launched within the next two months with all Intrepid computing solutions hitting Nigeria in 45 days” he concluded.

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Siemens, Infineon unveil data converter

By Remmy Nweke

TWO German Information and Communication Technology (ICT) firms, Siemens Corporate Technology and Infineon Technologies have developed a new receiver data chip converter.

The product enables conversion of Internet data from fiber optic cables into electrical signals at what the firms described as “break-taking speed”.

Presently, highly complex and expensive modules are needed for receiving such signals and according to a joint press statement endorsed by Guido Weber of Siemens Corporate Technology, in the near future, components such as the Infineon chip, will be used for the first time, will play an essential role in increasing the performance of communications networks at reasonable cost.

Noting that the Internet is becoming increasingly popular with the global user community growing at an annual rate of twenty percent, whereas over a billion of the global populations were reported to have become addicted to the World Wide Web (www) in 2005.

However, the two firms said that in order to prevent the dense data traffic from bringing telecommunications networks to the point of collapse in the future, operators will have to make their data routes more efficient, while minimizing the cost of doing so.

Project coordinator at Siemens Corporate Technology in Munich, Dr. Rainer H. Derksen, was quoted as saying that achieving this will require new cost-effective, high-tech modules and one such module, now existing as a prototype is the result of the cooperative project “Demonstrator for 80-Gbit/s direct receivers with electrical time division demultiplex” funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research and carried out by Siemens Corporate Technology (CT) and the Siemens Communications Group (Com) in Munich together with Infineon Technologies.

The coordinator also said that this is a data receiver that processes a data volume of 107 gigabits per second on a tiny electronic chip, which he maintained is a record-breaking performance, “because up until now considerably more complex and far more expensive modules Press Presse Prensa have been necessary. 107 gigabits is approximated to the volume of the data held on two Digital Video Displays (DVDs).”

Explaining further, the Siemens official said that data usually travels along the high speed routes of the Internet in the form of a light signal, but before the data could be converted back into electrical signals at the destination point it must first be split optically into several signals with a lower data rate, each of which then has to be converted individually into electrical signals with photodiodes.

This is necessary to enable the downstream electronic systems to process the data, while photodiodes are used for the detection of optical communication signals and for the conversion of optical power to electrical power.

According to the expert, optical equipment needed for the splitting process is expensive even as more opt electronic converters are also needed, which drives up the costs enormously.

The aim of the researchers was therefore to develop a chip that receives and processes the signal from the photodiode directly. The advantage is that a chip of this type could be mass-produced relatively cheaply, and complex modules made up of several components would no longer be necessary.

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Nigeria yet to ratify Internet treaties

By Remmy Nweke

Despite being a signatory to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO’s) Internet Treaties, Nigeria is yet to ratify the treaties according to the coordinator, National Cybercrime Working Group (NCWG), Mr. Basil Udotai.

Treaties are usually international agreements between two or more countries addressing specific issues of global concern. While ratification of treaties entails formal giving of consent to already endorsed agreement so as to make it binding among ratifying nations or governments and often require local legislation.

Speaking at a one-day seminar on ‘Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in the Digital Economy’ Mr. Udotai who deliberated on “The challenges of managing IPRs as Digital Rights under Nigerian Last,” informed that several years after the initial signatory to the WIPO Internet treaties, Nigeria is yet to ratify it.

He also said that the position of the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in relation to transmissions possible of infringement is still uncertain within what is obtained in the country today.

Pointing out that restriction against unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials could prove very difficult to extend to ISPs in the country.

This, he said, is so especially with the non-ratification of the WIPO Internet treaties, since Internet is a global resource, even as taking up someone on anti-circumvention provisions remains doubtful of making a good outing in the nation’s law court.

As said by the lawyer cum ICT advocate, the Copyright Act of 1988 protects computer programmes as literary works, as stipulated in Section 39 subsection 1.

As such, many vendors in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry in the country, are faced with the difficulties of how to safeguard trade secrets, usually embedded in programming codes, from employees who work to develop solutions based on these codes.

The doctrine of “Work for Hire”, he said, enables employers to have proprietary rights exclusively against everyone and specifically the employees.

Mr. Udotai also pointed out that many of IPR digital related cases are subjects currently waiting for judicial determination and pronouncement in the country.

He told participants at the first seminar to be organized by NCWG in collaboration with IPR Nigeria chapter that some dispute resolution mechanism, have been developed with peculiar regard to the domain name disputes by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

“Currently domain names on the country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD .ng) complaints could be made to NITDA,” he said.

NCWG was set up in April 2004 as a follow up to the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Illegal Online Activities, which was presided over by the National Security Advisor.

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Investment in telecom hits N1.2 tr

… As MTN Group achieves 24m subs

By Remmy Nweke

Investments in the nation’s burgeoning telecommunications industry has reached over $10 billion, about N1,283,350,000,000 trillion, just as the growth rate per annum is expected to hit 8 million lines by the end of the decade.

This is coming as MTN Group has achieved a total of 24,185,000 million subscribers across its operations.

Communications Minister, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, made this disclosure at the official opening of the sixth Computer, Telecommunication and Office Equipment (CTO-06) exhibition and conferences in Lagos, Tuesday.

“Investment in the sector is now well over $10 billion up from only $10 million in 1999,” he declared.

He noted that the annual growth rate is expected to increase to over 8 million lines per annum by 2010 from the average growth rate of four million lines per annum since 2001.

“Thus making the country the biggest mobile market in Africa by 2010 with a penetration of 41 per cent,” he said, noting that before now, Nigeria has recorded an average growth of four million lines per annum since 2001.

Also, he said that as a result of this tremendous growth, the nation’s telecommunications sector is now regarded as one of the most lucrative for investment which is favourable to the economy.

“Thereby competing with the banking sector for second place after petroleum,” he said.

Pointing out that the improved access to telephone in the country has a positive impact on virtually all facets of life cutting across politics, social and economic activities, even as government decision-making process is now faster.

Chief Adebayo equally said, at this year’s event with theme “Leveraging Franchising for Business Growth and National Development” that government is not resting on its oars, but would continue to improve on the quality of networks and other Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure.

“We are working hard with the private sector to further improve on the identified areas of weakness,” he assured.

Also speaking, Consul General of the United States’ Consulate General Lagos, Mr. Brain Browne, said in his key note address on “Franchising – America’s key to success” that nowadays, any person who signs a contract wants to know what should be the situation in about 10 years to come without any change.

He posited that good judicial system is imperative to successful franchising in a country so as to enable businesses to thrive.

Rule of law and sound economy, he said, must be built and this would be followed by the use of technologies to drive economic growth.

The minister and Mr. Browne later declared the event opened.

In a related development, MTN Group has announced the achievement of over 24 million subscribers across its operations, which is 55 per cent year-on-year growth in subscriber numbers in its operations to 24,185,000.

This, MTN group said, represents a 4 per cent increase since the last reported period ended December 31, 2005.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Phuthuma Nhleko, MTN Group, said this record excludes operations acquired in the previous financial period, year-on-year subscriber growth which he placed at 43 per cent.

According to him, international operations of the telco recorded a total of 13,986,000 subscribers, an increase of 8 per cent since December 2005, now accounting for 58 per cent of the group’s subscriber base as at December 31, 2005, which he placed at 56 per cent.

Hence, MTN Nigeria remains the biggest of the international operations, with its closing base of 9,036,000 being 65 per cent of the group’s subscribers outside of South Africa.

“These figures reflect the development of the MTN Group into an increasingly diversified entity. The anticipated conclusion of our partnership with Investcom will accelerate this trend. We remain focused on improving performance in every operation and our regionalised management structure will support our efforts,” the CEO asserted.