‘NCC can’t stop sales of SIM cards’

Story of the week:

For those agitating for a stop to be put on the Subscribers Identification Module (SIM) sell by the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), there is no hope in sight as the regulator revealed weekend that such a decision cannot emanate from it.

NCC also insisted that its core mission is to ensure the extension of telecommunications services in the country and not to create bottlenecks.

The Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, gave this insight at the weekend as a guest of Saturday Sunrise on Channel Television (Tv), saying that such retrogressive directive cannot come from the commission as it does not take decision for telcos but guides them to make room for a level playing ground for all including the subscribers.

“Our mission is to extend services and not to withheld services,” Ndukwe declared.

Responding to questions on whether the commission has the powers to stop the continuous pushing of more SIM cards into the market by operators, Dr. Ndukwe pointed out, that NCC does not in any form take decisions for operating companies but tend to direct them to ensure that all stakeholders are satisfied.

He painted an analogy that one cannot stop the sale of SIM cards simply because the quality of service (QoS) seem to be degenerating in a given area, pointing out that for instance, such an idea would not go down well with some communities where services have just been rolled out and is not even in the best interest of telecommunications development, especially in an emerging market like Nigeria.

He also said that its not NCC dream that telecom tariffs would drop overnight, just as he is not expecting any telecom company to crash prices drastically because of competition, stressing that in no distance time, such telco would witness unprecedented congestion on its network.

This, he noted was what happened recently when Celtel introduced free weekend calls, which almost jammed the network and has an effect on other network operators as their own subscribers cannot also make calls through to or from the jammed network.

He emphasised that the most important thing is for the operators to ensure that they have enough capacity to accommodate their subscribers as they extend services beyond the cities, adding that it does not make economic and business sense to rollout services when the operator is fully aware that it cannot match the roll-out with sufficient capacity, because definitely there would be traffic to and fro.

According to him, what NCC is looking at for this year is the transformation from the current level of service delivery to an improved phase and would continue in this regard till end of 2008.

Also, he said, this is based on the recent presentations by the operators on their plans of action.

To this extent, he said the commission is planning to make certain the commencement of building long-distance infrastructure to drive the promotion and provide capacity for the newly introduced Third Generation (3G) services in the country.

“Another thing we’re doing this year is to build long-distance infrastructure to promote and give the capacity required for 3G and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS),” he said.

Dr. Ndukwe further said that in the area of rural telephony that many rural areas in Nigeria have been covered and even connected with the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM).

“Apart from the 42m there are many more ordinary Nigerians who have access in the rural areas,” he informed, adding that more telcos recently licensed would be launching services commercially this quarter.

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NITDA endorses Degem’s EduSoft

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has endorsed the Degem Systems education application known as EduSoft.

Giving this endorsement on behalf of NITDA recently on tour of Degem Systems in Israel, facilitated by the African Telecommunications Foundation, the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics at the agency, Dr. Moses Ubaru, disclosed that the endorsement is very vital given the kind of its course wares, which he noted are crucial for a developing country like Nigeria.

He also pledged the support of NITDA in collaborating with the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), ATEF and Degem Consortium to explore the application in the nation’s educational system.

President of Degem, Mr. Israel Asher noted that the company founded in 1969 has since become a leading IT firm with its general education division focusing on the development and production of computerized systems for education at all levels.

“From kindergarten, primary, secondary schools to adult education,” he said.

He elucidated that in this division encompasses the multi-centre, which combines different IT learning technologies, and the Degem Next, which supplies most innovative and modular systems for introduction of science and technology in schools.

Leader of the delegation and ATEF President, Dr. Emmanuel Nnama, pointed out that one of the unique systems from Degem is the Compact Mobile Unit (CMU), stressing that its a mobile teaching and learning technology that avails mobile-teaching to be delivered even in the remote areas with moveable and interchangeable training modules, audio visual modules, easy-to-use systems, and rugged systems that could survive harsh environments.

“These units make it possible for teaching to be delivered even in farms and other such locations where the students are not accustomed to normal classroom learning,” he asserted.

He further explained that CMUs could produce skilled manpower artisans in various basic trades such as agriculture, animal husbandry, agro mechanics, home agro industries, basic skills including mechanics, carpentry, electrical installation as well as health education, social services, military maintenance to name a few.

According to him, all this would take upto 72-hour credits, “thereafter, participants can become self-employable.”

Degem systems, he said, have a range of applications and technologies, which the delegation welcomed as unique and relevant for the education environment in the country.

Dr. Nnama who was a former Executive Vice Chairman, of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), hinted that the trip was funded by a philanthropist, who refused to be mentioned in the press, pointed out that the desire to apply Degem system in the country is to multiply the nation’s quest for improved educational system.

The delegation was made up of officials of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), NITDA, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), and UNN.

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Replica unveils online photo printing

Replica digital photo centre has unveiled online printing, according the Marketing Manager, Mr. Muyiwa Oduyemi.

Speaking in Lagos, Mr. Oduyemi said that the essence of the online printing medium is to make life easier for its customers to digitally access their pictures and even print them.

He described the offer as a premium product mainly targeted at busy business executives and professionals who are usually very busy as a result of job schedule.

Mr. Oduyemi also noted that Replica has revolutionized digital photography in the country, since its inception with its range of state-of-the-art equipments that have enabled customers to enjoy quality service without any delay.

He explained that with the online service both existing and prospective customers now have only to log on to the firm’s website to enjoy the printing service and other services with payment done through Automated Teller Machine (ATM) debit and credit cards.

He advised customers to either in the comfort of the home or office log on to Replica website and upload the pictures from their digital camera or scanned pictures and follow the instructions after payment has been made online.

“The good thing is that price list is also online. The customer will click on how many copies he or she wants to print and select the amount after which our automated payment system will debit the exact indicated amount from the customer’s ATM card,” he said.

Mr. Oduyemi further said that Replica has a working relationship with Interswitch, which means that the automated payment system accepts all Interswitch cards.

“Within 24-48 hours depending on where the customer lives or works in the pictures will get to the person because we also have a doorstep delivery,” Oduyemi enlighten.

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Stakeholders commend release of .ng policy-documents

Stakeholders in the nation’s Information Technology (IT) subsector have commended the release of 14 policy-documents by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).

Champion Infotel recalled that NiRA and federal government agency, the National IT Development Agency (NITDA), recently in Abuja signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the take over of the Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) by NiRA, subsequently, the association put into the public domain 14 policy-documents seeking comments from the Internet community.

Commenting on the policy documents in a chat with newsmen, some stakeholders commended the releasing of the documents into the public domain, which they said positions NiRA as truly carrying stakeholders along and organised in an open-door policy.

Some of those who spoke on the documents included the Director, Licensing at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mrs. Mary Uduma, Registrar, Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Mr. Sekiru Shehu and industry enthusiast, Mr. Tope Fashedemi.

According to Mrs. Uduma who also is the Vice President of NiRA, the recent endorsement of dotted lines by NiRA and NITDA for a successful take over of .ng management followed by the release of 14 policy-documents would enable Nigerians and Internet community precisely to contribute their quota from the beginning.

She also said that the take over would afford Nigerians to truly fly the nation’s flag on the Internet.

Nigeria, she said, has to ensure a secured but globally accepted standards for the local hosting of the ccTLD, “That is the only way to ensure transparency and stability.”

For the CPN registrar, Mr. Shehu, Nigerians must embrace the challenge posed by the long time controversies that trailed the .ng growth in the country by ensuring that they are part of the current revolution.

He also charged Nigerians and the nation’s media especially those in the core Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector to be really and actively involved so as to make the success of the input being seek by NiRA to ensure they understand the relevant needs of the policy-documents so as to contribute adequately and rightly informed the public and Internet community accurately.

Equally, Mr. Fashedemi, noted that it would give a boost to the local content as more and more Internet users are expected to push more local information into the network.

As said by him, the call for inputs on the ccTLD management policy documents should not pass any patriotic Nigerian by, because the take over is coming at an auspicious time and would significantly translate to a boom than what was witnessed at the advent of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) in 2001.

He pointed out that with the rebirth of .ng Nigerians have to rely on these domains to boost the local content which would result in cheaper Internet service provision in and for the country development.

Noteworthy is that NiRA relaxed the aspect of the policy guidelines that stipulated that domain registrants must be resident in the country.

Affirming this development, NiRA President, Mr. Ndukwe Kalu said this decision was taken by the group to enable Nigerians in Diaspora the opportunity to adequately tap into the nation’s Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD).

According to him, Nigerians in Diaspora have domains running into millions and by insisting that they must reside in the country to be able to incorporate .ng in their domain names is practically asking them to stay away.

He pointed out that NiRA has concluded strategies to contain Nigerians in Diaspora as far as ownership of domain names are concerned.

Mr. Kalu emphasized that domain names are not owned by individuals but are licensed for use, even as he enjoined Nigerian Internet community to add their voices to the policies expected to close for comments by February 29, 2008.

NiRA, he said, would post the final approved policies by March 10, this year, stressing that comments could be send via hardcopy to NiRA office or electronically by email to: policy@nira.org.ng.

These domain policy-documents consist of NiRA policy development process, domain name policy, special domain name policy, fees policy, dispute resolution policy, privacy policy and complaint policy.

Additionally, there are policies on general registration rules, registrant agreement, registrar agreement, registrar accreditation process and glossary, apart from the four-policy documents focused on good corporate governance in management of NiRA activities, namely the directors’ conflict of interest, meeting and information policies, technical infrastructure and service provider partners.

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Dell re-accredits Computer Warehouse

Dell has re-accredited the Computer Warehouse Limited (CWL) as its authorised service provider (DASP) for the year 2007 and 2008.

Corporate Affairs Manager, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), Ms Morenike Popoola, disclosed that re-accreditation was achieved based on CWL, a subsidiary of CWG consequent to passing a stringent audit of its services and support organisation, testing its ability to deliver consistent, and high quality support to Dell customers in the country.

As said by her, Dell Authorised Service Provider (DASP) licensing consist of providing customer service centres within the area, providing support services such as a helpdesk, qualified Dell licensed mobile engineers (DCSE) who could visit locations to offer on-site technical support, and who also work at the customer service centers.

General Manager, CWL, Mr. Bukola Aluko noted that the re-accreditation of the hardware subsidiary of the CWG was in affirmation of group’s great commitment to customer services, offering the ability to provide the best, comparable to international standards, and rivalling services available in Europe and the US.

“It confirms our continued successful pursuit of enhancing our relationship with giant international companies, who, in their turn, have found CWL to be the ideal partner,” he declared.

He pointed out that the DASP re-accreditation also reflects CWL’s commitment to improving the support offered to its Dell customers and the significant amount of hard work and investment that has been made to meet the standards necessary for re-accreditation.

“This re-certification also means that CWL can supply the necessary spare parts for repairing Dell equipment, such as SL & RMA, and offer same day, or next day, maintenance services,” Mr. Aluko said.

Equally, he said CWL could provide a follow-up system for the helpdesk, on-site visits and keep track of all the equipment and spare parts available at the service centres, in relation to logistics.

“All branches will be connected via the Internet and customers will have on-line follow-up facilities,” he said, stressing that CWL has been Dell local partner in Nigeria for over 12 years and has been a DASP for 10 years.

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SIDSA enters semiconductor market

Spain-based audiovisual technology provider with speciality in conditional access, digital headends and overall project management, has entered into semiconductor market.

The company information made available to Champion Infotel indicated that the forthcoming World Mobile Congress (WMC) taking off in Barcelona next Monday would be the platform for the ground entrance.

According to company sources, its Enter e1 chipset brings the best-in-class performance together with a plug and watch capability, which enables easy integration into all kind of portable television (TV) devices.

SIDSA also said that its entrance into the Digital Video Broadcasting for Handheld (DVB-H) semiconductor market with its new Enter e1 demodulator plus application processor chipset.

DVB-H would be a new technology that allows simultaneous transmission of television, radio, video, audio and Internet content to mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Personal Computers (PCs) as well as other handheld devices. Technically speaking, DVB-H is an adaptation of the digital terrestrial TV standard DVB-T, which is widely used around the world, to the requirements of a battery-powered handheld device, according www.nowwearetalking.com.

Senior Vice President, Engineering at SIDSA, Mr. Federico Ruiz, said that this new chipset, comes with current offering of Intellectual Property for DVB-H demodulator, and as a leading provider of DVB-H demodulator services SIDSA counts as Internet Protocol (IP) customers to three of the top semiconductor vendor.

He explained that the Enter e1 demodulator chipset, for instance, provides best-in class performance, especially in high-speed conditions or high spectrum operation.

The chipset targets easy integration into any device thanks to the internal memory and application processor that could handle all the heavy DVB-H stuff (PSI/SI parsing, handover, ESG parsing…) up to and excluding the user interface and video and audio playing.

“Our main objective is to enable rapid integration into any kind of DVB-H device such as mobile phones, portable media players, PDAs, among others,” he said, adding that it keeps the best-in-class performance.

Head of Business Development at SIDSA, Mr. Fernandez said, the firm is committed to mobile TV deployments and overall project management, stressing that the solutions work in real end-to-end systems.

Also, he said, the company has placed all its know-how to achieve a demodulator chipset that could work in any condition faced in real network deployments.

He listed some key characteristics of the product to include offering of full DVB-T and DVB-H support, fully MBRAI compliant thereby exceeding most MBRAI requirements while supporting all main Silicon tuners in the market and shore up 5/6/7/8 Mega Hertz (MHz) channel bandwidths among others.

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Microsoft bids N4.9tn for Yahoo!

Information Technology (IT) giant, Microsoft Corporation may have intensified its battle against competition, especially Google Inc, as the Bill Gates-led company bided $42 billion (about N4,979,520,000,00 trillion) in its desire to takeover Yahoo Incorporated.

Reports at the weekend informed that the figure bided were orchestrated because of Microsoft’s inability to topple Google single-handedly.

According to AP reports, Microsoft Corp embarked on this trip in efforts to force crippled rival Yahoo Inc. into what industry analysts foresaw as short-lived affair, dangling about $42 billion before Yahoo for a chance to combat the likes of Google, mostly on being better positioned as leader in Internet search engines.

Also, Microsoft’s audacious attempt to buy Yahoo, AP reported, spelled out in an unsolicited offer announced last Friday, showing just how much Google threatens the world’s largest software maker’s grip on the people interaction with computers.

Equally it was proclaimed that for Yahoo, the bid represents another painful reminder of how missed opportunities and mismanagement combined to open the door for Google to supplant it as the Internet’s main gateway, decimating its stock price in the process.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft is trying to avoid a similar fate at Google’s hands as more people access services and computer programmes online instead of relying on packaged software applications.

Although Microsoft remains the world’s most valuable technology company, its position will become intensively unstable unless it cultivates more loyal Internet audience globally, thereby generating more online revenue through advertisement, so as to keep the pace in subsidized free services.

Microsoft is acutely aware of the upheaval that can be caused by a pivotal shift in technology, having been the biggest beneficiary during the 1980s and 1990s of a transition from mainframe computers to personal computers that knocked IBM Corp. off its pedestal.

Sunnyvale-based Yahoo was reported to be reserved on the announcement by Microsoft until it studies the bid, carefully and promptly.

But in a press conference Friday, Microsoft Chief Executive, Mr. Steve Ballmer, showed he won’t take no for an answer after Yahoo rebuffed takeover overtures a year ago.

“This is a decision we have -- and I have -- thought long and hard about,” Ballmer said. “We’re confident it’s the right path for Microsoft and Yahoo.”

Yahoo will likely face intense pressure to accept, given its steadily sliding profits and a murky 2008 outlook that caused its stock price to drop to a four-year low earlier this week.

Industry watchers said that Microsoft’s $31-per-share offer originally valued at $44.6 billion represents a 62 per cent premium to Yahoo’s closing price late Thursday, despite it’s below Yahoo’s 52-week high of $34.08 which reached less than four months ago.

On Friday, the total value of the cash-and-stock deal fell to $41.7 billion, or $28.95 per share, because Microsoft’s shares declined on the news.

Yahoo shares soared to a split-adjusted high of $118.75 in 2000 before the dot-com bust. That peak coincidentally also was just before Yahoo gave Google its first big break by hiring it to run its search engine.

Experts described search engines as crucial tools because they have become a central hub in hugely profitable ad networks.

Reports have it that advertisers around the world are expected to double their spending on the Internet during the next three years as more people get their news and entertainment on the Web instead of television, radio, newspapers and magazines.

The trend is expected to create an $80 billion online ad market in 2010, up from an estimated $40 billion last year.

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ITAN honours Aladesulu

Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN), has honoured the Director, Information Technology (IT) Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Olufemi Aladesulu with the ITAN Performance Award and as the first Life Friend of the group.

ITAN President, Dr. Jimson Olufuye, who disclosed this in a press statement made available to Champion Infotel at the weekend, said that Dr. Aladesulu merited the award due to his outstanding contribution to the growth of the IT industry in the country and to ITAN precisely.

According to him, because of his contribution, Dr. Aladesulu has taken the apex bank to the apex level in IT applications.

“Evidently he has taken CBN to the apex level in IT applications and in the rendering on-line real-time services to the banking sector, thereby ensuring confidence in the Nigerian Economy,” Dr. Olufuye noted.

Responding after he received the award, Dr Aladesulu expressed appreciation for the honour bestowed on him, stressing that Nigeria has intellectuals that could do the nation proud if given the opportunity.

He also assured of his continuous support for the IT industry in general and ITAN in particular, and challenged all IT professionals to contribute their expertise to the growth of the country.

Dr. Aladesulu pointed out that if Japan without mineral resources could attain the second best economy in the world then Nigeria definitely has no excuse not to do better with her huge natural and human resources.

Champion Infotel recalls that Dr. Aladesulu joined the CBN in 1990, from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife; having worked earlier with the Instruction & Research Computer Centre in the United States. He is a fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), past chairman of the Credentials Committee NCS and he is a member of the Computer Professionals’ (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN).

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APC gets new board members

International network of civil society organisations (CSO) dedicated to empowering and supporting groups and individuals working for peace, human rights, development and protection of the environment, through the strategic use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) has named its new executive board members elected at the APC council meeting in Rio de Janeiro, for a three-year term with Argentina Danilo Lujambio leading the eight-man team.

The new executive board members elected last November 2007, according to a press statement from APC showed that vice chairman went to South African Jan Moolman, and Australian Andrew Garton became the secretary.

Also Uruguan Magela Sigillito took the position of the treasurer, while other members are Al Alegre – Philippines, James Nguo – Kenya, Michel Lambert – Canada and Valentina Pellizzer from Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Just as APC expressed appreciation to all the outgoing board members, namely, Olinca Marino, Mark Graham, Mihaly Bako, Danijela Babic, John Dada and Kong Sidaroth for their hard work since November 2005. We also thank former chair Natasha Primo who resigned in August 2007 in order to take a post with APC as national Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policy advocacy coordinator.

However, Mark Graham stepped in as acting chair from August to November, of which APC said his leadership throughout the process of revising APC’s bylaws and preparing for as well as chairing the council meeting “was indispensable.”

In addition, the eight-person APC executive board works with staff to produce APC’s action plan and oversees and monitors implementation.

Even as they will meet with staff in South Africa this month to draft the action plan for 2008-2012.

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8 winners emerge @ Starcomms’ BOYO

Acclaimed largest Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)-based Third Generation (3G) mobile network, Starcomms Limited, has compensated customers on the Telemax loyalty plan.

This is coming as the eighth millionaire has emerged in the initiative, known as Be- On- Your- Own (BOYO) which is aimed at giving confidence and empowerment to small business entrepreneurs to further achieve more.

Chief executive, Starcomms, Mr. Maher Qubain, said BOYO is targeted at the new tele-centre business operators as an ‘own, operate and grow’ model.

He recalled that at the first draw held last quarter produced four millionaires emerged including Miss Favour Lulobo with ticket number 17481764, Daniel Edoh – 98739910, Abass Salau and Ijeoma Iheakam from Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and Kano in that order.

According to him, additional to the four millionaires were 40 other customers’ from different part of the country went home with 20 BOYO phones with N10,000 airtime, including Zik Ubeh, Bala Isiaku- Said, Oluwakemi Adedoyin, Ruth Nwogu and others.

He also recalled that preparatory to the commencement of the promo, Starcomms’ Telemax tariff plan and Bonuzee loyalty scheme will be specific to the subscriptions sold under the BOYO promo.

As said by him, specific models of handset were earmarked and sold for N3,000 with a one-year warranty.

He pointed out that Starcomms has been organising promos aimed at empowering both their dealers and customers.

Champion Infotel recalled that Starcomms Limited, last December unveiled a new promo known as surf ‘n’ save to afford subscribers seamless and cheap internet services during the festive season of Christmas and New Year.

While announcing the promo in Lagos, Mr. Qubain said it is aimed at ensuring that customers are not disengaged from communicating or denied access to data and up-to-date information on developments around the world while retiring to different parts of the world throughout the period of festivity.

He also said that the promo expected to last till the end of the year, would enable subscribers to enjoy lower rates on the various Evolution Data Optimised (EVDO) bundles.

The EVDO MDC activation packs, he noted, have been categorized into five packages and aptly dubbed Purples One to Five, with varying validity periods ranging from one to three months.

He explained that Purple One (Purple Always ), operates round the clock with a validity of 30 days for a price of N22,950, while Purple Two (Purple Business) runs from 9am to 9pm with a validity of one month at a cost of N15,500, even as Purple Three (Purple Night) also runs from 9am to 9pm with a validity of 30 days at a cost of N13, 500.

Whereas for the Purple Four (Purple 250 Hours) operates 24 hours with 90 days validity at the cost of N23,500 and Purple Five (Purple Always (3)) has a validity of three months (90) days ,as well as available 24 hours at the cost of N47,850, just as Purple Corporate also affords subscribers 24 hours with 30 days validity at a cost of N20,650.

The CDMA 1X internet services One is available in bundles, which are categorized as Purple Always, Purple Business and Purple Night have validities of 30 days and access periods of 24 hours for Purple Always and 9am – 9pm for Purple Business and Purple Night respectively, and cost N10, 000 and N8, 000 correspondingly.

Corporate rates remain at N12, 500 per month for EVDO renewals as applicable only on the Surf Always package with minimum of five lines purchased and activated simultaneously. Bulk corporate orders will be accepted although deliveries will be made at such time the customer wishes to activate the card and subscription.

Further, he said that the 1x MDC Purple Always activation packages will be available in all Starcomms coverage areas, whereas the Purple Business and Purple Night will be available only in non-EVDO regions and cities.

“All Purple bundles will have to be sold and activated as bundle packages on all MDCs sold,” he declared.

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Registrars must submit to NiRA dispute resolution mechanism – Kalu

POTENTIAL registrars for the nation’s Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLD), .ng, must get ready to submit themselves to the dispute resolution strategies of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).

President, NiRA, Mr. Ndukwe Kalu, disclosed this last Friday in Lagos, while briefing the media on the way forward for the boosting of the nation’s ccTLD, dot ng, by Nigerians, especially now its seeking inputs on the 14-policy documents already up on NiRA website, www.nira.org.ng.

According to him a level of trust is needed from the registrars by the registrants on their ability to resolve disputes, whenever it any occurs and this means registrars must submit to NiRA’s mechanism for peaceful resolution of issues which is in line with global practices as outlined by ICANN and localised by the association.

Hence, NiRA must be satisfied with potential registrar ability to adequately adhere to this dispute mechanism without bias.

He described the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between NiRA and the National Information Technology IT Development Agency (NITDA) as a new dawn in the annals of the Internet community in the country.

“This is truly a new dawn for the Nigerian Internet Community as we enter the last stretch of putting in place the structures to support a world-class registry,” he said.

Mr. Kalu also noted that it was based on ensuring globally accepted registry that NiRA board has given full attention to four-key institutional elements, namely the NiRA secretariat, policies and procedures as well as technical infrastructure and the service provider partners including registrars and dispute resolution mechanism.

He explained that on the NiRA secretariat, plans have commenced to engage the services of a consultant to help structure the proposed secretariat and recruit the required personnel.

“Our desire is to have a structure and manpower that would highly affect all sense of professionalism,” he declared.

Mr. Kalu equally said, that the board has released the first batch of policies and procedures for public input towards the determination of the final policies.

“These would guide the operations of NiRA and its primary function of .ng ccTLD management,” he noted, adding that the policies would be available for public inputs till February 29, 2008.

As said by him, it is after this period that all inputs would be collated and presented to the executive board for final amendments and approval.

“We expect that the final approved policies would be posted by March 10, this year, at the least,” he informed.

While urging Nigerians to embrace the call for comments by NiRA, he said, contributions could be forwarded through hard copy to NiRA office or electronic mail (email) to: policy@nira.org.ng

He went on to outline these domain policies to include NiRA policy development process, domain name policy, special domain name policy, fees policy, privacy policy, complaint policy and dispute resolution policy.

In addition, he listed the policies on general registration rules, registrant agreement, registrar agreement, registrar accreditation process and glossary as contained in the policy documents.

Further, he said there are four-policy documents specifically for good corporate governance in management of NiRA activities, namely the directors’ conflict of interest, meeting and information policies, technical infrastructure and service provider partners.

He emphasised that when all this would be in place, they would help in solidifying the foundation for NiRA to function and take the nation to the desired destination.

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Reltelwireless introduces N200 recharge cards

Leading telecommunications solutions provider, ReltelWireless, has introduced a new top-up platform of N200 for its teeming subscribers in the country.

This is coming as the telco also switched on its services in the ancient cities of Kaduna and Zaria, in continuation of nationwide rollout.

Chief Commercial Officer, Reltelwireless, Mr. Fabian Uzor, informed that the telco has concluded strategies to make Kaduna the hub of its northern Nigeria operations, by extending its indisputable voice, data, Internet, and Short Messaging Services (SMS).

He also said that with ReltelWireless now in Kaduna and Zaria, the face of the telecommunication landscape in northern part of the country is billed for a better change with high-quality, ultra-fast and affordable telecommunications solutions to all.

“With the addition of these two cities; Kaduna and Zaria, we now cover 14 cities in Nigeria including Lagos, Onitsha, Awka, Asaba, Nnewi, Aba, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Owerri, Umuahia, Enugu and Ibadan,” he said.

He stressed that the plan is equally to be in all major cities and towns in Nigeria before the third quarter of 2008.

“So that our teeming subscribers can enjoy seamless voice, data, Internet and SMS pan Nigeria,” Mr. Uzor declared.

In a related development, ReltelWireless has introduced N200 recharge voucher into the market, according to the Head, Corporate Communications, Mr. Oge Udeagha.

He said that the introduction was in a move to response to the yearnings and demands of Reltel subscribers.

“As a customer-centric and customer-friendly company, Reltelwireless would stop at nothing in ensuring that the yearnings of our subscribers are met,” he said, adding that the introduction is meant to serve the specific needs of segments of the market that would ordinarily find it difficult to access the higher denomination cards.

Mr. Udeagha further said that the introduction of the low denomination vouchers re-enforces the telco’s long term positioning as the network that provides affordable telephony to all, irrespective of social or economic standing.

Champion Infotel recalls that Reltelwireless founded in 1998 prides itself as one of the foremost telecos in the country that offers fixed wireless, mobile telephony in addition to high-speed Internet and data services.

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Nokia unveils two new music-phones

World leader in telecommunications mobility, Nokia has unveils two new music and entertainment phones into the nation’s market.

The two new products are Nokia 5310 XpressMusic and Nokia 5310 XpressMusic.

General Manager, Nokia Nigeria, Mr. Fady Khatib, said that the two new mobile devices specifically built to optimised music and entertainment.

He explained that each device offers dedicated music keys, expanded memory and extended battery performance to provide quick and easy access to entertainment content, adding that the devices, which commenced shipment in the last quarter of 2007, are currently available in the Nigerian market.

According to him, the striking slim Nokia 5310 XpressMusic music phone and the iconic-designed Nokia 5610 Xpressmusic phone both offer a range of entertainment-enabled features for consumers who want their music and favourite media with them wherever they go.

“We believe these full-featured, well-designed devices will be very popular and will help bring Nokia’s music services to life,” he said.

Nokia 5310 XpressMusic , he said, comes in small size but big on music and is a sleek aluminium finish.

“The Nokia 5310 XpressMusic phone blends an array of features with an iconic design. At only 9.9 millimetre (mm) thick and weighing less than 71 grammes, the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic fits comfortably in a pocket or purse and can serve as a mini music powerhouse,” Mr. Khatib said.

Additionally, the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic, he pointed out offers up to 18 hours of music playback, memory for up to 3,000 songs on an optional 4 Gega Bytes (GB) microSD card and dedicated music keys.

“Expands listening options to music headphones or speakers with a built-in 3.5mm jack. The Nokia 5310 has a 2 mega pixel camera and a bright 2.0” QVGA screen with up to 16 million colours,” he said.

On the Nokia 5610 XpressMusic, Mr. Khatib described it as an edgy design with sharp sound.

The Nokia 5610 XpressMusic comes ready to rock with an iconic music slider key making music easy to access with a flick of the thumb.

He further said that Nokia 5610 comes with aluminium side panels accenting to the all black high gloss finish and large 2.2”, 16 million-colour display of the Nokia 5610 XpressMusic.

“The Nokia 5610 XpressMusic offers crystal clear sound and up to 22 hours of music playback and memory with capacity for 3,000 songs on an optional 4GB microSD card,” he added, noting that it’s more than just a phone and music player.

“The Nokia 5610 XpressMusic features a high quality 3.2 mega pixel camera with auto focus and dual LED flash. The Nokia 5610 XpressMusic uses Third Generation (3G) technology, and with preloaded web applications, downloads, web browsing and video calls can be made faster and easier,” Mr. Khatib asserted.

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