Experts flay USPF over CCCs

Nigerian Information and Communications Technology (ICT) experts have flayed the conditions outlined by the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) for the setting up of about 109 Community Communications Centres (CCCs).

ITRealms Online recalls that USPF was established in pursuance of Chapter VII, Part IV of the Communications Act of 2003, by the Federal Government of Nigeria to facilitate the rapid achievement of national policy goals for universal access to telecommunications, information and communication technologies (ICTs).

Thus the Fund seeks to promote the objectives in rural and underserved areas of Nigeria based on the contribution to the national economic and social development through enhancing the universal accessibility and availability of telecommunications and ICT infrastructures and services.

Also, USPF, under the supervision of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), facilitates the provision of access to ICT services within a reasonable distance to all persons in the country and provides infrastructural development to rural and underserved areas in a non-discriminatory manner that promotes technological innovation and competition in ICT services delivery respectively.

This is in addition to ensuring that effective utilization of funds to leverage investments in rural communications supports the establishment of efficient, self-sustaining, market-oriented businesses, which will continue to expand access to ICTs on their own initiative, requiring the minimum amounts of short and long-term Fund support possible as well as the use of ICT to promote greater social equity and inclusion for all the people of Nigeria.

But reacting to the latest invitation on Request for Proposals (RFP) by the fund for CCCs, some of the Nigerian IT professionals criticized USPF for some certain clauses in the downloable RFP form which include: “Proponents are required to liaise with reputable ICT Companies such as CISCO Academy, Microsoft and UNDP to obtain materials on course contents to enhance the quality of the training to be provided in the CCCs.”

As lamented by some of them, they found the above clause disturbing, doubting however what it got to offer ICT penetration, integration and usability in a Nigerian rural community?

“No wonder we are not advancing because we tie our development to foreign contents. Easily we run out of ideas,” one of the key professionals declared.

For him, it was exciting to learn about the proposal in the first instance, but he was disgusted immediately on sighting that condition.

“I was going to participate but when I read the above, I lost interest,” he decried.
Although USPF and its parent organization, the NCC, also have some sympathizers who canvassed that the country has something to learn from the developed countries of the world as outlined in the RFP.

They argued that the Cisco curriculum, for instance, is desirable because it meets the world class standards that Nigeria as a nation aspire to, and the Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum, is free, available and relevant.

Pointing out that it is by being exposed to these world class ideas that Nigeria and her citizens could find ways to excel beyond those ideas.

“We do not need to reinvent the wheel, but we do need, as we evolve, to adapt it to our situation and circumstances,” one of the experts who identified himself as Alhaji Ajijola said.

While not holding brief for NCC, he also said that the above mentioned curricula are the perfect set of solutions, adding that NCC when compared to most Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA’s) has attempted to proffer some solutions.

“It has taken a position, it has made decisions upon which we can improve, bottom-line it is moving,” he said.

Ajijola pointed out that there are several MDA’s that have become so paralyzed with incompetence that they “cannot, have not and will not be able to even make an attempt at doing something constructive.”

According to USPF, the request for proposals is for the establishment of community communications centres (CCCs) in 109 unserved/underserved locations nationwide and has been attracting a good number of downloads running into hundreds since its upload last Tuesday.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.photo.gif


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Privacy Notice: Essentials about Google Toolbar (1)

On December 4, 2007, the management of Google reviewed its toolbar privacy notice.
In this edition, ITRealms Online is offering you, our dear reader the essentials about the latest toolbar. Please read on.

The Google Privacy Policy describes how the entity treats personal information when users like you use Google’s products and services, including information provided when you use the Google Toolbar.

In addition, the following describes Google’s privacy practices that are specific to the Google Toolbar.

Google will notify you of any material changes to this policy, and you will always have the option to use Toolbar in a way that does not send any personal information to Google or to discontinue using the Toolbar.

Information we collect:
You do not need to provide any personally identifying information in order to download and use the Google Toolbar.

Except for Toolbar features that are specifically designed to work with a Google Account, all of the features can be used without sharing any personally identifying information.

However, it is possible for data that usually contains no personally identifying information, such as search queries or page addresses, to contain such information in certain cases.

The Google Toolbar has some basic features that work automatically any time you use the Toolbar.

Other features are optional, and only operate and transmit data if you


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Galaxy to save FG N8.2 bn on ICT infrastructure

The federal government owned public limited liability company charged with harmonizing its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, Galaxy Backbone Plc, has said its projected savings for the country in the next three years is estimated to be $70 million, about N8.2 billion.

Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone Plc, Mr. Gerald Ilukwe gave this indication during his presentation at the just concluded two-day first-ever forum on ICT public infrastructure in Abuja.

He said that by setting up Galaxy, the government is bound to save $70 million annually; beginning from 2011, adding that by reinventing her mission the government would be operating a single nation-wide network infrastructure to serve all Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Galaxy, he also said, provides infrastructure and management services for all national databases and transversal applications serving government MDAs.

In addition, Galaxy, would provide connectivity and internet access to rural and underserved communities and third party customers as well as provide bandwidth requirements - space segment/SAT-3) for all government MDAs.

Based on the global best practice, Galaxy would become a common platform for addressing the connectivity and other technology imperatives of government MDAs.
Ilukwe added that Galaxy would offer national wide and Metropolitan Area Network as well as Virtual Private Network (VPN) services.

Equally, his firm tends to provide Internet and bandwidth to FGN MDAs as well as data hosting and Co-location facilities for national priority projects; Government-wide Messaging and collaboration solutions and other applications.

Galaxy Backbone network, he said, involves the National Information, Communication Education Project (NIICEP) solution, while empowering typical remote sites with the ability to support interactive distance education, eGov services, awareness programmes, tele-medicine, remote monitoring, and rural telecommunication systems.
Just as the rural telecom system would offer video, native voice, Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP), Rural Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), WiMax and Wireless Fidelity (WiFi).


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TTC Mobile launches The Missing Link

Leading manpower developers in the nation’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT), TTC Mobile Limited, has launched a new programme, tagged Nigerian Graduates and Telecom Opportunities: The Missing Link.

Managing Director and Chief Executive of the company, Mr. Akin Aregbesola who disclosed this at the weekend, said that the programme revolves around a series of seminar to be hosted by his firm for the sensitization of the populace, especially for graduates who are interested in seeking a place in the ICT sector.

“It is a series of seminar to sensitize persons interested in developing career in any of the specialized ICT positions,” he said.

Aregbesola also said that these seminars has been planned to hold at three key locations of the country, namely, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, in coming weeks.

According to him, the concept is borne out of the company’s new position as coordinator of the Training and Consulting committee of Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).

This department headed by its TTC’s Deputy General Manager, Mr. Chrysantus Okon, he said is also a member of Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN), while its training curriculum has been endorsed by yet another major telecom association, the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG).

Aregbesola said, based in the foregoing, he would personally make himself available to deliver papers at these seminars to individuals, particularly students and young graduates, who aspire to develop a career in telecom or any ICT related discipline.

He also said that such participants would win various prizes such as Laptops, phones, Internet Access, software, among others as part of TTC’s incentive to motivate them to take up career in telecom.

The vision of the company, he said, is to continually train and provide manpower for the ICT industry.

“So far, the company has graduated over 2000 trainees, with many of them gaining employment with major players in ICT industry, including Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators,” he said.

Commenting further, he noted that TTC Mobile is not unaware of a quite number of challenges, consisting loss of competent staff to bigger players in the industry companies, and even some of those he described as ‘pirates’ duplicating his firm’s training materials and running their purported similar courses.

“But in spite of these, we continue to excel. We are blessed with gifted and dedicated staff who sees their personal successes attached to the success of the company,” he declared.

Emphasizing that at TTC Mobile, they have grown beyond a one man company, “We are open to ideas. We bring in consultants and experts here and there to complement our works. We take time off to retrain ourselves locally and abroad so as to remain the leader that we already are in telecom training.”


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SaveMyContact links up with Interswitch

Leading mobile phonebook backup provider, SaveMyContacts, has linked up with Interswitch Nigeria Limited, the nation’s electronic transaction switching and payment processing company.

This, the spokesperson for SaveMyContacts, Uduak Young, said, that they have completed the necessary integration of Interswitch to enable mobile phone users pay for subscription with their Interswitch cards.

“This provides a powerful additional channel to the existing Zenith Bank channel we use. Now mobile phone users wishing to join our backup service can do so online using their cards,” Young said.

Explaining that all they needed to do is by going to ‘How To Join’ at the firm’s website, www.savemycontactsng.com and follow the simple steps.

Young also said that SaveMyContacts is looking at integrating payment options that will enable people to pay the N2, 500 per annum subscription directly from their mobile phones, in the near future.

Reiterating that SaveMyContacts had earlier entered into strategic partnership with ICDL to sponsor 1, 000 graduates through a comprehensive Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programme, that would lead to the internationally recognized ICDL certification, over the next 10 years.

Equally speaking, Nkiruka Mordi of SaveMyContacts, noted that they are doing this as a pure corporate responsibility initiative.

“The eventual beneficiaries do not have to be subscribers to our service. At N2,500 per annum, the backup service is an excellent value proposition in its own right. We have just come to the conclusion that private sector must act as a catalyst in developing our human capacity, regardless of company size. Training 100 students every year is our own small contribution,” Mordi said.SaveMyContacts prides itself as the market leader in phonebook backup solutions for mobile phone users.

The service allows users to backup and access their contacts from anywhere in the world, even as users can also backup, update and download to a new handset wirelessly across General Packet Radio Service (GPRS).

ICDL (International Computer Driving License) is a leading ICT certification recognized across the world and adopted by the Federal Government of Nigeria, and equally adopted in 140 other countries as minimum standards of computer proficiency for the public service.

SaveMyContacts has since 2004, provided a reliable and secure service that allows mobile phone users to save their contacts and recover them from anywhere in the world. They can upload and download wirelessly with sync compliant phones across GPRS networks.


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eIndia invites nomination on digital learning

Indian largest event on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) also known as eIndia has opened calls for nomination into its ‘Digital Learning Awards’ due to hold later this month.

A press statement from the organizers led by the Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS), he said, aimed at maximizing the benefits of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for society and business.

“It is our pleasure to inform you that in order to recognise and acknowledge the invaluable contribution made by all forms of government, public and private sector in India to improve the education sector of the country, ‘Digital Learning 2008’ will be hosting the first ‘Digital Learning Awards’” the organizers said at the weekend.

eINDIA2008, they explained is a mega event that will showcase diverse initiatives in collective governance, education, healthcare, community management, and other participatory development programmes.

The event also is an attempt to assess the role of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in developmental programmes and to recognise the great practitioners who use ICTs for expediting sustainable development.

“With the objective for creating an inclusive and multi-stakeholder platform, Digital Learning India 2008 is actively engaging central and state government, teaching and learning practitioners, academic/research institutions, working in this domain,” part of the press statement made available to ITRealms Online read.

According to the organizers, in consideration of the appreciable contribution of individuals and institutions in the education industry and the potential of this sector to undergo phenomenal technological transformation in near future, they promised that the award ceremony would be immensely enriching for all participants.

They listed the categories to include nominations of individuals, organizations, institutions across the six award categories, including the Best Government Initiative, the Best NGO Initiative, Best Policy Initiative, Best ICT Enabled School, Best ICT Enabled University and Best Open Source Initiative.

“The award ceremony is in recognition of exemplary and innovative projects which demonstrate the use and application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in efforts towards achieving sustainable and equitable development,” they said.

In addition, they added that the award winners would be duly felicitated and honoured by development sector professionals, government officials, corporate representatives, researchers and domain experts.

As said by them, path finding projects deserving applause, recognition and replication, would be nominated for Digital Learning2008 Awards through the online or offline submission form.

The event is scheduled to hold in New Delhi, from July 29 through 31, 2008, to examine the myriad challenges that appear in ICT and education, to share and work together and to analyse assess, and create actionable plans for leading technology - enabled education.


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NIG applauds ICANN over approval of new TLDs

The Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) has applauded the management of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) over the approval of the new Top Level Domains (TLD) names.

ITRealms Online recalls that the global Internet administrator, ICANN, last week announced the approval for the introduction of new names as Internet addressing system to be published in 2009.

President of NIG, the non-profit organization focused on the penetration of Internet usage in the country, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, told ITRealms Online exclusively at the weekend that the development is a pointer to the fact that the Internet is a dynamic phenomenon, and it’s governance has to catch up with realities.

The reality, he said, is the fact that users desire more choice in there selection of domain names, since there is no technical limitation to the realisation of this demand, the governance had to respond positively.

According to him, the lesson to learn from this in Nigeria is that there must be active role in the creation and management of local Internet governance.

Stressing for example, that Nigeria ought to have expanded her second level domain names space.

“The state should be given a second level domain name, such as yobe.ng, osun.ng, anambra.ng,” he said.

Mr. Ajayi, also said that by availing states with the second level domain names, they could then administer their various domain names by accepting registrations from registrants in their states which included state agencies and individuals.

He pointed out that the liberalization of the generic top level domain name also portends further competition for the Nigeria top level domain, .ng.

With this development, he said, that Nigeria domain name users would now have more options in the international top level domains.

Therefore, Nigeria’s top level domain, he noted, has to be more competitive in terms of pricing and ease of registration to attract potential registrants.

ITRealms Online noted that the chief executive officer, ICANN, Dr. Paul Twomey, had at the end of ICANN’s 32nd meeting in Paris, France, proclaimed the approval would facilitate a whole range of new names to be introduced soon.

This follows the recommendation by stakeholders for an increased availability of names that could be used as Internet addressing system beyond the commonly used ones like .com, .org, .info to name a few.

At the moment, Internet users have a limited range of 21 Top Level Domains (TLDs) to choose from, even as this proposal allows applicants for new names to self-select their domain name so that choices become most appropriate for their customers or potentially the most marketable.

Media adviser at ICANN, Jason Keenan explained in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online that it’s expected that applicants will apply for targeted community strings such as the existing .travel for the travel industry and .cat for the Catalan community as well as generic strings like .brandname or .yournamehere.

“There are already interested consortiums wanting to establish city-based top level domain, like .nyc (or New York City, .berlin and .paris among others,” he said.

Mr. Keenan further quoted Dr. Twomey as saying that the board has accepted a recommendation from the global stakeholders that it is possible to implement many new names to the Internet, which paves the way for an expansion of domain name choice and opportunity.

Twomey highlighted that a final version of the implementation plan must be approved by the ICANN board before the new process is launched.

Thus, he said, its intended that the final version will be published in early 2009.

According to him, “The potential here is huge. It represents a whole new way for people to express themselves on the Net. It’s a massive increase in the ‘real estate’ of the Internet.”

Also commenting, ICANN’s chairman, Mr. Peter Dengate Thrush, pointed out that its one of the most exciting prospect before the current board to expand the system which is also being planned to support extensions in the languages of the world.

“This is going to be very important for the future of the Internet in Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia. The present system only supports 37 Roman characters,” Thrush said.

Upon approval of the implementation plan, it is planned that applications for new names will be available in the second quarter of 2009.

In addition, Keenan said that ICANN is not “selling” new top level domain names, noting that there will be a limited application period where any established entity from anywhere in the world could submit an application that will go through an evaluation process.

“It is anticipated that there will be additional rounds relatively soon after the close of the first application round,” he said

Emphasizing that the latest approval when on stream would ensure that trademarks will not be automatically reserved, but there will be an objection-based mechanism for trademark owners where their arguments for protection will be considered.

He stressed that the proposal came about based on the ICANN’s multi-stakeholder policy development process that served as the foundation for the process design, which involved consultation with domain name industry, trade mark attorneys, the business sector, users, governments and technicians.


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Progenics to launch 3 new Symbol solutions

RENOWNED Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions provider, Progenics Corp Limited, is set to hit the sub-sectors of the economy with the introduction of its three new products, namely the Symbols Microfinance, Symbols Investment and Symbols Financial, reports CHARLES OKOH.

These solutions scheduled for launch in Lagos on Thursday, next week, according to the Managing Director, Progenics Corp Limited, Mr. Tony Udoh, are all of the popular generic Symbols software brand and is targeted at the over 700 microfinance banks across the nation.

Mr. Udoh also said the increase in technological awareness, and the need for enhanced customer service delivery as well as the recent licensing of over 700 microfinance banks necessitated the launch.

He pointed out that the era when anything local is seen as inferior is long gone and that the essence is to bring about an understanding in the market place so that wherever Symbols is mentioned, it will be associated with Progenics.

Udoh further said the Symbols brands are being re-branded to cater for the need of the three different financial sub-sectors on offer, namely Symbols Microfinance, Symbols Investment and Symbols Financial.

Symbols, he said, is preferred as the generic name for all products relating to the banking and financial services sectors from his firm, adding that the core modules of the three variants of the applications are similarly constituted except for the module that is peculiar to the particular sub-sector it serves.

He explained, for instance, that Symbols Microfinance is a systems administration, customer information system, general ledger, customer accounting, teller operations/front office, credit management/loans, investment management and treasury, internet based customer service delivery and fixed asset management solution, among others.

On the success of Symbols brand in the capital market, Udoh said it has served as consultants to the stock exchange for over 10 years and interacting with stockbrokers and asset managers. Hence, Progenics understands the operating dynamics of the capital market and would continue to leverage on this to bear in the development of Symbols Microfinnce.

He also said the optional modules of Symbols are applicable to the three variants and could be combined in image management, credit management/loans, investment management/treasury, internet based customer service delivery, fixed asset management and asset management.

Mr. Udoh added that the product has been scaled down to meet the peculiar challenges of the micro-finance banks and that both big and small players could benefit from the package as the software is easy to use and run.

“Designed on Oracle data base 10G, the software is fully secured against hackers and fraudsters and has security details attached to hit,” he said, adding that it has secured portals that make safe the identity of user and does not allow proxies.

On the choice of Microfinance banks, he said, small and medium scale enterprises should not be shut out from technology and that as long as people use the banks, they should be carried along and their needs provided for by technology.


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You too can phone gathers momentum

A project of the African Telecommunications Foundation (ATEF) in collaboration with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) known as You Too Can Phone and You Too Can Learn initiative is gathering momentum.

Team Leader of the UNN-ATEF DEGEM Project, Dr. Emmanuel Nnama, who disclosed his in Lagos, said that the appeal is on-going to ensure that the dream becomes realty for the Nigerian populace in every part of the country.

According to him, the current plea by the partnership is the donation of N100 per Short Messaging Service (SMS) sent through any of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), namely Glo, MTN and Celtel as well as some of the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators including Starcomms and MultiLinks.

“Donate N100 by sending text by entering the word ‘Donate’ to 35056,” he urged, saying there would be a return text in appreciation for participating.

Equally, Nnama said that donors could mail any of their donations in a crossed cheque in favour of the “UNN-DEGEM project” to the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Chinedu Nebo.

He explained that the concept is to take learning, especially the higher education to the masses, including the markets and farms.

He noted that recent donation of N2.4 million by chairman of undisclosed new generation bank, has been of great help to the partnership and project.

“We have been able to progress the project to the stage now chronicled in various daily newspapers,” he said.

Dr. Nnama further solicited support from various organizations to make their donations to this project in the national interest.

“No amount is considered too small. We are also appealing to the ICT services consuming public at large,” he said.


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Yahoo! improves storage for speedy emails

Yahoo! an Internet website portal has said its storage facilities have been improved to accommodate more emails and provide speedy access.

Official of the Yahoo! Mail Team, who gave his name as Mr. Andrew, informed through the Yahoo! help bog that the firm would stop at nothing in advancing its service delivery to end users.

So, for those who may have been experiencing some difficulties in sending their mails via Yahoo!, such a poor moment is over.

According to him, Yahoo! has installed brand new hardware by doubling the performance of its mail server.

“Installed brand new hardware with double performance memory and double the processing power,” Andrew said.

While encouraging Yahoo! users to continue sending feedback, he said they would not stop reading them.

“We couldn’t help notice that some of you were concerned about the speed of Yahoo! Mail at times. We passed it onto our engineers,” he said.

This, Andrew said, means a faster Yahoo! mail for the end users.

“…all of which means a faster Yahoo! Mail for you. And please note, when we refer to “memory” we’re not talking about the storage space for messages, that’s unlimited, remember. We’re talking about the memory on the hardware at Yahoo! headquarters. The more there is, the faster Yahoo! mail can perform for you,” he assured.

Andrew went on to explain what the improvements look like in graphical form - Green is good by improved mail servers.

As said by him, the work has just been completed, “so now you can tackle your email with even greater speed and efficiency than before.”

Reiterating the readiness of the website portal he stressed, they are not stopping but would continue to work to scale up the performance.

“And don’t worry, we’re not resting on our laurels - speed and performance are something we’re committed to optimizing on an ongoing basis,” he said.

ITRealms Online recalls that Yahoo!’s main service is its website directory and search engine, just as the portal provides e-mail, instant messenger and chat rooms, personals, games, music, maps, website and photo hosting, shopping, news, among other services.

Yahoo! is a reputed single most popular website on the Internet, according to web statistics aggregator Alexa, with almost one third of Internet users visiting the main yahoo.com site daily.

Aggregated figures for Yahoo’s international sites are not publicly available, but they are estimated to total close to the main site’s traffic. Thus, two out of every three Internet users are estimated to use Yahoo! services daily.

Yahoo! is centered around its website directory and search portal, public statistics indicate that over four times as many users spend their time on the mail application than on the search application.

In fact, the mail portal is more popular than the next 30 top Yahoo! services combined. Despite its success, Yahoo! Mail has been hit hard by longtime competitor Google’s Gmail service, leading to a complete service redesign that is currently in public beta stages of development (as is Gmail).

The new Yahoo! Mail uses an Ajax-powered interface that mimics the functionality of a local email client.


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Celtel explains role in Mandela’s birthday bash

Zain Group, owners of the Pan African mobile operator, Celtel International, has explained why the telco took part in the recent events to mark the 90th Birthday of Dr Nelson Mandela in London, describing him as a world icon.

Chief Executive Officer, Zain/Celtel Group, Dr Sa’ad Al-Barrak, who gave some explanation, said the company decided to join hands with the 46664 Foundation to make the event truly a global celebration by providing many people in the continent with the opportunity to join in the merriment.

“This was made possible through its sponsorship, because of the need to accentuate the continent’s ‘positive aspect’ to the world,” a press statement from Celtel Nigeria quoted him as saying.

Al-Barrak, also said, that it’s heart warming to know that such a highly respected and exemplary figure, who stands shoulder higher than many of the world greats, is an African.

“Mandela is a world icon who has committed his life to fight for the freedom of others. Nelson Mandela has shaped the history of modern Africa. His contribution is well known and stands as an example to those who are embroiled in fighting oppression and injustice,” declared Dr Al-Barrak.

As said by him, Zain Group as a company, is equally shaping the lives of Africans through its subsidiary, Celtel International, which operates in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

He expressed the desire of the mobile group to continue to impact on how the people in the continent interact economically and socially.

According to him, Celtel is resolute about spreading the communication revolution it has started in several countries in Africa to other countries in the continent.

“We have empowered many Africans to communicate already and are extending the impact with the spread of our innovative and historic One Network to more African countries linking millions of people in the continent and offering them a truly beneficial tariff plan and convenient communication service,” he said.

Zain, a major sponsor of the Mandela 90th birthday in London, during the build up to the event, through its subsidiaries, Celtel which operates in Africa and Zain, operating in the Middle East, provided people in both regions of the world the opportunity to send text messages wishing Nelson Mandela a happy birthday.

Celtel said that money realized from the SMS campaign would soon be donated to the 46664 Foundation for combating the dreaded HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The participation of Zain and its partners also assisted in getting the live music Concert at Hyde Park on June 27, 2008 to about a billion people across the world.

During the London birthday activities, Dr Al-Barrak in the presence of officials from various Celtel operations presented Mandela traditional Arab Dhow as a mark of the great respect the mobile giant and its customers have for the former President of the republic of South Africa.

The London Birthday events clearly demonstrated the towering global influence of Mandela as many VIPs including the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, former United States President, Bill Clinton, billionaire and founder of Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson, celebrities Oprah Winfrey, Robert de Niro, and Forest Whitaker and a galaxy of music stars attended the events.


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MultiLinks gets royal blessing @ Benin

Omo N’Oba N’Edo and Oba of Benin, Oba Ereduiwa, at the weekend gave his blessing to the management team of Multi-Links Telkom Nigeria.

He gave the blessing during a courtesy visit by the MultiLinks Telkom team as part of the telco’s plans to launch its services in Benin.Multi-Links Telkom, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) telecommunications service provider, has its network spread already across 22 cities and several communities including Benin City penultimate Monday.

Speaking at the visit, the chief executive officer, Multi-Links Telkom Nigeria, Mr. Justin Ramaiya expressed pleasure in paying homage to the royal father, and described it as an important step.

“The importance we attach to this city is why I am personally here to see things for myself and pay this courtesy visit to Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin,” he asserted.

Responding, the Oba demanded to know why the name of the company is “Multi-Links,” which was promptly explained by Mr. Ramaiya, saying that the telco has many services in one, and that they do not only offer voice call services but data services as they have very high speed bandwidth for internet connection.

He, therefore, assured the Oba that Multi-Links would offer the best network based on their robust infrastructure, stressing that the telco loves to improve the quality of lives in communities where it operates, and Multi-Links Telkom will be giving out some phones to some youths to enable them earn income from offering tele-services.

On behalf of the Oba, Chief A. Edebiri, the Esogbon of Benin prayed for the brand to succeed in the city.

Edebiri, also asked the company how socially responsible they intend to be to the Benin society, emphasizing that so many companies had come to Benin to do business, but go away with the profit without contributing to the progress of the community.

In his comment, Corporate Affairs Manager, Multi-Links, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo, explained that their parent company, Telkom SA is socially responsible in South Africa and they have come to impact on the Nigerian communities as well.

Later, the CEO of Multi-Links Telkom presented the Oba with a phone pack; while the Oba, in turn, gave an art craft to him.

Additionally, the team paid a visit to the Edo State Skills Acquisition centre from the Oba’s Palace, to be part of the 7th graduation ceremony of the centre in which the first lady of Edo State, Lady Usseih Usonbor; the deputy Governor of the state, and the commissioner of women affairs, Barrister Sabirak Kassim Muhomodu were present.


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Advocates battle US Senate over telecom immunity

United States-based nonprofit advocates of digital rights, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), has galvanized telecommunications subscribers in the US to reject the proposed telecom immunity currently before the Senate.

Part of the programme to mobilize telecom subscribers included encouraging them to put a telephone call through to their Senators and electronic mails where they cannot get through with the telephone lines.

Media Coordinator, at EFF, Ms Rebecca Jeschke, informed in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online that after the fourth of July holiday, at the weekend, the Senate is expected to return to the chambers to vote on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which establishes a legal regime for “foreign intelligence” surveillance separate from ordinary law enforcement surveillance.

According to EFF, the FISA Amendments Act (FAA), a bill that would betray the spirit of 1776 by radically expanding the president’s spying powers and granting immunity to the companies that colluded in his illegal programme.

ITRealms Online recalls that the US lower House has passed the FAA bill, the bulk now stops at the Senate, as the last front left in the battle against immunity, and every vote from cloture, to the amendments, to final passage, EFF said, counts.

Therefore, EFF urged all US patriots to celebrate the Fourth of July this year by demanding that their Senators uphold the rule of law and stand up for civil liberties, by voting against the FAA and for the amendments to the bill that would eliminate or weaken its telecom immunity provisions.

They also advised telecom consumers in that country to keep their calls to legislators’ offices short and polite.

“Whether or not they agree with you, what is important is that the staffers know you are a constituent, and that you want your legislator to hold lawbreaking telecoms accountable,” EFF said.

The activists further advised that participants in the campaign simply say: “I’m a constituent and I urge you to oppose telecom immunity and the FISA Amendments Act.

As a constituent, I am very troubled that during this patriotic holiday season, the Senate appears ready to toss civil liberties and the rule of law out the window, and so I urge you to oppose telecom immunity with every vote that you have when the FISA bill comes to the Senate floor on Tuesday, July 8th.”

Further, EFF enjoined them to request their Senators to vote “YES” on the Dodd-Feingold amendment, which would strip telecom immunity from the bill entirely.

Also, vote “YES” on the Bingaman amendment, which would delay implementation of telecom immunity until after Congress has received the Inspectors General report on the president’s warrant-less surveillance programme, EFF asked.

While encouraging “NO” vote on the cloture motion to end debate on the FAA, EFF said, finally, vote “NO” on the FISA Amendments Act.

This according to EFF is an unconstitutional and dangerous bill that would radically expand the president’s spying powers and immunize the companies that helped him break the law.


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APC unveils data architecture

Global leader in critical power and cooling services, provides industry leading product, software and systems for home, office, data center and factory floor applications, APC by Schneider Electric, has unveiled data architecture.

Speaking at the event which took place in Lagos, APC by Schneider Electric’s Manager: English Speaking Area and Service Centre, West and Central Africa and Indian Ocean, Mr. Paul-Marie Dable, said that the efficiency imbedded in the data architecture has the capacity to pay for itself.

He presented how Nigerian businesses could become more energy efficient, by benefiting through partnership with APC, as well as its latest power protection products now available to the local market.

Dable said that with improved electrical efficiency within the Information Technology (IT) room or the data centre’ is now a priority for companies worldwide.

“Data centre power consumption is rapidly becoming a global issue – as both an environmental concern and a business matter. As energy costs skyrocket, IT departments are facing increased demands to bring the escalating power and cooling expenses of today’s high-density deployments under control,” he said.

Dable also explained that through the InfraStruXure solution, APC by Schneider Electric could assist local businesses in improving the electrical efficiency of their data centres in order to meet these requirements.

“The company’s local partners are also available to assist and advise Nigerian businesses on using InfraStruXure for their specific data centre needs,” he asserted.

Also he noted that APC by Schneider is currently backed by the strength, experience, and wide network of Schneider Electric’s critical power and cooling services.

APC, he said, delivers well planned, flawlessly installed and maintained solutions throughout their lifecycle.

“Through its unparalleled commitment to innovation, APC delivers pioneering, energy efficient solutions for critical technology and industrial applications,” he said.

ITRealms Online recalls that in 2007, Schneider Electric acquired APC and combined it with MGE UPS Systems to form Schneider Electric’s Critical Power & Cooling Services Business Unit, which recorded 2007 revenue of $3.5 billion (€2.4 billion) and employed 12,000 people worldwide.

APC solutions include uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), precision cooling units, racks, physical security and design and management software, including APC’s InfraStruXure architecture the industry’s most comprehensive integrated power, cooling, and management solution.


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DCC optimizes bank connectivity with Gilat

The communications subsidiary, Computer Warehouse Group DCC Networks in conjunction with the world’s leading provider of broadband satellite communications, networking product and services, Gilat Satellite Networks, has launched a solution that would optimize connectivity between banks and their channels branches.

Manager, Marketing and Communications at CWG, Ms Morenike Popoola, said in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online that it’s recently held E-payment seminar formed a veritable platform for the launch.

She quoted the Strategic Marketing, officer at Gilat Satellite Networks, Mr. Avi Turiels, who summarized the many communication needs of banks in his “Branch Connectivity(VoIP/Telephony, E-mail, Internet banking/intranet browsing” in what he described as the mission critical banking applications.

Some of these he listed to include transaction on Automated Teller Machine (ATM) connectivity, stock transactions, online banking applications, business support over its multicasting for software distribution/stock prices, digital signature transfer, file transfer ,server backups, video conferencing/business Internet Protocol (IPTv).

He further said that through the Gilat SkyEdge Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) product as the preferred solution because of the many advantages that includes high inbound and outbound throughput, state of the art Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Acceleration, Advanced Security Feature (AES Encryption, Embedded VPN client), High availability (advanced inbound adaptively for increased availability), Reliability-high Mean time between failures (MTBF) and High quality of voice (enhanced VoIP support).

Turiel also commended CWG for the event, describing it as “very well organised.”

Pointing out that in today’s banking world, the need to satisfy customer needs and match competition has become inevitable and cannot be over emphasized.

“Banks today are evolving and becoming better customer focused with the introduction of different service channels to making banking easy and convenient for the banking public,” he said.

And to consolidate on this, Nigerian banks, he said, should invest heavily in different applications such as core-banking application-payment applications, internet banking software; all these are aimed at making their operations and products more customer friendly, online and real time.

One major argument behind the proliferation of these channels is the need to make banking convenient and closer to the people hence these channels are widely disperse with an increasing need for reliable and efficient connectivity solution since this is required for them to function at all.

Gilat Satellite Networks is a leading provider of satellite communications products and services. For more than 20 years.

In West Africa, Gilat’s gold partner is DCC and has been at the forefront of VSAT technology and services.


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Digital disaster awaits deaf and dumb IT nations (3)

Comments:

By Chris Uwaje

We must adopt the paradigm that to be educated is to be able to read, write, and use a computer. We need to instill in the students that a Bachelors degree is no longer enough. A Master’s degree is not enough either. We must teach them that their future will be based on a lifelong learning experience.

We must recognise that the control over the means of production is no longer exclusively in the hands of a few and motivate our students to believe that they can compete internationally.

Software development offers the fastest stairway to actualization in this brave new world and we must equip as many as we can to become true knowledge workers with skills capable of attracting globally benchmarked compensation plans.

In less than 10-years, the local software industry can grow from a two million-dollar industry today to potentially a US $10 billion industry. Indeed, the software sub-sector offers a chance for a QUANTUM LEAP by achieving the following five significant applications to national growth and development:

1) As an instrument for transforming existing data and information structures into standardized databases for efficient productivity, transparency and accountability.

2) As a solid foundation and engine of economic activity and revenue generation on its own.

3) As a fundamental tool for functional and result oriented education, Research & Design & Development (RD&D) and for the promotion of Art and Culture.

4) As a friendly instrument of governance and security protection for the citizenry.

5) As a significant instrument for International Relations and competitiveness.

Our national leaders, key policy advisers, and educators must understand clearly that the new economic order will be driven primarily by information technology. To participate fully in this economy, we need first to understand its dynamics and then to consciously plan and implement policies that create the capacity to compete.

The continuing prioritization and emphasis in Nigeria on local manufacture of computers (whatever that means) almost blinds us to the contemporary reality that the significant component of the total cost of ownership of an IT solution lies in the software not the hardware. Perhaps as a consequence, we have taken so long to bring to bear the force of our industry’s lobby behind the articulation of an IT policy.

This is the knowledge Communication Age, not the Industrial Age, or even the Information Age. The country that controls knowledge and can communicate information and is able to harness and deliver it better and faster will become the super power of the 21st century.

Undoubtedly, for establishing and sustaining software exports to the emerging African markets, a vibrant domestic market is required. Market forces alone is incapable of accelerating the development of informatics knowledge technology – due to its fast pace – government must therefore bring forth the political will to shore-up I.T development.

Government is the catalyst. It is time to look at the overwhelming benefits of: e-business. e-education, e-governance and the internet. Computers and Internet connectivity in every school and colleges throughout the country within the next five years is feasible and should be implemented.

We must prepare now to begin the shift from mass consumption to mass creativity and production - applying and using information knowledge technology.

To do this, we must re-engineer the entire educational system and empower the youths with I.T Tools and facilities. We must also start now to consciously prepare for the production of a minimum of 300,000 I.T-related engineering students annually from our universities. The core attention should be placed in Mathematics, English and Statistics. Needless to state that R&D is must-have.

All the above will amount to a pipe dream, if the accelerated establishment of IT Knowledge and Software Parks with testing facilities is not established as a matter of top urgency. A Digital Research Village is urgently needed. Special grants should be given to I.T companies to re-locate their operational sites or create new branches within the vicinity of our universities – this is absolutely necessary, if we must bridge the gap of theory-only student material.

Establishment of I.T software parks and production centers nationwide should be encouraged as a matter of policy. And indeed, it is imperative that a national centre for the study of digital sciences and future societies be put in place if we must master the 21st century knowledge society dynamics and earn from its benefits embedded in the global revenue basket.

To succeed, we must act as of yesterday … today may be too late! Who will act? First is the number one citizen of the Federal republic, who delivers the political will to master the emerging storm. Others are core professionals in organizations- big or small. They include, but not limited to: Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Compliance Officer (CCO),Chief Security Officer (CSO),VP Strategy and Architecture, Director e-Commerce, Database Administrator, Data Security, Administrator, Manager Data Security, Manager Database, Manager Disaster Recovery, Manager Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity, Manager Facilities and Equipment, Manager Media Library Support, Manager Network and Computing Services, Manager Network Services, Manager Site Management, Manager Training and Documentation, Manager Voice and Data Communication, Manager Wireless Systems, Capacity Planning Supervisor; Disaster Recovery Coordinator , Disaster Recovery - Special Projects Supervisor, Network Security Analyst, System Administrator – Unix, System Administrator – Windows.

Future assignments will include, finding out the scope of works and job responsibilities of all the above players to understand the enormity of the challenges before a nations which aspires to survive in the knowledge society.


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Transcorp to inject $100m in NITEL

Transnational Corporation (TRANSCORP) Plc has said its committed to inject $100m into the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) transformation in the next four months.

Disclosing this, the Group Managing Director (GMD), Transcorp, Mr. Tom Iseghohi, disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, at an interactive session with top management of the company who pledged their loyalty to transform NITEL.

A press statement from Transcorp, Mr. Iseghohi was quoted as saying that this is one of the interim transformation plans of the company before the sale of some equity to a new core investor.

He said that the company has received commitments for the $100m required for the project.

The interim plan, he said, would not see the company completely out of the woods but is meant to reposition it to be able to attract the right kind of core investor envisaged by both Transcorp and the Federal Government.

“One of the key areas that needed a quick fix is the backbone and transmission infrastructure,” he said, adding that the current plan is expected to begin to yield result within a period of four months.

Iseghohi also said the first priority in the plan is to boost staff morale, an area which most workers of NITEL at the meeting pleaded with him to take urgent steps to address as he promised them of a new NITEL.

“Welcome to new NITEL, a NITEL where every staff is promptly paid. It is a new company where the quality of service matters and everybody works towards it,” he said, stressing that Transcorp has exercised its right to restructure the company.
“This move will return NITEL to its rightful place in the Nigerian telecom industry,” Iseghohi assured.

On why Transcorp had not fully moved into the company earlier to implement the transformation plan, the GMD said the company needed to move in gradually and carry every stakeholder along since it was not the only shareholder.

He further said that Transcorp is working assiduously to end the monthly leakage of about N1.7bn from the NITEL revenue.

Also speaking, at the interactive session, NITEL General Manager in charge of audit, Mr. Abdulkarim Momoh, said there was the need to probe the company’s investment in continental submarine cable popularly known as SAT-3.

Momoh pointed out that although SAT-3 has the capacity to generate funds to run NITEL, only a paltry part of the capacity was being utilized thereby leaving a lot that could have been tapped from the facility.


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Nigeria spent $18.7bn last year on ICT

THE Federal Government (FG) spent a total of N16 billion (about $18.7bn.) on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) last year, 2007.

The Secretary to the Federal Government (SFG) of the Federation, Amb. Baba Gana Kingibe, made this disclosure in his address to a two-day first public sector ICT infrastructure forum, held at the Yar’Adua Conference Centre, Abuja, Tuesday by his office and Galaxy Backbone Plc.

He said that analysis of the 2007 federal budget showed that a total of N12 billion was appropriated for ICT projects and services.

According to him, further N4 billion was provided for outside the budget from donors and other sources.

He also said that these expenditures did not realize the gains that are commensurate in governance and national development.

“It is this reason that a key expectation of this administration is that the operation of Galaxy Backbone Plc will lead to more cost effective ICT service delivery.

As said by him, a further analysis of ICT expenditure in the last few years revealed several instances of expensive duplication of procurements.

This, he said, could be traced to ignorance of existing infrastructure caused by lack of cohesion in planning and approval of projects.

Amb. Kingibe further said that Yar’Adua administration is characterized by thoroughness and frugality and consequently requires that all planned expenditure on ICT must first of all take cognizance of existing infrastructure and systems as well as convince government of the absolute necessity to make the desired procurements.

“Inter-ministerial or inter-agency rivalry that results in duplication of expenditure is wasteful and will not be tolerated,” he warned.

SFG, therefore urged the Budget office of the federation and Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) to always require that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) provide detailed information relating to their proposed expenditure, capital projects or recurrent.

He also enjoined Budget Office and BPP to collaborate with Galaxy to ensure that these in any ministries do not duplicate existing or reusable assets.

Kingibe pointed out that as the government deepens usage of ICT security becomes a major consideration and so critical.

“It becomes important that critical information cannot be stored or transmitted through unsecure and unprotected third party providers,” he said, stressing that another major reason why government insists that all public institutions must procure their network and internet access through the service platform operated by Galaxy


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Lagos appeals to NCC over 767 emergency number

The Lagos State governor, Mr. Raji Fashola, has appealed to the telecommunications regulator in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the Lagos State emergency number 767.

Fashola made this appeal in his address to the occasion of 400 days in office of his administration in a session with the Organised Private Sector (OPS).

According to the governor, the appeal has become imperative in the face of recent aid the state has received due to active usage of the Save Our Soul (SOS) number.

He cited an instance of a robbery attack last weekend in Lekki axis of Lagos, of which a good citizen was able to make a call through to the 767 and in matter of 90 seconds, the police anti-robbery team was at the scene and was able to forestall the activities of the underworld men.

“We urge the NCC to allow the number to remain active,” he appealed, noting that though the regulator has noted complicity in SOS number with another special number within the sector.

He also said that already, Lagos State has made representation to the federal government in that regard, and as matter of fact that the issued formed part of the agenda at the recent meeting he held with the Vice President in Abuja last Tuesday.

Fashola further enjoined the citizens and OPS members who have good ideas to make such available to his government, promising to soon make their telephone numbers, especially on the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) platform.

But solicited that whosoever want to communicate with them should endeavour to do that through Short Messaging Service (SMS).

“I would prefer the use of SMS to communicate with members of the Executive Council in this regard,” he asserted.

This, he said, is relevant to note because they also have other state matters to attend to rather than turning to arm-chair telephone operator.

“It is easy to answer calls for the next four years without anything to show for it,” he said.

Lagos State was created on May 27, 1967 by virtue of State through the Creation and Transitional Provisions Decree No. 14, which restructured Nigeria’s Federation into 12 States.

Prior to this, Lagos Municipality had been administered by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Lagos Affairs as the regional authority, while the Lagos City Council (LCC) governed the City of Lagos.

Equally, the metropolitan areas (Colony Province) of Ikeja, Agege, Mushin, Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry were administered by the Western Region.

The State took off as an administrative entity on April 11, 1968 with Lagos Island serving the dual role of being the State and Federal Capital.

However, with the creation of the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja in 1976, Lagos Island ceased to be the capital of the state which was moved to Ikeja. Equally, with the formal relocation of the seat of the Federal Government to Abuja on December 12, 1991, Lagos ceased to be Nigeria’s political capital.


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Celtel complies with NCC directive, compensates subscribers

PAN African mobile operator, Celtel, has commenced the compensation of its subscribers in Nigeria in compliance to the recent directive by the telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Confirming this development in a press statement, the Public Relations Manager, Celtel Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Otokhine said that it’s in accomplishment of the promise by the operator to pay customers the N175, (about $1.48 cents) compensation.

Otokhine also said that the exercise which began last Thursday is the initial phase of payments.

According to him, the compensation which comes in batches is a plan released last May by Celtel Nigeria, which outlined that 40 per cent of active subscribers as at January 31, 2008; for those who are still active as at 1st July, 2008, “will be compensated between last Thursday and July 15, 2008.”

The chief executive of Celtel Nigeria, Mr. Bayo Ligali, was quoted in the press statement as explaining that the objective was to sustain the integrity of the network.

Ligali also said that Quality of Service (QoS) could be compromised if every customer receives and utilizes the N175 airtime simultaneously.

Stressing that in line with the telco’s agreement with the NCC, Celtel had promised to make the payment in three batches between July 1st and August 15th, 2008.

He also explained that the first batch, 40 per cent of active subscribers as at January 31st, 2008, who are still active as at July 1, 2008) will be compensated in the period July 1 and 15, 2008.

The batch two, he said, made up of about 30 per cent of the active subscribers as at January 31, 2008 and who are still active as at July 16, 2008 and will be compensated in the period between July 16 and 30, this year.

Equally the batch three, Ligali said, would consist another 30 per cent of the active subscribers as at January 31, 2008, who are still active as at August 1, 2008. This group, he said, would be compensated in the period beginning August 1 and 15, 2008.

He restated his appreciation to the company’s over 14 million customers for their patience, understanding and continued custom and regretted the inconveniences caused by the Quality of Service challenges.

Ligali further stated that several initiatives have been embarked upon by Celtel in order to deliver on the four cardinal elements of GSM service, namely the coverage, capacity, quality and excellent customer service, have started yielding positive results.

“I make bold to say that we have significantly boosted the robustness of our network with massive generator swap outs, capacity enhancement and coverage expansion projects” he said.

He explained that Celtel’s $1 billion aggressive network rollout plan in 2008 buoyed by the 4000 km fibre-optic transmission backbone nationwide, will deliver the capacity and quality for world class operations.


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