Microsoft may opt for partial share in Yahoo!

The last may not have been heard about the Microsoft’s burning desire to own a controlling share of the reputed online search engine, Yahoo! as its official confirmed weekend that it may re-open negotiations with the new board expected to emerge after the August 1, 2008 shareholders’ meeting.

The latest move, ITRealms Online gathered would now target making in roads in the negotiations with interest for partial instead of wholesome purchase of the search engine, Yahoo! by Microsoft.

With countdown remaining just 48 hours to come by for the next shareholders meeting of Yahoo! there is unexpected high handedness as even accredited media for the meeting have been banned from recording in any format.

Anticipation is also high at Microsoft that its inspired billionaire cum activist and top shareholder in Yahoo! Mr. Carl Icahn would uphold his threat to sack the current board of directors with Mr. Jerry Yang as the chief executive.

ITRealms Online recalls that Yang-led management team at Yahoo! refused in the past six months to yield to Mr. Icahn’s Microsoft motivated deal of disposing Yahoo! for United States Dollars 47.5 billion (about N5.59 trillion).

But new development emerged at the weekend that Microsoft after all would not be gunning for a wholesome purchase of Yahoo! as it foresees the entity declining assets.

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Microsoft Corporation, Mr. Chris Liddell gave this indication at the Financial Analyst Meeting 2008 held at the company’s headquarters, last weekend.

Commenting on Yahoo! deal lately, he said that certain elements have changed in the company since its initial offer was botched few days back.

As said by him, Microsoft went into the acquisition totally genuine, which they believe was a good deal and consequently made an offer based on that belief that it is incredibly good value to the shareholders of Yahoo!

Now, he said, Microsoft has taken a second look at the proposed offer and come to the realization that it was an incredibly generous bid, but Yahoo! has continued to decline in asset.

“We took the view, and we still take the view, that Yahoo! is essentially a declining asset,” he declared.

He explained that what is now available is a situation where you have an expectation from a vendor that looks like this, an expectation from a buyer that looks the other way and so “you see a declining parallel path.”

“It’s ironic now that we have a situation where the vendor is happy to sell to us at a price something like what we originally offered, so if you like that path was intersected where we started -- and having rejected that and said it was substantially undervalued six odd months ago,” the CFO said.

He stressed that what changed was time, because “Time passed and value eroded” and its no longer economical for Microsoft.

“We don’t have a situation now where the initial offer that we made makes any sense any more from economics,” Liddell said.

“There’s no way that you can get the sort of boost that you get from Yahoo! by doing things organically …. There has to be some economic justification for acceleration at the end of the day time. And if time passes and the value of what we are buying erodes for one reason or another, it stops making sense for us to do it,” he said.

Although he did not disclose the latest offer to be made when the negotiations reopens in the coming days, Liddell noted that in view of going forward, that the chances of buying Yahoo! on full scale is now very minute.

“I think the chances of us buying Yahoo! on a full acquisition basis are so small that they are essentially negligible,” he said, adding that a full acquisition certainly in the timeframe and sort of economics that were previously thought “makes no sense.”

Meanwhile Microsoft has announced the restructuring of the Platforms & Services Division (PSD) by splitting it into two groups.

Chief executive officer, Microsoft Corporation, Mr. Steve Ballmer made this announced penultimate Wednesday after the Yahoo! deal failed.

Noteworthy is that PSD president, Kevin Johnson would be leaving the company probably by end of this month.

The new two groups that emerged from the split are Windows/Windows Live and Online Services, with both groups reporting directly to the CEO, Mr. Ballmer.

While Microsoft officials were optimistic of the Yahoo! meeting outcome, industry observers were of the view that some clusters may still be working against Microsoft due to the fear that it would want to emasculate the online business like the firm did with the Personal Computing (PC) evolution initially, which saw almost all PCs coming into market with Microsoft Operating System (OS) and now on battlefield with Open Source advocates.

Yahoo! prides itself as the world’s largest global online network of integrated services and is one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide that was founded 13 years ago.


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Privacy Notice: Essentials about Google Toolbar (4)

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UNIJOS wins Hewlett Packard’s N11.7m grant

In fulfillment of its corporate social responsibility, Hewlett Packard (HP) through the 2008 HP Technology for Teaching Higher Education Grant initiative, has presented to the University of Jos (UNIJOS), the sum of $100,000, (about N11,777,500.15) won by the institute as part of the $3.6 million to be spread across 36 universities globally.

This, HP said encompasses several elements valued approximately with cash and equipment worth $3.6 million.

Presently, only University of Jos, has benefited from the initiative cutting across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), just as other beneficiaries on the continent include the University of Makerere, Uganda and University of South Africa.

Marketing Manager, HP West Africa, Ms Ijeoma Onyiuke, said that over 250 higher institutions in the region competed under the 2008 HP Technology for Teaching Higher Education Grant out of which 36 were successful, including UNIJOS.

The grants, Ms Onyiuke said in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online, is part of the activities marking HP’s five years of commitment to innovative educators who are transforming student achievement through the use of technology in the classroom, while encouraging students career interest in technology, engineering, math and science, including environmental science.

She added that since 2004, HP has contributed a total of nearly $60 million in HP Technology for Teaching grants to more than 1,000 schools in 41 countries worldwide.

Pointing out that during the past 20 years, HP has contributed more than $1 billion in cash and equipment to schools, universities, community organizations and other nonprofit organizations around the world.

Managing Director, HP West Africa, Mr. Ime Umo, while presenting a letter for the grant to Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, Prof Sonni Tyoden, at the university campus, at the weekend, noted that the grant proposal submitted by the institution to HP for a 2008 HP Technology for Teaching Higher Education Grant has been selected for funding.

The letter read that “out of 36 Universities from Europe, Middle East and Africa that were competing, 15 have been awarded and 3 of them are in Africa. This is a concrete demonstration of HP’s commitment to support higher education in Africa and develop access to high-end information technology tools in Universities.

The HP higher education grant initiative is a catalyst for education innovation in Africa.”

The equipment within the grant include 21 HP Compaq Notebook/Tablet PCs with Microsoft Vista include 21" HP Ultra-slim Expansion Base with DVD drive, operating system, 3 HP One HP executive carrying case, HP USB optical travel mouse, one HP Designjet Printer Stand, one HP Designjet, iPAQs, one HP ProCurve Switch 408, Procurve Wireless Access Point, one Mobile Net Education Center and digital projector.

A $20,000 cash from the grant is also earmarked for the principal investigator to use to support the work of the project and also facilitate attendance at the annual HP Technology for Teaching Worldwide Higher Education Conference in San Diego, USA from 22-24 February 2009.


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Visafone rolls out in Kano

Emerging leader in the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators in the country, Visafone Communications Limited, last week rolled out in the ancient city of Kano.

Head, Corporate Communications, Visafone Limited, Mr. Toni Kan, said that Kano has joined the growing list of cities enjoying Visafone passport to connect the world.
During the launch, he said, the management team of the telco paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Kano.

The team led by the Northern Regional Head, Visafone, Mr. Taiwo Ogunkanmi, said the launch was on the heels of a test-run recently concluded in the city by the telco.
He also told the Emir that Visafone’s strategies are aimed at ensuring that Kano experiences to the fullest the joy of communications for which the company is known for.

While expressing gratitude to the monarch, Ogunkanmi said, Visafone was in Kano to help speed up economic growth and human capacity development.

Responding, the Emir of Kano said, he was aware of the company’s emergence and entrance into Kano as well as the progress the company was already making.

He promised to offer the company “any assistance you may require in Kano.”

In another development, plans are already in top gear for Visafone’s commencement of operations in the city of Zaria.

This launch is coming at a time the company is intensifying its resolve to cover the entire country with its network.

Mr. Kan, added “we are spreading the joy of communication to Zaria in fulfillment of our pledge to offer Nigerians a passport to reach the world. Zaria is strategic because it is a university town and Visafone is a very youth-centric brand.”

He recalled that Visafone launched commercial operations on February 22, 2008 in 12 states and over 100 cities.

The company has since grown its coverage area to 16 states and over 150 cities in the past 3 months in fulfillment of its promise to provide Nigerians with a veritable “passport to reach the world.”


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Phase 3, GBB others root for Convergence Forum

Second edition of the IT Edge West Africa Convergence Forum, has started to attract major industry players as technology partners.

The latest list include Phase 3 Telecom, Galaxy Backbone Plc, Nigeria eGovernment Strategies (NeGSt) Limited, and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to name a few.

Chief executive of KMI, organizers of the event, scheduled to hold in Lagos, on August 22, 2008, Mr. Segun Oruame, said that the above named entities are joining forces with the major sponsor and partner, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in pushing the frontier of knowledge in Nigeria’s boisterous telecom market of over 50 million subscribers and offshore investment in excess of $15 billion in less than half a decade.

Oruame quoted the Chief executive officer of NeGSt, Dr Olu Agunloye as saying in Abuja, that the Forum’s themes on the goals for which the NeGSt was founded including to enthrone a technology-driven society where ease of transactions will be introduced in every facet of life.

NeGSt, he said, is designed to be Nigeria’s prime eGovernment backbone infrastructure.

“This forum offers ample opportunity for NeGSt to share with the stakeholders its core values on egovernment and its mission to ensure an e-driven country,” said Alhaji Abubakar Ali, one of NeGSt directors also in Abuja while commending the NCC for its foresight in using best practices and right leadership to make the Nigerian regulatory environment one of the best on the globe.

Also speaking, director general, NARSDA, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, noted that NCC has through rare display of leadership and foresight created the right investment environment backed by a purposeful government.

“We at NARSDA are not only happy to be part of the IT Edge Convergence Forum; we are also pleased to have a great organisation such as the NCC promoting this forum,” Boroffice said.

In his part, chief executive of Phase 3 Telecom, Mr. Stanley Jegede, said his firm was part of the forum on Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) organized by KMI previously and is pleased to join forces with other stakeholders in this year’s forum.

“We have no reason to hesitate to be part of this Forum encouraged by the track record of IT Edge.

Chief, business operations at Galaxy Backbone Plc, Yusuf Kazaure, said, “We would definitely be part of this,” he said.

Additionally, Oruame informed that the Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Mr. Gerald Ilukwe is on the confirmed list of resource persons on the Infrastructure session and would be joined by his counterpart from Backbone Connectivity Network (BCN), Dr. Kwame Boakye, Mr. Jegede and Prof. Boroffice among others.

The IT Edge West Africa Convergence Forum is organized by Knowledge Media International Limited, publishers of IT Edge and www.itedgenews.com.

The event is geared at promoting the right framework for best practices and results as the technology sector evolved to its ultimate fate of convergence. The second edition follows the trail of the first edition as West Africa’s primal gathering on knowledge advancement on the key issues that affect the industry.


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CAI names 3 Nigerian distribution partners

United Kingdom (UK)-based charity organization and provider of refurbished computers in most developing countries of the world, the Computer Aid International (CAI), has named three Nigerian institutions its distributing partners.

The Programme Officer at Computer Aid West Africa, Ms. Anne Musyoki, while disclosing this recently in an exclusive chat in Lagos, gave the names of these partners as comprising Cooperative Information Network (COPINE/NITDA/FMST) located at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Center Information Technology and Development (CITAD) Kano, and Ecumenical Center for Justice and Peace (ECJP), Makurdi.

According to her, the above mentioned organizations are the authorized distribution partners in the country.

CAI, she said, currently has presence in over 105 countries of the world, which makes the organization the world largest and most experienced not-for-profit supplier of Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) equipment.

Musyoki also said that the PCs’ distribution is part of efforts towards supporting developing nations in bridging the digital divide through making inexpensive PCs available.

Further, she said that CAI has made donations to some Nigerian institutions and organizations in the last few years.

“CAI has made donations to the Cooperative Information Network (COPINE/NITDA/FMST) at Obafemi Awolowo University, the Distance Learning Centre in the University of Ibadan and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso,” Musyoki asserted.

As at end of June this year, Musyoki said, a total of 9000 Personal Computers (PCs) have been distributed to various institutions and individuals in Nigeria under the Computer Aid International (CAI) refurbished computer programme.

CAI she disclosed has dispatched over 120,000 personal computers, to where the organization felt they were most desirable in over 105 countries globally.

She pointing out that within this figure, Nigeria has already added 1000 PCs from the 8,000 recorded at the end of May, 2008.

“So far, Nigeria has received about 9,000 PCs from the Computer Aid International,’ she said, stressing that the non-government organization (NGO) is the world’s largest provider of not-for-profit computers to the developing world.

“CAI provides only the highest-quality, professionally refurbished computer for reuse in education, health and not-for profit organizations in developing countries,” she said.

And called on interested NGOs, education institutions and students in benefiting from CAI computer distributions to feel free to contact the aforementioned partners in the country.

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Netapp elevates CWL to platinum partner

The hardware subsidiary of the Computer Warehouse Group, the CWL Systems, has been elevated to platinum partner of Netapp as the firm also picked the award for EMEA Best Partner for financial year 2008, which ended in April.

This was disclosed by the chief executive officer of Computer Warehouse Group, Mr. Austin Okere after receiving the award recently at the Austria Trend Eventhotel Pyramide in Vienna.

Presenting the award and announcing the elevation, Senior Vice President, Netapp, Mr. Christian Partarrieu, said “This is in recognition of CWL’s outstanding achievements, and in appreciation of her time, efforts and commitment to Netapp in the region.”

ITRealms Online recalls that Netapp which prides herself as the foremost storage entity, has enjoyed a place of prominence in the Gartner magic quadrant, being a leader in Network Attached Storage solutions and the fastest growing in Storage Area Network, growing three times faster than the market with 2008 revenue marked $3.3 billion.

Equally, Netapp attributed the phenomenal success of the company to highly scalable and multifunction storage solutions, making applications run better, and people more efficient.

The unified replication solution of Netapp, Partarrieu noted, enables more data to be stored with less storage, thereby guaranteeing one of the industry’s best total cost of ownership.

Also speaking, Director Channel Sales, eMed & Africa at Netapps, Mr. Eli Lopez, noted that firm’s momentum is strong.

“Our strengths are perfectly lined up with key market trends and our partners such as CWL Systems are winning with us,” Lopez said.

In addition, CWL Systems has achieved Platinum Partner status with Netapp, which is the highest certification level in the Netapp partnership chain.

This, allows CWL to enjoy all the privileges of Netapp native engineers such as white papers on products, online technical support from Netapp engineers as well as more favourable commercial terms of trade.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Okere said that this recognition shall spur CWG to much greater achievements with Netapp, and shall translate to better support and pricing for her customers in Nigeria and Ghana.

CWG is an acclaimed indigenous systems integrator leader, comprising three subsidiary companies in each of the disciplines of Information and Communications Technology, namely the CWL Systems, DCC Networks and Expertedge Software.


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Omatek Plc raises N6bn, seeks channel partners

Omatek Computer Plc raised about N6 billion from the capital market following its initial public offer which ended recently, just as the firm is now seeking channel partners nationwide.

Chief executive officer, Omatek Plc, Mrs. Florence Seriki, made this disclosure at the resellers’ forum held last weekend in Lagos.

She said that the present focus of Omatek is to create channel markets by partnering with relevant resellers and mostly in form of franchising.

“We are ready to franchise with you. We want franchising in Ikeja, Ikotu and other major suburbs, cities and towns across Nigeria,” she said.

According to her, Omatek is ready to provide the partners marketing materials, training and other things that would enable them partner effectively with the company.

She appealed to the resellers most of who came from the Computer Village, Ikeja-Lagos, to patronize local computer brands like Omatek.

Pointing out that when China started, they were campaigning globally that their people should patronize them and now is Nigeria’s turn as Omatek has what it takes to meet market demands.

Omatek, she said, has a repair call centre for replacing parts when necessary and to boost this, Omatek now has an engineering subsidiary known as Omatek Engineering Services Limited.

This, subsidiary, she explained encouraged the computer manufacturer to remove the after sales service support from the Omatek brand.

She said, that the firm is looking for partners in this regard to compliment the mandate of the engineering subsidiary.

“Today, we believe that while looking for distribution partners, we are looking for after sales partners,” she said, adding that Omatek has resource centres at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Calabar among others.

Further, Mrs. Seriki revealed, that Omatek has entered into alliance with an Asian firm reputed for producing Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) and has formed partnership with Omatek Engineering Services as a joint venture.

She pointed out that Omatek Computers is not only looking for partners just in Nigeria but in the whole of the sub-region of West Africa.

She explained that Omatek also now have new management team, insisting that just as they would spread in different fields of public, banking, manufacturing and other sectors.

She maintained that the factories where Omatek buy motherboard from are the best manufacturer all over the world.

“We need to get Nigeria to the next level through products,” she said, stressing that at the 21 anniversary of the company, two notebooks – 8 and 10 inches, were added to the brand with an official launch.


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Nokia, Qualcomm agree on new deals

World leader in mobility, Nokia Corporation and Qualcomm have entered new deals to improve their various offerings at the market place.

Confirming this, Communications Manager, Nokia Nigeria & West Africa, Mrs. Ngozi Ife Anene, said that the agreement reached penultimate Wednesday would cover various standards including the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA, High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) and other technologies.

She also informed that the agreement will result in settlement of all litigation between the companies, including the withdrawal by Nokia of its complaint to the European Commission.

Under the terms of the new 15 year agreement, Nokia has been granted a license under all Qualcomm’s patents for use in Nokia mobile devices and Nokia Siemens Networks infrastructure equipment.

She stressed that Nokia has agreed not to use any of its patents directly against Qualcomm, thereby enabling Qualcomm to integrate Nokia’s technology into Qualcomm’s chipsets.

The financial structure of the settlement, she explained, include an up-front payment and on-going royalties payable to Qualcomm.

“Nokia has agreed to assign ownership of a number of patents to Qualcomm, including patents declared as essential to WCDMA, GSM and OFDMA. The specific terms are confidential,” Mrs Anene said in the press statement.

She also quoted chief executive officer of Nokia Corporation, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, in a press statement as saying that the mobile giant is positive the new deal would benefit the industry.

“We believe that this agreement is positive for the industry, enabling the market to benefit from innovation and new technologies,” Kallasvuo said.

Adding that the positive financial impact of this deal is within Nokia’s original expectations and fully reflects the leading intellectual property and market positions.

For his counterpart at Qualcomm, Mr. Paul Jacobs, “I’m very pleased that we have come to this important agreement. The terms of the new license agreement, including the financial and other value provided to Qualcomm, reflect our strong intellectual property position across many current and future generation technologies. This agreement paves the way for enhanced opportunities between the companies in a number of areas.”


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MultiLinks promises superior service

CODE Division Multiple Access (CDMA) service provider, Multilinks-Telkom has promised subscribers of superior quality of service by covering three quarter of the country before the end of 2008, reports CHARLES OKOH.

Corporate Affairs Executive at MultiLinks-Telkom Nigeria, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo made this promise during the recently held reward event for lucky subscribers on the network which took place in Lagos.

He said that Multilinks, unlike others in this category of CDMA platform, is more interested in developing infrastructure so that superior quality service is guaranteed.

Ekundayo also said the telco has invested so much in the area of transmission to avoid chaos which is the problem with many networks as there are challenges of infrastructure that cannot support the total number deployed.

“Transmission problem is handled in such a way that if you make a call anywhere it will go by one dial,” he assured, adding that the telco does not delight in announcing number of subscribers but working hard to ensure that its subscribers get value for their money.

“Multilinks does not delight in making noise, instead we are investing in infrastructure such that at the end of the day the customer will get superior quality service,” Ekundayo said.

Although he did not disclose the amount of resources expended so far on infrastructure by the operator, but added that attaining one million subscriber base under one year of being taken over by Telkom SA, is nothing to celebrate yet.

He also stated that Multilinks has covered over 30 communities in the country and that its team is working day and night to ensure that three quarter of the country will be covered before the end of the year.

“We’re in more than 30 communities in the country, as I am talking to you, we have team laying optic fibre cables all over, so that whatever amount of traffic we generate, we will not have hiccups at all,” he added.


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Celtel Nigeria appoints two new chief officers

Celtel Nigeria has appointed Messrs Tayo Bright and Norman Moyo as Chief Sales Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, respectively.

Their appointment, according to the Public Relations Manager, Celtel Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Otokhine, in a press statement, invariably makes them members of the company’s Executive Committee.

He also said that prior to his appointment Mr. Bright was the Director of Commercial Operations, while Mr. Moyo has been marketing director both at Celtel Nigeria respectively.

Otokhine explained that Mr. Bright’s new role as Chief Sales Officer, entails being responsible for all route-to-market strategies and the execution of these through the Celtel regional business structure across Nigeria.

An alumnus of the University of Ibadan, Mr. Bright joined Celtel Nigeria in 2003, and is known for his crucial role in successfully overseeing the development and deployment of company-owned consumer touch point (shops) across Nigeria; delivering sales and high quality services.

He has also contributed immensely to Celtel Nigeria’s business recovery plans and market share growth to No. 2 market position with over 15 million customers as at June 2008.

Before joining Celtel, Mr. Bright worked with Unilever as Marketing Controller in Nigeria and in South East Africa (Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi). In Unilever, he was a brand champion and innovation leader and contributed to the development of numerous mega-brands.

He was also part of the team that championed the marketing integration of all former A.J Sewards Nigeria brands into Unilever. During expatriation to South-East Africa, he pioneered the transformation of the Unilever regional HPC business into a profit-making category during his tour of duty from 1999 to 2003.

Mr. Bright has an invaluable experience in emerging and mass markets through expatriation assignments in the Asian sub continent. Married with four children, Bright is strong on consumer and trade insights and has a passion for innovation.

Relatively, Moyo joined Celtel Nigeria in 2006 and prior to his new appointment, was Marketing Director of the telco.

While in his new role as Chief Marketing Officer, Moyo would be responsible for the strategic management and growth of the segments and the delivery of the desired customer experience based on sound customer insights.

Since joining Celtel Nigeria, Moyo has distinguished himself as an aggressive marketer. He successfully led the team charged with re-branding of Vmobile to Celtel Nigeria, an exercise that was critically acclaimed as exceptional.

Born in 1973, Moyo has an extensive experience in the telecommunications industry spanning more than seven years. He started his career with Standard Chartered Bank in 1996 and later joined Econet Wireless in Zimbabwe, whereas he spent four years working as Group Head, Sales and Marketing for Cresta Hospitality, a pan African Hotel group.

He left Cresta for Celtel Zambia as Commercial Director, Sales and Marketing. While in Celtel Zambia, Moyo was part of the team that spearheaded the growth of telecommunications in Zambia from 215,000 customers to 1 million customers in 24 months.

Approving the changes, Zain Group (Celtel’s parent company) Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Saad Al-Barrak reiterated Zain’s commitment to promoting from within the right leadership with a demonstrable track record of achievement, identified through its talent management and leadership development processes.


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LTA-08 confab to hold in Abuja

THIS year’s Learning Technologies Africa (LTA) conference and exhibition has been scheduled for September 8 and 10, at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja, reports cHARLES OKOH.

A press statement endorsed by the organisers said that the LTA conference and exhibition, with the theme: Towards delivering Qualitative Education, is expected to bring together top-level buyers and leading suppliers of training products and solutions.

They also said the event would draw participants from government, and non-governmental institutions with interest in quality education delivery based on global modern technologies.

Created to provide an international showcase of practical, effective and innovative approaches to modern day delivery of education, training and lifelong learning, the LTA the organisers added, will also attract top level executives, educational and government decision makers from various parts of the world who would be meeting to share knowledge and experiences to build partnerships and together create the solutions that will respond to the educational challenges of tomorrow.

The event which will also avail exhibitors with an unrivalled range of branding opportunities, according to him, also promises increased sales, launch of new products, improved brand awareness as well as generate new customers.

With the myriad of problems confronting the continent technologically, they noted that the conference will also be reflecting on the need to reform education and training systems for the knowledge society, promoting digital literacy and e-skills, up-skilling of the workforce as well as lifelong learning for all.

Further, they listed some of the facilitators expected to include Mr. Sam Juwe of Computer and Associated Products Ltd, Mr. Serge Revet, European Institute for E-learning Champlot , France , Prof. Charles Uwadia, University of Lagos, Dr. Saidu A. Shettima, Federal College of Education (Tech), Potiskum, Dr (Mrs) Adenike Osofisan, University of Ibadan, Fathi Farah, Interpro, Solukar, Tunisia as well Chris Uwaje, Connect Technology, Lagos, amongst others.


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Ericsson’s energy-saving solutions to address climate change

World’s leading provider of telecommunications equipments, Ericsson, has said that deployment of its energy saving solutions would help in addressing climate change.

According to the Head, Corporate and Marketing Communications, Ericsson West Africa, Mr. Olabode Sowunmi Jnr, addressing the issue of radioactive emission from base stations and climate change.

He said, Ericsson has implemented a three-step process to achieving energy-efficient communications for products, sites, and networks, which include energy-optimized networks, site optimization and alternative energy sources.

Sowunmi quoted the Managing Director of Ericsson Nigeria, Mr. Leif Edwall, as saying in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online that, the telco is consistent in its offering for energy saving.

“Ericsson is constantly looking at ways of achieving energy efficiency in all its offerings, both as a cost driver and also from an innovation perspective. We are also looking at how telecommunications in itself can have broader benefits to society, and help in reducing CO2 emissions, a contributor to climate change,” he said.

Also commenting on the company’s current energy efficiency initiatives, the Customer Solutions Manager at Ericsson West Africa, Mr. Chinedum Akaniro, said, the firm currently has a number of products that add to innovative energy saving.

“We have developed a number of energy optimization innovations that reduce Total Cost of Ownership, while at the same time improving the environmental performance of mobile network growth worldwide,” he said.

Akaniro stressed that in the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) mobile networks, Radio Base Stations (RBSs) are known to be the largest volume products.

“They are the highest contributors of CO2 emissions. We have improved the energy-efficiency level of our WCDMA radio base stations by up to 80 per cent in 2008, compared with the levels in 2001,” he said.

Equally, he pointed out that recently Ericsson introduced a Base Transceiver Station Power Savings, with the feature to reduce energy consumption in mobile networks during low traffic periods by putting the radio resources of the network that are not being used into standby mode.

“As you may be aware, the Ericsson Tower Tube which has led to a 30 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions associated with construction, and a 40 percent reduction in energy consumption. These will significantly reduce their environmental impact as well as operational expenditure,” Mr. Akaniro asserted.

ITRealms Online recalls that Ericsson is also leading the push towards alternative energy sources, just as its work with biofuels and solar power are not only cutting carbon dioxide emissions, but making telecommunications available in areas where traditional power options are either unavailable or unreliable.


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Connecting the world and role of satellite industry

As many of you know, I have been passionately involved with satellites and the satellite industry myself, since my early days at university in Mali. Indeed, I was fortunate enough to spend over 11 years working with our hosts here today, Intelsat, before I moved to ICO and then to ITU in Geneva.

As the world’s largest provider of fixed satellite services, Intelsat has been hosting GTM for over 30 years, providing an unrivalled forum for bilateral trading.

I am very grateful therefore that the theme chosen for this year’s event is ‘Connect the World’ – since this is one of our principal missions today at the ITU.

At the World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS) in 2005, we committed to connecting the world’s unconnected by 2015 – bringing access to ICTs to every village on the planet.

Progress in meeting this ambitious goal to ‘Connect the World’ has been more than impressive.

Take Africa, for example. A decade ago, in 1998, there were just 20 million telephone lines serving – or indeed under-serving – the entire African continent.

Today, however, Africa has over 300 million fixed and mobile subscribers, and over 50 million Internet users.

As the Secretary-General of an organization which is ‘committed to connecting the world’, I cannot tell you how much this progress means to me.

As you know, ITU firmly believes that by connecting the world, and fulfilling everyone’s fundamental right to communicate, the world will become a better and a safer place. It will also become a more positive and more equitable place to do business.

Technologies such as Space communications and ground-based mobile communications, fibre-optics and broadband wireless have done a huge amount in a very short space of time to bring many more of the world’s people into the ICT fold, and will continue to do so.

But I believe that satellite communications must play a bigger role in bridging the digital divide and connect the underserved and remote areas to the rest of world. I was just a small boy in Mali when the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, was launched into space in 1957, and I have been a passionate believer in the power of satellites ever since.

Satellite technology can help us bridge the digital divide and meet those ambitious WSIS targets.

No other technology can so quickly achieve large-scale coverage of widely-dispersed populations, or deliver quality connectivity to remote and isolated areas. If we can connect the furthest offshore sailor at sea and the mountaineer climbing an isolated mountain peak, then surely we can also connect the world’s remaining unconnected villages as well?

It is my view that the satellite industry has too often been absent from the development sphere.

We are all aware, of course, that building, launching and operating satellites is an expensive business, and that satellite capacity has historically been too costly for many people in the developing world.

But there are now exciting initiatives underway which are destined to change all that.

Notable among these is the Global Broadband Satellite Infrastructure Initiative (GBSI), which is one of the ITU’s ‘Connect the World’ projects.

Under the leadership of the ITSO, the GBSI is a public-private partnership which aims to leverage the power of satellite technology to promote affordable access to high-speed Internet services to under-served, remote and sparsely populated areas around the world. In the short to medium-term, existing excess satellite capacity will be used.

The GBSI is particularly interesting, because it recognizes the importance of three components in achieving this goal and establishing a framework for satellite broadband service. These three components are the identification of harmonized frequency spectrum worldwide; the use of an open and global transmission standard; and the harmonization of the relevant regulatory principles.

If this can be achieved, then there is no reason why access to high-speed Internet services via satellite cannot be delivered at prices and conditions which are comparable to terrestrial broadband technologies.

There is another crucial area where satellite communications make all the difference in connecting people – as we have all seen so heart-rendingly in the past month on our television screens.

That area is emergency communications.

When a disaster occurs – such as the cyclone in Myanmar, or the earthquake in China – terrestrial networks are often damaged, but satellites continue to do their job, far off in space, keeping people connected, helping coordinate vital relief efforts, saving lives and protecting communities.

Last month ITU was one of the very first agencies to arrive in Myanmar with telecommunications resources after the cyclone hit there, and was also quick to send satellite equipment to China after the terrible earthquake on 12 May – with the rapid deployment being made possible under the ITU Framework for Cooperation in Emergencies.

Satellite communication systems can play a key role in minimizing the effects of natural disasters through remote sensing and early warning systems. In confronting the global challenge of climate change, ITU is therefore intensifying its activities in integrating ICTs into disaster preparedness. Since July last year, we have provided ICT relief services to the Americas, Africa, and Asia and Pacific regions.

Governments, international organizations and businesses all need to recognize that the world has finally moved beyond aid and charity in delivering connectivity. Long-term prosperity depends instead on mobilizing investment and business resources.

It is no crime to expect a return on investment. Indeed, quite the opposite – if a virtuous circle of investment, profit and further investment is to be created, along with jobs, sustainable development, and a thriving economy.

In closing, I would therefore like to invite you to join ITU in helping connect the unconnected, and to work together with us to ensure that the essential role and future potential of satellite communications are not neglected. That way, we can bring the undeniable benefits of ICTs to the last villages, hospitals and schools which still lack any form of connectivity.

We have set ourselves very ambitious targets, but I firmly believe they can be achieved. And the satellite industry will play a key role in helping us achieve them.

•Speech by Dr Hamadoun I. Touré, International Telecomunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General, to the INTELSAT – GTM 2008 held in Washington D.C. United States.

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Reltel rebrands to ZOOMmobile

Leading Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) in the country, the Reliance Telecommunications Limited trading under the name, Reltel Wireless has changed to ZOOMmobile, just as the pay off line is now “The wind beneath your wings … full speed ahead.”

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the company, Mr. Ken Aigbinode, disclosed this at a ceremony in Lagos, in addition unveiled its new prefix, 0707 numbering plan.

According to him, the branding pillars for ZOOMmobile is factored on affordability, dependability, innovation and service, even as the anticipated brand personalities for the new trade name is on youthful, determined, zestful, ambitious, distinct, friendly, creative and resourceful, with the telco’s mission reading “To be the leader and most preferred wireless and mobile brand in Nigeria. Become a verb.”

He also said, ZOOMmobile core values evolves professionalism, integrity, innovation, customer-centricity and one-family orientation.

ZOOMmobile brand, he said, is envisioned as a youthful, vibrant, dynamic, innovative, passionate and professional brand with a promise to offer unrivalled speed and reliability of service on our voice, internet, short messaging service (SMS) and other value-added services.

“With a keen eye on the youth market, ZOOMmobile also embodies the key attributes of knowledge, resilience and friendliness, laced with a lot of fun,” Aigbinode said.
He added that the ‘Z’ merging with ‘O’ symbolizes dynamism and speed.

“We have take care to choose colours that emphasize our brand attributes. Our colours are black, white and orange,” he said.

Equally, he explained that black represents stability, depth and maturity, while white stands for clarity and transparency, whereas orange represents change, warmth and friendliness.

“Our rebranding is deeply rooted in an evolving internal culture of service excellence,” the EVC said.

He further announced the introduction of a new numbering plan, the 0707 series, comprising 10 million lines, which means that ZOOMmobile has the privilege of introducing four digit prefix, alongside the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators.

“”The 0707 series will be deployed to drive the ZOOMmobile brand nationwide,” he said.

Daily Champion recalls that Reltel Wireless was founded 10 years ago and is noted for being the first CDMA operator to fully pay for a national spectrum covering 36 states of the federation in addition to having over 1.5 million subscribers.


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