Akunyili divides ICT stakeholders

Stakeholders in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector in the country are currently divided by the last Wednesday’s appointment of Prof. (Mrs.) Dora Akunyili, as the new Minister of Information and Communications.

Prof. Akunyili, was until her latest appointment, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) after serving in that capacity for several years, most of which marked the greater part of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime.

Reflecting on the appointment of Prof. Akunyili, stakeholders in the nation’s ICT sector seem to be divided on the side of the divide they are, both in support and against the choice.

In a chat with the chief executive officer, Amsco Telecom Group, Mr. Ndukwe Kalu, who commended President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua for finding Prof. Akunyili worthy to serve in this ‘all important’ sector.

He hinged his reasons on a tripod, namely the Ministry, Minister and President, saying that Nigerians should look out for Prof. Akunyili to repeat her magic in NAFDAC in the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology.

According to him, Ministry-wise, it’s only entity that could advance solutions for Nigeria economically and otherwise through ICT.
Stressing with an example of India and Asia, saying that today they make more money than Nigeria.

“Look at India and Asia for ready examples. India today makes much more money than Nigeria would make even if oil was $300 per barrel,” he declared.

Kalu also noted that their revenue has not crashed with oil price falling in recent times. “We need to position our nation for the future for ICT,” he asserted.

Mr. Kalu, who is a telecom expert and President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), expressed optimism that in no time, the Ministry would transform to the much expected Ministry of Information and Communications.

“We still expect the reform to make it ICT Ministry; representing the most important ministry in these very trying times globally,” he said.

Secondly, he said, is the personality of Prof Dora Akunyili, who presently needs no introduction in Nigeria.

“When she came into NAFDAC Nigeria was in a sad state. I, for one only bought drugs from one location for fear of fake drugs that was killing us heavily. Today, we’re at a critical moment that if nothing is done to reposition Nigeria in ICT, we may go into recession that is unprecedented,” he said, stressing that he had explicit confidence in Prof. Akunyili to make it happen once more for Nigeria and Nigerians.

“She has got what it takes and with God on her side, she will make it,” he said.
The third aspect of his position was President Yar’Adua, pointing out that one thing he has going well for him, is that he means well.

“We may quarrel with his speed or choice of intervention but we agree he means well. So, for him to make this posting we would rightly assume that Mr. President means well and has a plan, an ace up his sleeve,” he said.

As said by him, when these three are combined, “I tell you that the minister and ministry to look out for is Prof Akunyili and Ministry of Information and Communications,” advising her to study critically the dynamics of this sector and how critical it is, and avoid sycophants and negative politicians but reach out to the professionals in this sector.

Another highly placed stakeholder, who does not want the names in print, told Champion Infotel that the day she was nominated, “I said she might be coming to Information.”

Describing Prof. Akunyili as a versatile person, our source beliefs she would bring life to the Ministry, due to her honesty and ever willing to learn, “so, she will be amenable to change.”

Our source also expressed the belief that what Nigeria needs now, especially in the ICT sector as the mover is the zeal and strength with which Akunyili worked while in NAFDAC.

“I personally trust God to use her to straighten a number of issues in the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications (FMIC). I wish her all the best,” our source said.

A member of the Nigerian IT Professionals in the Diaspora, who described himself as Mr. Dele, noted though he hates predicting failure, but this, was the same position he held when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss was appointed and months after it is no longer hidden that “EFCC has gone to the dogs.”

Welcoming Prof. Akunyili, Mr. Dele also noted that she did well at NAFDAC and became a doyen of the international community, but wondered if her administration at NAFDAC was a one-man show.

“If it was a one man show, then Nigerians are back to square one of using tainted drugs,” he said, expressing doubt on how far she could go, especially because the Ministry is saddled with lack of infrastructure and needs proactive approach to move the nation towards digital age.

“Wishing her all the best at the same time; her failure will not be because she lacks the will, but because of the situation on the ground and the people she might surround herself with,” Mr. Dele cautioned.

For another member of IT professionals in diaspora and chief executive officer of San Jose-based Learning Right Technologies LLC, Ms Mary (Molly) Uzoh, who pointed out that Prof. Mrs. Akunyili does not have to be a “techie” to be an efficient Federal Minister of Information and Communication.

Although she said that Akunyili is not the Minister of Science and Technology, but its necessary that technology be fused into all Federal Ministries.

“However, if the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology is not tech savvy enough to drive the infusion of technology into all the federal ministries through its tons of agencies, including the National IT Development Agency (NITDA), any extraordinary effort by any “techie” minister in Nigeria will just be a struggle,” she said.
Uzoh was very optimistic that Akunyili’s track record speaks for itself.

“Yes, Akunyili’s track record speaks for itself. No, we should not predict failure for her before she fails. Her previous assignment was not an easy one at all. In fact, she has a whole lot of “non-techie” Broken Information and Communication issues to fix in that ministry and I’m sure she is equal to the task,” she submitted.


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Security of telecom networks worries ITU

Network operators can save lives and indiscriminate punishment of law abiding citizens, only if they promptly respond to request on call log of criminal related cases for improved security, reports REMMY NWEKE.


A victim of GSM?
A roadside radio mechanic living at Mushin, a Lagos suburb, Mr. Uzor Ikenna, needed to make a few cash withdrawal for a very important family engagement, so, on Wednesday morning, he headed to a nearby branch of the bank where he maintains a savings account, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway also in Lagos.

By 11.35am, Uzor was already within the bank’s compound when he got a call on his handset and had to retrieve to outside the gate in order to answer the call, after which he was on his way back to the banking hall, when a police officer on duty accosted him, demanded for the phone, which he deposited without much ado and went in to conduct his transactions in the bank.

He was barely in when a group of armed robbers struck and carted away huge sums of money. When the robbers left, the police man came in to search of Mr. Uzor, claiming that the call he received earlier was with the robbers and placed him under arrest. He was later transferred to Panti for further investigation.

Although experts have argued that the call log could be provided by the network and investigated, the Police detained Uzor for over two weeks, to ascertain whether or not he is a member of the armed robbery gang in any form nor simply a victim of growing usage of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) services in a country like Nigeria.

Worried by telecom security lapses:
And in efforts to confront the issues of security lapses in the telecommunications sector, the global telecom regulator, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), recently made some recommendations for a secured telecommunications. ITU through the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (ITU-T), noted that security in telecommunications and Information Technology is a very salient subject.

An overview of issues and the deployment of existing ITU-T recommendations for secure telecommunications, ITU said, it could be categorized to include the basic security architectures and services, open systems security architecture, lower and upper layer security models, the security frameworks, security architecture for systems providing end-to-end communications, in addition to the fundamentals of protection: Threats, Vulnerabilities and Risks as well as the security requirements for telecommunication networks.

Basics:

On basic security architectures, experts at ITU said noted that during the communications standardization work in the early 1980s, the need to address elements of security architecture was recognized, which led to the development of the Open Systems Security Architecture (ITU-T Rec. X.800). This notwithstanding, it was recognized that this was but the first stage in the development of a suite of standards to support security services and mechanisms.

“This work, most of which was done in collaboration with International Standards Organisation (ISO), resulting in further recommendations, including security models and frameworks that specify how particular types of protection can be applied in particular environments,” ITU official said.

Additionally, our sources stressed on the need for other security architectures, such as the security architectures for Open Distributed Processing and for Systems Providing End-to-end Communications, were identified.

The recently published ITU-T Rec. X.805, according to the global regulator, addresses this need and complements other recommendations of X.800 series by offering security solutions aimed at providing end-to-end network security.

The first of the this series of communications security architectures to be standardized was ITU-T Rec. X.800, defining the general security-related architectural elements that could be applied in relation to the circumstances for which protection is required. Particularly, experts said, X.800 provides a general description of security services and the related mechanisms that may be used to provide the services.

It also defines, in terms of the seven-layer Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Basic Reference Model, the most appropriate location for implementing the security services.

Accordingly, ITU-T recommendation X.800 is concerned only with those visible aspects of a communications path that permit end systems to achieve the secure transfer of information between them. “It does not attempt to provide any kind of implementation specification and it does not provide the means to assess conformance of any implementation to this or any other security standard. Nor does it indicate, in any detail, the additional security measures may be needed in end-systems to support the OSI security features.”


Underlying concept of X.800:
Although X.800 was developed specifically as the OSI security architecture, the underlying concepts were shown to have much broader applicability and acceptance.

The standard is, therefore, particularly important as it represents the first internationally-agreed consensus on the definitions of the basic security services Authentication, Access Control, Data Confidentiality (AACDC), Data Integrity and Non-repudiation), along with more general (pervasive) services such as trusted functionality, event detection and security audit and recovery.

However, prior to X.800 there had been a wide range of views on what basic security services were required and what exactly each service would do. Emphasizing that X.800 reflects a strong, international consensus on these services.


Value and applicability:
Experts highlighted that the value and general applicability of X.800 results specifically from the fact that it represents a significant consensus on the meaning of the terms used to describe security features, on the set of security services needed to provide protection for data communications, and on the nature of those security services.

At the developmental level, ITU experts informed that the need for additional related communications security standards paved the way for work on a number of supporting standards and complementary architectural recommendations followed by the development of X.800.

These included the Lower and Upper Layer Security Models (X.802 and X.803), the purpose of which was an indication of how the security concepts developed in the Security Frameworks could be applied to specific areas of Open Systems architectures.

“The purpose of the Upper Layers Security Model (X.803) is to provide standards developers with the architectural model for the development of application-independent security services and protocols in the upper layers of 7-layer OSI model,” experts declared in the recommendation.

Noteworthy is that the recommendation provided guidance on the positioning of and inter-relationships between security services in the session, presentation and application layers.

In particular, the recommendation described how security transformation functions, such as encipherment were addressed at the application and presentation layers, additional to the concept of security exchange is introduced.

Frameworks:
The security frameworks, as said by ITU were developed to provide comprehensive and consistent descriptions of the security services defined in X.800. They are intended to address all aspects of how the security services could be applied in the context of specific security architecture, including possible future security architectures.

The frameworks, therefore, focus on providing protection for systems, objects within systems and interaction between systems, without necessarily addressing the methodology for constructing systems or mechanisms.

The frameworks address both data elements and sequences of operations, excluding protocol elements that are used to obtain specific security services, which may apply to the communicating entities of systems as well as to data exchanged between, and managed by systems.

An overview of this framework introduces the other frameworks and describes common concepts consisting of security domains, security authorities and security policies that are used in all the frameworks, thereby describing a generic data format that could be used to convey both authentication and access control information securely.

From Geneva to India:
Thus, in his message at the just concluded Hyderabad meeting in India, for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), the Secretary General, ITU, Dr. Hamadoun Toure, pointed out that IGF was created as the result of the most wide-ranging, comprehensive and inclusive debate ever held on the future of the Internet, which went through the two-phased World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) held in Geneva and Tunis, ITU proactively solicited contributions from stakeholders worldwide.

He noted that intensive preparatory went into Tunis phase of WSIS culminating in significant global consensus on the principles governing ongoing policy deliberations. This saw, eventually that the summit spoke of a breakthrough agreement on Internet governance which acknowledged the need for enhanced global cooperation.

Toure said, the need for equality of governments worldwide and application of principles of national sovereignty in each country’s management of its Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), as laid down in paragraph 35 of the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, was a highlight at the summit.


Importance of global application:
“We underlined the importance of strengthened cooperation in the development of globally applicable principles for the management of critical Internet resources. We hailed the agreement, and the creation of the IGF in accordance with paragraph 72 of the Tunis Agenda, as a turning point that would pave the way for all countries to exercise their national rights in managing their own critical Internet resources,” he said.

Expressing excitement over the progress achieved by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) over the past three years on critical issues such as security and internationalization of the Domain Name System (DNS); he underscored the fact that ITU has been very active in implementing both the letter and the spirit of WSIS commitments, which saw to the launch of the Global Cybersecurity Agenda (GCA), a global framework for international cooperation aimed at enhancing public confidence and security in the use of ICTs.

ITU’s push:
This, he said, is because children are increasingly vulnerable to the predations of cybercriminals, which motivated ITU’s recent enhancement of the GCA with the launch of its new Child Online Protection initiative, which ITU’s 2008 World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly adopted key recommendations on Internet Protocol version Six (IPv6) and on non-discriminatory access to Internet resources.

ITU Council last month created a new working group dedicated to accelerating the pace of work on Internet-related public policy issues. ITU also continues to push for faster progress in building international Internet connectivity in developing countries. Even as at last year’s ITU Connect Africa summit alone $55 billion was raised unprecedentedly in investment commitments specifically targeting regional connectivity projects.

General objectives:
In the general security objectives for telecommunications networks of these recommendations, ITU-T described the ultimate aim of the security measures taken in telecommunication networks and focuses on what security requirements achieved rather than on how it is done.

The security objectives for telecommunication networks were only for authorized users to be able to access and use telecommunication networks; access and operate on assets they are authorized to access; affords telecommunication networks to provide privacy at the level set by the security policies of the network, even as all users should be held accountable for their own but only their own actions in telecommunication networks.

Equally, ITU outlined other goals of the recommendations to include ensuring availability, and protection against unsolicited access or operations, just as it should be possible to retrieve security-related information from telecommunication networks; but only authorized users should be able to retrieve such information.

However, if security violations are detected, they should be handled in a controlled manner in accordance with a pre-defined plan to minimize potential damage. Also, after a security breach is detected, it should be possible to restore normal security levels based on certain flexibility in order to support different security policies.

Summary:
By implementing the aforementioned security measures the security objectives for telecommunication networks could be achieved via confidentiality; data integrity; surely integrity of system programmes is also required, accountability, including authentication, non-repudiation and access control; and availability.

It is necessary to provide security services and mechanisms to protect telecommunication networks against malicious attacks such as denial of service, eavesdropping, spoofing, tampering with messages such as modification, delay, deletion, insertion, replay, re-routing, misrouting, or re-ordering of messages, and repudiation or forgery.

Protection, according to experts should include prevention, detection and recovery from attacks, as well as management of security-related information, with the practical involvement of members of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), for instance.

While industry observers suggest that protection may equally include measures to prevent service outages due to natural events like weather or malicious attacks such as violent actions.

Even as they further suggested that the arrest of an individual for answering a call outside some key places like banks and few minutes later a robbery incident occur; could be traceable in terms of charging or acquitting the subscriber who answered call prior to a back robbery by way of making available its data or call traffic on a given mobile phone, and networks.


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Pragmatic unveils CyberPower inverters

PRAGMATIC Technologies subsidiary, BuyRight, has unveiled CyberPower inverters into the nation’s market.

Speaking at the unveiling held at head office of Pragmatic in Lagos, the chief executive officer, Mr. Biodun Marquis, said that the CyberPower brand of inverters come with dual purpose of serving as purely inverters and surge protectors for electronics appliances.

Marquis, who was accompanied by the Director, Sales and Marketing at CyberPower International, Mr. Gilbert Chen and senior engineer, Mr. Relics, listed some benefits of CyberPower, to include that its fuel free, noiseless, maintenance-free, automatic changeover during blackout of public power supply by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and restoration, as well as has low input DC voltage in addition to lower price entry, which makes it affordable.

According to him, CyberPower comes in 3KVA and 5KVA and uses a minimum of two and four batteries respectively.

On the features, he said, it has pure sine wave, Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR), surge protection, large intelligent display, decent enclosure with wheels and battery expansion, which could be added based on the need and budget of the end-user.
As said by him, Nigerians would soon realize that CyberPower Inverter is number one in the market place, because the brand is the lowest cost-to-benefit ratio power inverter in the world as of today.

Also, he said, CyberPower inverter is known to be faster in charging, that is twice as fast as the local competition.

He explained that the unique aspect of the project is the fact it has battery expansion capability.

“User can add batteries sequentially over time and up to the desired quantity based on budget,” he said.

“The AVR affords CyberPower inverters to also serve as stabilizers. Intelligent Inverter – tells you all you need to know. Removes guess work from inverter load, battery remaining capacity to name a few, just as it’s user friendly,” he said.
Equally, it could be used to power air conditioners, microwave, freezer, refrigerator among others.

Marquis advised that it could be used for Desktop, Servers, and Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) as Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), stressing that CyberPower brand is a global leading brand that offers quality, reality and value.

On the support service, he said that BuyRight is positioned as a strong local partner to offer technical support and boast of over 15 graduate engineers with a standard workshop.

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Titans of Tech’09 to focus on converged economy

THE 2009 edition of Titans of Tech conference and exhibitions would focus on enabling the country to harness the benefits of creating a converged economy.

Managing Consultant, Technology Africa, organisers of the event, Don Pedro Aganbi, said in Lagos, that the theme of 2009 event would be, “Realising the Potentials of a Converged Economy,” noted that this was chosen in recognition of the fact that this is the era of convergence.

He also disclosed that Titans of Tech 2009, is schedule to hold in the month of April 2009, at the prestigious Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Centre, Onikan-Lagos.

“Technologically, convergence refers to the trend of technologies to merge into a single medium bringing together a myriad of media. While historically, legacy technology handled only one medium or accomplished one or two tasks, but through convergence, devices are now able to interact with a wide array of media formats,” he said.

Stressing that communications services, in particular, have in recent times moved rather rapidly from voice only to voice and data only and then voice, data and video.

Convergence, he noted, has significant implications in any economy, because it tells on the consumer and productivity of any nation, pointing out that it will challenge existing business models, patterns of consumption, shared values, common experiences, which will in turn pose challenges for the policy and regulatory framework.

He further said that a new industrial sector is emerging, aptly referred to by some as the interactive ‘multimedia industry’.

This industry, he postulated, is developing as a result of the convergence of three more traditional sectors: communications (telephony, cable, satellite, wireless), computing (computers, software, services), and content (publishing, entertainment, information providers).

“Thus convergence is creating a whole new industry that will be the driving force for the economy going into the future,” he declared.

Therefore, he said, Technology Africa beliefs that it is time to consider what the converged world will look like and the implications thereon.

Emphasising that Titans of Tech 2009 would provide the needed platform for key industry stakeholders to consider how to promote growth and innovation in this converged world and ensures universal access to high quality content.

Aganbi said that the fourth edition of the Titans of Tech would also cover how to ensure the consumers’ access the content they want, where they want and when they want it.

Participants and exhibitors expected at the event include leading telecom services providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), vendors, software developers and vendors, Test and Training Centres, Auxiliary Service providers, Support Services firms, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Consulting Firms, Finance/Funding Institutions, among others.

Over 8, 000 visitors, 240 delegates, 24 exhibitors and 15 speakers graced the two-day programme in the 2008 edition.

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College of Education introduces SRMS

THE Kwara State owned College of Education, Oro, has introduced Student Record Management System (SRMS), a suite of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) kit that enables the school to manage its student administration efficiently.

Developed by an indigenous solutions- service provider, Core Business Technologies Limited, SRMS stands out as the most dynamic solution in the nation’s higher institutions to improve student administration.

According to the chief executive officer, Core Business Technologies, Mr. Edward Essien, SRMS would help in student recruitment, admissions and accommodation.

He said that for students it is goodbye to labourious registration processes and generally enhanced interface between the students and the school.

He explained that the system is bundled with admission process for remedial, undergraduate and post-graduate programmes with modules to accept scanned photos and signatures of students.

“It also offers processes for online application, students admission checking, clearance both off and online,” he said.

Essien also noted that the system affords students to initiate and conclud e–payment as they would be able to register for past sessions, that is, a 400 level student in 2008/2009 Session should be able to enter registration information from his or her 100 level, for instance, which would be 2005/2006.

He further said that the portal has provision for change of course via online; if a student is requested to withdraw from a course, and is eligible to change to another one.

“The Kwara State College of Education’s SRMS has modules for printing necessary completed forms for signatures, assignment of students’ matriculation number both off and online, issuance of I.D. cards for students,”he said.

Stressing that the platform has a feature for downloading required data from the data base, off line, for input into an ID Card issuing programme as well as generation of list of registered students course by course.

"It also captures examination scores course by course, computation of good standing results which varies from school to school,’ he explained, noting that portal could be designed to allow for permission protected changes by school and council in addition to students’ score sheet to be seen only by individual students in off and online.

In addition, he said, SRMS provides list of students that withdrew from the college as a result of not being in good standing or disciplinary case to qualify for final year clearance module, which could be access offline as well as the computation of final year result.

Essien equally said that through the portal, transcripts could be obtained, sessional and semester results, although with the relevant security requirement, even as it could generate NYSC mobilization lists.

‘It offers full e-learning, that is, online lecture notes, assignment among other modules, on/off line e-library, hostel allocation, time table and course allocation for lectures and examinations,’ he said.

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MMDS operators warn on proposed 2.5G auction

THE Microwave Multi-channels Distribution Systems (MMDS) operators in the country have warned on the proposed plan to auction the Enhanced Second Generation (2.5G) spectrum by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

This range of spectrum, according to experts have been designed for the use of digital television broadcast as well as broadband provisioning, through the use of different formats like the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) and other broadband deliveries.

MMDS operators who are predominantly providers of broadcasting services using the 2.5G licensed spectrum, said relevant consultation were not carried out by NCC before proclaiming the proposal, insisting that its illegal and detrimental to the growth of the nation.

Sounding this note of caution, the operators who spoke through the chief executive of Disc Communications, Mr. Bayo Banjo, while condemning the plans, noted that the 2.5G spectrum has been in use by MMDS operators since 1993 after dully licensed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and approved by the Frequency Management Commission.

He explained that the same license was renewed early this year for another five years and fully paid for as required by law, thus questioning the rationale behind the planned auction, since the spectrum is currently in use by broadcasters.

He also said that his group has not been formally informed in any form, pointing out that though it started as rumour, they have seen NCC officials in some locations owned by MMDS operators with spectrum analyzers in order to determine what spectrum is in use in those places.

“We would like to take this seriously because some of us have seen officials of NCC snooping around licensed MMDS operators with their spectrum analyzers, to determine what spectrum is in use,” he alleged.

He pointed out that in the past decade and half, MMDS operators have invested well over $40 million on expansion programme and for ordering of equipment, explaining that the NBC had in the last two years, forced all operators to scrap their analogue systems and go digital.

“Across the nation, all MMDS operators have scraped their equipment, lost all subscribers and have had to start from scratch. We are presently building up our subscriber base and have ordered thousand of digital decoders which have been paid for. We have also ordered WIMAX equipment in order to migrate simultaneously to broadband Internet Protocol Tv (IPTV) broadcast,” Banjo declared.

The operators further wondered if MMDS operators are lesser Nigerians that they cannot provide bandwidth and do triple play to merit such action from NCC.

He explained that the 2.5G spectrum, is currently regarded as a medium that allows operators to bridge the gap among all the diverse ethnic groups in the country, maintaining that it should not auctioned.

Noting that NCC has lots of telecommunication spectrums to play with including the 3.2G, 2.3G, which is the most developed WiMAX frequency with the highest penetration of broadband.

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GWAL targets April for commercial roll out

PIONEER licensee of the Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) in the country, the GlobalTouch West African Limited (GWAL) is targeting April next year, for its commercial roll out.

This is coming as GWAL, has voted the sum of $10 million (about N1,330,000,000 billion) to facilitate the take off of its satellite gateway project initiative located near Kaduna.

Chief executive, GWAL and former Executive Director in the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), Mr. Isaiah Abdulai Mohammed, made this disclosure while briefing newsmen at the end of one-day facility visit to the gateway house of its satellite at the outskirt of Kaduna, in northern part of the country.

GWAL is partnering in this project with a United States-based largest mobile satellite voice and data services provider, Globalstar.

According to him, Globaltouch which was founded in 1997 is a Nigerian company with 70 per cent investment equity, while its partners, Globalstar has 30 per cent.

“Our satellite gateway is under construction as you have seen in Kaduna to provide services to Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries as well as parts of the coastal Atlantic and Gulf of Guinea maritime region. We hope to commence commercial service in April 2009,” Mohammed said.

Affirming this, management consultant to GWAL, Mr. Peter Beacon, said that Globalstar with head office in Silicon Valley, also has corporate offices in Canada, Ireland, Panama and Brazil.

He said that the telco has shifted from a wholesale business model, to offering of mobile satellite voice and data services to over 329,000 commercial and consumer subscribers in over 120 countries globally.

Mr. Beacon also said that Globalstar’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite architecture is well positioned to meet the growing demand for global satellite voice and data.

“Globalstar operates a constellation of 48 operational low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites at approximately 1414 kilometres (km), while it has Geostationary satellites orbit at approximately 32,000 Km.

“LEO is a global constellation of multiple satellites, while each GEO or Geostationary satellite covers a specific region of the earth’s surface,” he said, enumerating the advantages to include that Globalstar spectrum holdings are global, customers in over 120 countries, with virtually no latency and lower power requirements for handsets and data terminals,” he said.

In readiness of the company to improve service offering, he revealed that Globalstar recently signed agreements that would enhance both the receiver sensitivity and the overall customer messaging capacity of the current Globalstar Simplex data network.

“The Messaging capacity of the network is expected to increase by up to 10 times what is currently available, while receiver sensitivity is expected to increase by as much as 40 per cent,” he said.

Potential increase, he said, is anticipated in the overall gateway geographic coverage with increase in messaging reliability which already exceeds 98 per cent.

“Initial testing of the upgrades is expected to be completed in early 2009,” Beacon said.

The telco’s services would be available wit second-generation enabled handset Global Satellite Positioning (GSP) 1700 satellite phone designed for use with current and next-generation satellites.

“Globalstar’s newest phones are much smaller and lighter than the first generation handsets and comes with more features,” he declared.

Presently, Mr. Beacon said that these handsets weigh only 200 grams and has a volume of 225 CC, four hours of talk time and up to 36 hours of standby time.

Other features, he said, include four line full color Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) display with user backlight preferences, backlit keypad, Universal Serial Bus (USB) data cable ready, standard audio headset jack and the choice to choose from a variety of colors; red, silver and copper.

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Glo mobile slashes call tariffs with ‘Time Band’

GLO Mobile, the mobile arm of the Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom Limited, has slashed call charges on the network by 95 per cent.

A press statement made available to Champion Infotel quoted Globacom’s Marketing Director, Mr. Jagatjit Singh, as saying that subscribers are now to enjoy up to 95 per cent reduction on any call tariffs based on the time of the day when such a call is made.

A new promotion tagged ‘Glo Time Band Savings’ he said, entitles subscribers on the network to discounts of between 10 per cent and 95 per cent for calls made on the Glo network, depending on the time of the day.

“Discount is from the peak rate of the tariff plan,” he said, explaining that calls made between 12 midnight and 5 a.m. will attract 95 per cent discount, between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. will have 40 per cent discount, while calls between 8 a.m. and 12 noon will be at 10 per cent discount.

And between 12 noon and 2 p.m., Singh said, Glo is offering callers 20 per cent discount, while 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. will attract 10 per cent discount.

“Subscribers who call between 10 p.m. and 12 midnight will enjoy a 30 per cent discount,” he said.

Mr. Singh, equally disclosed that the discounts are applicable nationwide, unlike similar products in the market, that limit subscribers to specific zones.

“Glo Time Band Savings is the first such offer in the market. Our subscribers will benefit from it irrespective of wherever they are in Nigeria. You do not have to enjoy the benefit only when you are at a particular place or zone,” Singh explained.

The Glo Time Band Savings which is part of Glo Mobile’s Festive Seasons promotion to usher in the new year will end on January 31, 2009.

The discount offer is open to all existing and new subscribers on prepaid platforms except for the Commercial Telephone Operators (CTO) packages.

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Expert advises on usage of IT solutions

MARKETING manager for the Enterprise Partner Group (EPG) at the Microsoft Nigeria, Mrs. Ejieke Maduka-Ezeadigwu, has said that Nigerians need to make use of Information Technology (IT) wisely for it to be fully optimized.

Speaking at a Corporate Executive Circle held in Victoria Island, Lagos, Mrs. Maduka-Ezeadigwu noted that IT adaptation in the country is growing and there is need to ensure that usage of attendant solution of any kind is done wisely, and which must be able to deliver strategically.

Mrs. Maduka-Ezeadigwu in her presentation said every company has a plan, but how hard they work on their research and development matters a lot, stressing that at Microsoft, “we think off affordability, research and development that’s why we invest so much and in terms of connection we make sure it’s connecting”.

She said that Windows mobile is making sure that the experience users get on their personal computer (pc) is transported into a smart phone.

“Technology does not have to be complex because complexity has cost. To have a competitive advantage, everything that is on your pc can be on your phone,” she said.

Also speaking, the chief executive officer, Anabel Mobile, Mr. Nicholas Okoye, said that his firm has clearly bench-marked itself looking at the company as a global brand.

He noted that mobility cannot be complete without a smart phone, hence at Anabel, they have been able to provide a world class product that will meet the test of time by using the likes of Microsoft’s ARM 9 and ARM 11, for the Computer Processing Unit (CPU).

“Anabel wants to be in Africa and we want to change the trend in the industries,” he said, pointing out that Anabel already has service center so as get nearer to the customers.

“We have an in-house team that will enhance the basic experience,” he declared, even as Anabel mobile intends to meet with some service providers in order to ensure that switching would not be a challenge, because the phones are very affordable.
According to him, Anabel already has four different devices in the market and it helps to write and transforms it to typing.

Pointing out that this device is not only for executives it is for everyone because it improves work force productivity, especially with Windows mobile.

Architect Microsoft West, East and Central Africa, Mr. Ade Famoti, during his presentation said Windows mobile is one that helps users to get what their personal computer could offer.

“It is closer to what you have on your PC,” he said, underscoring the fact that technology is driven by market trend, and having information anywhere anytime, is what people want.

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Intel Nigeria bags telemedicine award

INTEL Corporation Nigeria has bagged the best Nigerian Telemedicine Entrepreneurial Company for 2008.

According to Jasmine Malone of Frost & Sullivan, organisers of the event which took place recently in South Africa, Intel Nigeria was recognized for its demonstration of sound entrepreneurial ability and commitments towards improving access to quality healthcare through technology.

The award also highlighted the company’s unique offerings and solid platforms in this regard.

Business Development Manager Intel Nigeria, Mr. David Ibhawoh, said “the award corroborates Intel’s proficiency to identify with market needs and also as a commendable solutions provider, adding that Intel Corporation was the first commercial organisation to get involved in implementing Telemedicine technology and support systems in Nigeria.“

Mr. Ibhawoh pointed out that the successful implementation of healthcare in Nigeria requires involvement of both the participating hospitals and supports from government institutions.

“Intel Corporation has been able to establish cordial working relationships with the Ministry of Health and other agencies to facilitate speedy and seamless flow of activities,” he said.

This, he said, provided the company with a suitable platform for expanding the programme to include several of the biggest and most advanced teaching hospitals in the country after the success of the initial phases.

“For instance, Intel Corporation’s proof of concept project which was launched in Nigeria in November 2007 provides an essential platform for the expansion of telemedicine and other e-health initiatives which hold the potential to be the basis for alleviating Africa’s healthcare workforce crisis,”he said.

Videoconferencing and remote diagnostic equipment at Intel’s National Hospital Abuja project provides thousands of Nigerians invaluable access to specialist times and health services”, he said.

Ibhawoh further said that Intel Corporation has a significant focus on the provision of community development support systems which are particularly relevant in emerging markets such as Nigeria for ensuring sustainability of the tailor-made solutions.

“Apart from the initiation of this proof of concept, Intel Corporation is involved in learning programmes for schools, teachers and other professionals” he noted, emphasizing that Intel is working to advance a vision of unifying health information and access and making it more readily available, ensuring the best quality of life and affordable care for everyone.

“Our offerings help to connect people and systems, improve collaboration for more informed decision making and bring about new approaches that directly improve healthcare programmes. Thus allowing health centres and hospitals to more efficiently provide services to a broader population, help protect and promote better health, enhance citizens’ health status and minimize cost of service,” he declared.

Highlighting that today, a new generation of technology solution is poised to help health care organisations overcome long established barriers, enabling people to access improved healthcare services faster.

“These will make them function more effectively and efficiently,” he said.

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The uncomparable experience of HDTV and SDTV

THE coming of DaarSat into direct-to-home broadcasting usually referred to as DSTV has opened new vistas of competition and possibilities, at once throwing up a lot of options and debate about technology adoption and acceptability.

For once, DaarSat is introducing services at a time of technology switch when old broadcast technologies will give way to new technologies with quantum impact on the quality of broadcast signals.

For another the organisation decided very ambitiously not cut corners but introduce the very best and give Nigerians a very golden opportunity to receive some of the best broadcast quality signals in the world.

In taking such a very weighty decision DaarSat has made history on the black continent and has become one of the sought after media houses around the world in international broadcast gatherings.

In taking this decision too, DaarSat is using one stone to kill as many birds as possible and ensure the house is in order when the switch over date comes upon the industry.

By way of explanation the International Telecommunications Union, ITU has fixed 2015 as the global broadcast switch over from analogue to digital broadcasting. Various countries of the world are setting their own date for the switch Nigeria not an exception. South Africa has started gradual or dual illumination change from this year while Nigeria which began the switch with direct to home operators early this year, has fixed 2012 for the transition.

The body set up by the government to study the situation and make recommendations has recently sat for one week comprehensively and an announcement is being awaited.

The reason for government action is because this is going to be one of the most momentous developments in broadcast history and countries ought to prepare in order to be in a position to mitigate the cost for their people. Obviously the cost is going to be enormous to broadcasters and their audiences alike; perhaps the reason the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has always promised that the government of Nigeria would do something to reduce the cost and burden on Nigerians.

Back to DaarSat, the organisation belongs to the Daar Plc family, a major broadcast platform in the country which is in a race with itself to go digital before any other organisation in the country. The transition is being done across all the platforms – Radio, Television and DSTV. The move is also to ensure that Daar is able to pursue its Afro centric vision and represent Africa properly in the global community.

But DaarSat which recently launched services is the primary concern in this material. For a start the organisation is belting out 50 channels including some high definition channels. And for the first time in the history of the country, DaarSat has teamed with some companies in South Korea to manufacture flat high definition TV screens for its operations. Some are coming with integrated decoders, meaning that the screens have decoders embedded in them.

While these various efforts have been lauded but it is in releasing the price structure that people appear to be a little hesitant. This is normal especially when configured against the background that current rates in the market are below what seems to be DaarSat’s premium price.

However, DaarSat is hitting the market with high end digital facilities and some high definition channels. So, from inception the organisation is introducing high definition decoders and other high end receive equipment into the market. Total package is going for thirty-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine naira (N39, 999) for the receive equipment while subscription is five thousand five hundred naira (N5, 500). To most people this price is too much and wouldn’t know why a new player should set such a premium price.

For those conversant with broadcast technology there is no basis for comparism, whether in terms of broadcast quality or cost. High definition is the extreme end of digital technology and enjoys superior advantages over the earlier broadcast standard.

There are different variants of digital television of which High Definition Television, HDTV is king. Look at the statistics. The enhanced definition television, EDTV, which is high end of standard definition television, SDTV, has either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect radio and a resolution of 480 x 640 or 480 x 720 pixels.

But HDTV (720), the first of the three high definition television formats features 720 x 1280 pixel resolution with progressive scanning. The aspect ratio is 16. 9. The format is ideal for programming with lots of movements, such as sporting events. This explains why most of the sporting channels including ESPN, ABC, FOX and HBO among others use HDTV.

The technology is premium and those who buy the equipment do so knowing that they enjoy superior advantages in reception and in terms of TV viewing experience. In terms of picture and sound, it is like comparing the experience in a 1980 Peugeot car to 2008 edition. No basis for comparism. But the price also is premium. In South Africa where an operator is doing a test run, the price enjoys the pole position of over $1, 000. It is also quite relevant to point out that the present pricing of DaarSat does permit the thinking that the total package is being subsidised.

Those who will buy the DaarSat package will be buying the unique experience of high definition television, a technology with commanding control over the future of broadcast and entertainment technologies.

•Tobi, a broadcast expert wrote in from Port Harcourt.

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