How not to rebrand Nigeria’s telecom industry

The recent face-off between the Ministry of Information and Communications and telecommunications regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), over 2.3 GHz, may have left stakeholders wondering if controversy has become a tool for the rebranding endeavour of current government, writes REMMY NWEKE.

Preamble:
A search on ‘rebranding’ on the popular search engine, www.Google.com, would spring up with results of about 3,060,000 on ‘What is rebranding.’ And according to experts at free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, rebranding is the process by which a product or service developed with one brand, company or product line affiliation is marketed or distributed with a different identity and could be individually or corporately marketed.

This may involve radical changes to the brand’s logo, brand name, image, marketing strategy, and advertising themes. These changes are typically aimed at the repositioning of the brand itself, generally in an attempt to distance itself from certain negative connotations of the previous branding, or to move the brand upbeat in a given market.

Therefore, rebranding could involve new products, mature products, or even products still in development. Also, the process could take place intentionally through a deliberate change in strategy or occur unintentionally from unplanned, emergent situations, such as a corporate restructuring.

DML auction, beginning of rebranding Nigeria:
However, in the case of Nigeria, most experts agreed that the nation’s rebranding overtly started with the globally acclaimed transparency in the Digital Mobile Licensing (DML) which commenced in December 2000 with the first batch of five companies fulfilling the payment requirement of $20 Million US Dollars and were therefore qualified to proceed to the auction stage proper.

The auction lasted for three days, between 17 and 19 January 2001, with three companies emerging as winners for the three licenses; namely MTN, Econet now Zain and CIL, while the controversial Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL), now moribund, which had its own license as the first national carrier. The winning bid price for the successful companies was $285million, which was announced as the license fee to be paid within the fourteen (14) business days as stipulated in the information memorandum.

Thus, making it four companies in total that were issued letter of provisional award of license and given fourteen (14) business days within which to effect payment after which the license would be confirmed. At the close of the 14 days only three companies met the payment obligations on time and were therefore issued the final licenses.

One remarkable thing about the process was that the fourth company, CIL is a Nigerian company which has since transformed into Globacom and now laid siege to other licenses including the SNO, which offers it the suite of licenses it has today.

Most industry stakeholders opined that for NCC not to have compromised for the sake of a Nigerian company was absolutely unique for a Nigerian institution. Hence, this single step earned the telecom regulator, accolades both locally and internationally as well as from the global telecom regulator, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Therefore, most analysts in the industry today see this sole step as the beginning of rebranding Nigeria and given experts definitions as aforementioned, it could be summed up that NCC as expected has been a change agent in the development of this country and ever since then has continued in this arena till the latest shuffle at the Federal level.

It follows that the unassuming ‘war’ invariably broke up between the Ministry of Information and Communication and NCC, forcing stakeholders to ask ‘What actually went wrong’?

Like play, it commenced few days after the ministers were assigned portfolios and the telecommunications got the hitherto amazon of anti-fake drugs agency, NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili on the saddle, with professionals opposing and counter-opposing the appointment. And like the ministers before now, she has Dr. Ikra Bilbis, who was described as a ‘fine gentleman’, as the minister of state.

Akunyili’s New Year desire:
And before some stakeholders could spell JACK, Akunyili summoned them to a one-day forum in January, also tagged as her New Year gift; which was largely rated as ‘charade.’ She used that platform to make pronouncements on the need to reduce tariff and one of the chief executive officers, among the leading GSM operators, who attempted to explain and enlighten the participants including herself on the process that could lead to her heart desire, was literally shouted down in the name of making a ‘political statement.’ This attitude no doubt set the operators on war path with the minister.

Although, it was assumed that probably, the NCC has not briefed the Minister enough, according to the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) in its reaction to Akunyili’s quest for tariff reduction, barely weeks in office without looking at other affiliate issues that could make that visible, namely power supply, security and even poor road infrastructure to name a few.

NCC must brief Akunyili often:
ATCON National President, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, responded by tasking NCC, as matter of urgency to ensure it briefs the Minister more often, so as to position her for the challenges ahead. Noting that they are excited on her enthusiasm and keen interest to move the industry forward, but quickly reminded her that her role has now changed since she assumed office as the Federal Minister in charge of Information and Communication. They advised her to play according to the rules by being aware of her limits. That way, he said, there would be harmony and peaceful co-existence among the industry players including between her ministry and NCC as well as the larger stakeholders.

Pointing out that at NAFDAC, she was a regulator and now, she is a minister. “Presently, she is not a regulator as far as telecommunications is concerned,” he asserted, advising the ministry to focus on making relevant policies that would enhance the state of things in the country.”The ministry should not co-regulate telecom. The turf of regulation is on NCC, while policy making rests on the ministry,” he said, stressing that this points needed to be clarified because of what ATCON observed at the just concluded stakeholders’ forum held in Abuja.He insisted that ATCON believes NCC did not brief the minister adequately, otherwise, things should not have tilted toward mere consumer-based discussion at the stakeholders forum, rather than how to improve the industry holistically.

Like CIL, like Galaxy Wireless:
Soon after and precisely in March this year, NCC in its own wisdom appointed two firms, Detecon International and Price Water House Coopers, as consultants and advisers to the Commission for the review of current interconnection rates among telecom service providers; to analyze the cost of interconnect rates presently with the objective to further drive down the tariff across board, but like the proverbial, second wife in a polygamous family who will prefer to ask her colleague to give her palm oil to enable her chew palm-kernel, Akunyili, against all the gains outlined by notable expert groups like the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) on the modalities for auction 2.3 Gega Hertz, found fault with the process and insisted on cancellation of the process, simply because Galaxy Wireless, purportedly owned by the Madueke’s was not successful, then she forgot that there were other licenses yet to be auctioned as the market expands.

Part of her argument was that the five working days given for payment was too short, frequency hullaballoo and other claims which have since been punctured given the overwhelming evidence, especially that NCC leadership was not supporting her clamour for tariff reduction and legal implication of the cancellation, cannot be compared with the consistency that has existed before her, if the initial winners in the 2.3GHz – Multi-Links Telkom Limited, Mobitel Nigeria Limited and Spectranet Limited pursue their licenses to the letter as being threatened.

Listen to NIG:
NIG had barely finished commending NCC over the granting of the latest three licenses on 2.3 GHz), describing the process as ingenious, when the cancellation news hit the wave. According to its president, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, for NCC to have been able to peg the price of this frequency and yet conduct a transparent sale is inventive and deserves commendation.

Auctioning such a frequency, he said, is an easier process because the spectrum, which is a limited resource but desired by many, will simply go to the highest bidder. But this may drive broadband Internet out of the reach of many Nigerians. On the other hand, by pegging the cost is more challenging, since it is more difficult to select who should have it out of 40 contestants.

“Pegging the cost of spectrum is certainly a way of lowering the cost of broadband Internet to Nigerians and guaranteeing deeper broadband penetration in the country,” he said recalling that the group has been on the vanguard of a low cost of spectrum for broadband Internet to accelerate broadband penetration in Nigeria.

“We are glad NCC has been able to accomplish this,” he said, noting that many countries of the world are still subsiding broadband Internet to their citizens, Nigeria government should not over burden her own citizens by over pricing the cost of broadband spectrum.

“We applaud the outcome of the process. With this development, Nigerians should brace up for explosive e-Education, e-Health, e-Commerce, e-Government, and other e-Services which ride over broadband Internet,” NIG president said.

Policy summersault:
Stakeholders in the nation’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equally rose from a forum pen-ultimate week in Lagos, to condemn the Federal Government’s cancellation of the recently concluded licensing of 2.3 Gega Hertz (GHz). They frowned at the controversies which have characterized the exercise, arguing that the cancellation eroded the independence of the regulator, NCC.

The condemnation came on the heels of the disclosure that Mobitel Nigeria Limited, one of the 2.3GHz awardees has perfected plans to drag the Federal Government to court over the cancellation, and NCC confirmed receipt of a letter from its supervising Ministry, conveying the cancellation of the concluded bid, which it strongly advised against.

Reacting to the cancellation at the 4th annual forum, stakeholders including ATCON and NIG among other players in the sector, decried the FG decision, saying that it begets bad omen for the country.

The decision, Ekuwem of ATCON said creates uncertainty in the sector, which could be singled out as the only shining light of the nation’s economy in the last decade. Stressing that ATCON would like to get to the root of the matter, because it is very crucial to keep intact the positive image of the country for continuous investment inflow.

NIG president, Mr. Ajayi, described the news of the cancellation as “devastating and stands as the worst policy summersault Nigeria ever had in recent times,” stressing that a country like Nigeria with instability of policies cannot be trusted by any investor. Citing an instance with some of those three that were successful with their licenses, he argued that most of them may have received backing from international consortium of investors or bankers, hence, the cancellation amounts to scaring investors not only from the sector and also from the country.

“Government is scaring investors,” he said, pointing out that it is a mess of the nation’s Communications Act of 2003, from where NCC drives its powers, especially that of independence, which is now being eroded by the political class.

And the consortium may have started counting their interest from the date they got the loan facilities and are not likely to wait till when government completes the resale of the spectrum.

Conclusion:
Therefore, political leaders in the country and of Igbo extraction particularly, must learn to live above their oath of offices and avoid using same to tarnish their brother’s image publicly for personal aggrandizement; be it for governorship or not.

Though some analysts had opted that the south-east governors is a bunch of disappointment as they could not rally round to qualm the controversies between the two federal agencies being presided over by their son and daughter, especially Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra State; from where the two distinguished personalities hail from, yet another school of thought described the entire episode as ‘ego battle.’
It is high time for the expert groups of Ohaneze Ndigbo to wake up to its responsibilities. It is not enough to have their people on saddle of leadership and then forget them there.

Above all, what becomes of the NCC independence is yet to be known as the political class continues to fan their way into industry regulations, which in all ramifications is not how to rebrand a nation like Nigeria, which is in dire need of leapfrogging its development, which former president Olusegun Obasanjo, held close to heart as key of democracy dividend.

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NiRA announces auction date for premium domains

Still basking in the euphoria of attaining re-delegation of the nation’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has announced the July date for the inaugural auction of some designated domain names as premium.

Even as NiRA has called for input into the processes with deadline fixed on June 16, 2009.

NiRA President, Mr. Ndukwe Kalu, made this known at the weekend, noting that such premium domains comprised an assortment of unique levels for which auction would be conducted periodically.

This auction, he said, has been scheduled to take place between July 23 and 30, 2009, during the forthcoming Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Assembly billed for Abuja and organized by the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN).

Ndukwe also said that this would serve a dual purpose of further opening up the nation to the internet world, as the bidding is anticipated to attract international participation as well as provide the necessary funding for the association.

Additionally, he said, NiRA has dispatched consultation document to provide stakeholders with the guidelines for the auction process, which could still be accessed online at NiRA’s website, www.nira.org.ng and its forum platform.

According to him, the consultation period for the auction will last for two weeks which deadline has been fixed on June 16, 2009.

Nigeria’s presence on the Internet, he said, is about to receive a new boost with the expected massive registration of .ng domain names at different levels.

Currently, he said, NIRA’s price for domain names registration is among the lowest in the domain market of any country in the world.

“This is a deliberate pricing policy by NIRA in order to encourage greater up take of the .ng domain at the shortest possible time,” he said.

Ndukwe explained that the group having put in place a world class automated registry system built on the Cocca Registry Software and six anycast servers from four Anycast service providers around the world, with the accreditation of 29 Registrars, with more local and international registrars to be accredited, “NIRA is set for the next level to make .ng domain the premium domain in Africa and the world at large.”

In furtherance, he said, NIRA has identified some domain names as premium, and unique levels for which auction would enable it realize needed funds and make these domains available to the world with the appropriate content.

In order to give the auction process a focused strategy, an Auction Committee was constituted and mandated by the NIRA board to fashion out modalities for a viable and transparent auction process.

As said by him, after exhaustive deliberations the detailed auction procedures was approved by the NIRA board, hence categorized into three, namely Platinum, Gold and Diamond domain auction respectively.

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NITEL’s acquisition:NCC may stop Glo, MTN

Like the Biblical verse which says that it will be easier for a Camel to pass through the eye of a needle ..., signs have emerged that it may be extremely difficult for Globacom Limited and MTN Nigeria to join the bid for core investors being touted to take over the remains of the first national carrier, the Nigerian Telecommunications Plc (NITEL) and its mobile arm, MTel.

Just as the apex industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) may place an ‘embargo’ on those two; forbidding them from the proposed latest NITEL bid based on regulatory clauses.

Whoever wins the bid is expected to take over the 51 equity share of the moribund telecom compaany, which may be increased to 71, according the advertorial to that effect by the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) among the five speculated contenders as revealed at the weekend.

Noteworthy is that the Presidency last week, Monday, announced the revocation of the sale of NITEL/MTel to Transcorp Plc, alleging its failure to honour the terms of the sales agreement entered into in 2006, otherwise known as the Shares Sales Purchase Agreement (SSPA).

The revocation was made public after the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) meeting presided over by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and read to the media by the Minister of State on Communications, Alhaji Ikra Bilbis.

As said by him, the Council equally accused Transcorp of depreciating the value of the two firms, accumulating heavy debts and non-payment of staff salaries for over 11 months running, exiting of British Telecommunications (BT) as the technical partners, which was a condition precedent in the SSPA, as well as the failure of Transcorp to inject N8.9 billion cash into NITEL within 100 days of its takeover, pay interconnectivity debt totaling about N17bn, and maintain NITEL/MTel as an ongoing concern.

Also, last Tuesday, a seven-man technical management board led by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Abubakar Mohammed, was inaugurated.

Affirming that regulation may disallow both Glo and MTN to bid for NITEL, a professor of telecommunications at the American University of Nigeria, Yola, Dr. Augustine Odinma, said that it would be abysmally wrong for either of the two to think about it, considering the licensing agreement they entered into ab initio.

“It would be a slap in the faces of Nigerians to think that GLO is considering biding for NITEL because it was created to checkmate NITEL excesses; that is why it was called the second national carrier,” he declared.

On the other hand, he said, it would be disastrous to sell NITEL to MTN because that would create a monopoly that could have far reaching consequences.

Recalling his submission in 2005 to the House Committee on Communications, as then technical consultant investigating the circumstances surrounding the appointment of Pentascope B.V as Management Consultant, which suggested that NITEL should not be sold given the two failed attempt before Transcorp came to the scene.

“Because I always believed the core investor’s sale approach was a mismatch for the likes of NITEL, and I suggested at the time that a good CEO who can grow NITEL should be sought and allowed to run NITEL as a private company,” he said.

NITEL, he said, should be registered with the stock exchange and the government must allow the CEO to run NITEL without interference, while NITEL will gradually be sold off through Initial Public Offer (IPO), pointing out that a copy of the report was made available to the presidency at that time.

Although, Globacom is currently the Second National Operator (SNO) with a mobile subsidiary, Glo Mobile and almost everything NITEL has including its own cable due to land Lagos before August this year as against the SAT-3, while MTN Nigeria is the leading Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operator in the country, according to industry statistics and has invested heavily in infrastructure nationwide to assume its present position.

Whereas Globacom got its avalanche of licenses in 2002 and commenced operation in August 2003, MTN was part of the historic Digital Mobile Licensing that took place in 2001, which saw to the emergence of Econet now Zain and NITEL/MTel as licensees.

Despite the likelihood of the obstacles before these two telcos embarking on such amorphous venture, some members of the lower house of the National Assembly, who were in Lagos, last week, were quoted as backing the plan, which some industry observers described as laughable and unrealistic, given the obvious hiccups, saying they should have known better.

For a telecommunications engineer and social communicator, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, the proposal may be as good as dead, because he did not foresee the regulator permitting such attempt in the first instance.

Responding to ITRealms Online inquest on the matter, Omo-Ettu, who also is the chief executive officer, Telecom Answers Associates, wondered how such a dream would manifest.

“How can? Will regulation permit,” he retorted.
Equally for Mr. Chidi Oparauwakwe, a telecom unionist, the best bet should be for the government to run the telecom institution as seen in other parts of the world, especially for national security reasons, in close collaboration with a reputed international technical partner.

“But if selling it is the best option, either (Glo or MTN) is good,” he said, warning however that the mobile arm of NITEL, would eventually suffer as any of the aforementioned who clinches the NITEL licenses may not like to continue with the MTel structure, thereby leading to job disengagement.

He pointed out that if the Federal Government managed institution is handled well, instead of disengagement, more jobs will be created as progress is recorded. He stressed “a fresh company would attract new employment, just like Etisalat did and by developing its own structure the Nigerian market would be better for it.”

For the chief executive officer, Phase3 Telecom, Mr. Stanley Jegede, the process if and when successful will enhance service provision with broad-based orientation and better choice for the end users in the sector.

Another labour leader in NITEL workforce, Comrade Elias Kazzah, told ITRealms Online that he has no qualms over who takes over the core investor position of the company, as long as the entity complies with the laid down rules and regulations.

“Provided they meet the requirement, I have no technical reason to object,” he said.
Apart from the already mentioned outlines, it is anti-competition for an SNO to think of acquiring the first national operator, let alone bidding for it and does not make any business sense.

For MTN, industry analysts, said that it will be another slap on the face of Nigeria, considering that the firm is a South African company, noting that the support Nigeria rendered to ensure South African independence, has not changed the attitude of the owners of MTN in their dealing with Nigerians, mostly its employees.

They equally argued that it may lead to another technological apartheid on the continent, even as embarking on such expedition for Globacom, will, no doubt, amount to a waste of scarce resources at this era of economic meltdown.

Yet, some insisted that Globacom has not fulfilled its mandate as SNO, expressing skepticism over the proposed sale, and alleged that those offering NITEL for sale, invariably have already-made buyers waiting, like in the case of failed Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp), where it was ‘preferred bidder.’

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CobraNet unveils UGo in Lagos

Internet Service Provider (ISP), Cobranet has unveiled its broadband internet service called UGo in Lagos.

Performing the unveiling, chairman, Cobranet, Mr. Karim G. Boulos, said that the latest offering from the stable of his firm is assumed the fastest mode of connecting to the Internet at high speed.

Today, he said, the UGo service is available to the teeming population within Lagos area presently.

According to him, the event which also saw the unveiling of the new company logo, heralds a new kind of internet offering for the Nigerian populace.

“Cobranet as a company has been in Nigeria since 2003, but this is a new and exciting chapter for us. We have identified that there is a need to provide a quality data service to those that need it within Lagos at affordable prices and we have responded to that call with the new range – UGo powered by Cobranet,” he said.

Boulos noted that with UGo brand, Cobranet has deployed a complete mobile data solution for Nigerians, using ‘non-line of sight’ technology.

“This plug and play technology enables users to purchase one top of the range tastefully designed Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), activate it and immediately start browsing,” he said.

The UGo packages, he pointed out, comprise of the Home-Bronze, Home Silver, Home Gold, Small office and Home office (SoHo) Bronze and SoHo Silver.

“All designed to empower consumers that have vibrant and vigorous lifestyles; it is suitable to those business and individual consumers that are always ‘on the go’ and need dependable, quality internet connectivity. There are also packages to suit the need of large corporate organizations and dedicated bandwidth options, if so required,” he said.

Equally, Boulos said that UGo powered by Cobranet offers a 24/7 customer care centre for its service, which is manned by professionally trained engineers who pro-actively monitor the network 24 hours a day.

Cobranet, he further said, upholds the highest level of reliability with redundant and diverse paths to avoid single points of failure.

“The pro-active network monitoring and management have positioned Cobranet a step ahead in system default detection and repair,” he declared.

The CPEs, he noted, come in cable, Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Bluetooth formats, offering easy connections to Personal computer (PC), hence available in different sizes of modems.

“Subscribers can also choose any plan, change it or upgrade with a simple click of a mouse. There are various payment options tailored for individual and corporate clients including scratch cards, paying by debit cards or payment in branches of all major banks or in Cobranet stores,” he explained.

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MultiChoice switches to W7 satellite, begins BBA-4 in Sept

Digital Satellite Television (DSTv) service provider, MultiChoice has concluded plans to switch from its current satellite to W7 satellite come September this year, just as its Big Brother Africa 4 has been fixed to commence on September 6, reports REMMY NWEKE and CHARLES OKOH.

Head, Corporate Communications at MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Segun Fayose, gave this insight at a media parley in Lagos, weekend, saying that the change has become necessary due to complains on its services, mostly during weather changes and fluctuations.

The switching, he said, would definitely increase availability of its services at all times including during rainy seasons, stressing that the proposed W7 satellite to be launched in this second quarter by its operators, Eutelsat, has 36 degrees east location and expected to double the capacity currently available at a key neighborhood in the group’s fleet of geostationary satellites.

Experts said that through a configuration of high-performance fixed and steerable beams, W7 will also boost coverage and flexibility for addressing growing markets, notably in central Asia and Africa, mostly by way of comprising up to 70 Ku-band transponders that could be connected to six beams serving Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle East and central Asia.

Equally, he said, this year’s Big Brother Africa (BBA) will be transmitted through the W7 satellite and urged Nigerians to be ready to another round of the satellite reality show.

Throwing more light on BBA 4, the Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Hundah, said the programme has been packaged in compliance with all the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) regulations, even as modifications have been made as demanded by the federal legislators, last year.

He also said that with the new prize money of $200,000 (about N29 million), the popular paid TV programme which attracted some controversies in 2007, over claims of nudity will run from September 6 to December 6, 2009.

The Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa for Mnet, Mrs. Biola Adekambi, said there are new innovations as housemates could now conspire against one another, there will be no uncut show unlike before and that there will also be no shower hour.

She said the producers (Endemol, South Africa) will ensure that the nudity aspect (shower hour) is eliminated so as to avoid the controversies generated by the second edition, adding that participating countries have been increased to 14 from 12, including Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, because of the expanding subscriber base there, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“There are going to be 40 cameras and 100 microphones in the house that is, doubling the number of cameras in the house in the last three editions. Since the prize money has been increased to $200,000, people are going to conspire, form alliances and plan on how they are going to walk away with the money over the period of 91 days,” she said.

Mrs. Adekambi said the show is open to adults over the age of 21 with valid Nigerian passports, stressing that entry is free and interested candidates must be fluent in English language, be exciting, flexible, open-minded and be able to live with other people of diverse cultures from very close proximity.

She also said viewers will now vote for the person they want to remain in the house rather than the person they want out.

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600 scientists to storm @ Lindau 2009

•To examine global challenges approach

OVER 600 young scientists from across the world, will be gathering this month at Lindau, Germany, for the 59th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting slated to commence on June 28, with top on the agenda being the examination of chemical approaches to global challenges.

The organisers disclosed that as part of efforts at converting renewable energies at this century, scientists convening for the 59th Lindau in Lake Constance, Germany will tackle approaches to global challenges, mostly via chemical technologies.
These young and gifted researchers have been drawn from about 66 countries of the world.

According to the Communications officer at Lindau Meetings of Nobel Laureates, Mr. Christian Rapp, technological innovations have facilitated the use of chemistry to make substantial contribution towards the survival of mankind.

During the 21st century, he noted, that chemistry is playing a key role in the efforts to mitigate the effects of global challenges, such as climate change, the need to convert to renewable energies using technologies, develop environmentally sound methods for the production of goods and new materials, as well as efforts at combating diseases.

“This is the conviction with which 23 Nobel Laureates and nearly 600 young researchers from 66 countries will be convening at the 59th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, beginning on the 28th of June,” he asserted.

Participants of this unique, tradition-steeped workshop for the future, Rapp said, will spend a week listening to lectures, discussing topics of current interest, and forging valuable connections.

This year’s meeting, he also said, tends to celebrate the centenary of Count Lennart Bernadotte,” its guiding spirit and co-founder.”

On this occasion, he explained that the Council and the Foundation for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings are organizing the “Discoveries” exhibit on the Isle of Mainau, which will address the sustainable management of water resources.

The exhibition, he pointed out, will be inaugurated on July 3, the closing day of the meeting, with a panel discussion on “Climate Change and Sustainability,” and will be open to the public for two months.

The issue of sustainability will be a focus at the meeting, just as the Nobel Laureates’ panel on June 30, will be devoted to the ways in which chemistry could contribute to the development of renewable energies.

“… It is likely to be an exciting and controversial event,” he declared, even as emphasis will be placed on subject areas, as essential elements in the search for sustainable chemical processes, including biochemistry of the living cell, analysis of surface reactions and new, new strategies in synthesis.

He further said that many chemical syntheses would not be possible if not for the usually metal-based; catalysts that help reagents along without undergoing modifications themselves.

“This is why catalyst research leads to revolutionary improvements in chemical production. An example is provided by the discovery of the ‘metathesis reaction’, for which the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in 2005,” he said, among others.

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Know your Skype end user license (11)

No Warranties: Installing Skype Software enables you to communicate with other people. Skype cannot guarantee that you will always be able to communicate with other people, nor can Skype guarantee that you can communicate without disruptions, delays or communication-related flaws or that all your communications shall always be delivered to other people.

3.2 Content of Communications: The content of the communication spread by the use of the Skype Software is entirely the responsibility of the person from whom such content originated. You understand, therefore, that by using the Skype Software and the Skype Services you may be exposed to content that is offensive, harmful to minors, indecent or otherwise objectionable, and that you use the Skype Software and the Skype Services at your own risk.

3.3 Utilization of Your Computer: Skype Software may utilize the processor and bandwidth of the computer (or other applicable device) you are utilizing, for the limited purpose of facilitating the communication between You and third parties.

Skype will use its commercially reasonable efforts to protect the privacy and integrity of the computer resources (or other applicable device) you are utilizing and of your communication, however Skype cannot give any warranties in this respect.

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Multi-Links loses N19m in diesel scam

Multi-Links Telkom has lost a total of N19 million to diesel and generator thefts in the country in recent times, according to its Managing Director, Mr. Thami Msimango, while it spent about N22.7 million on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the past 10 months.

Speaking at the West African Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Congress with the theme: ‘Harnessing New Technologies for Telecom/ICT Growth in West Africa,’ which ended at the weekend in Lagos, Mr. Msimango who dwelt on “The Evolution of the Multi-Links Telkom brand as a platform for innovative offerings in Africa’s emerging market,” noted that as part of the ongoing challenges before the telco in deployment of services, that his company has lost estimated N19m to diesel and generator thefts.

According to him, vandalisation and sabotage of transmission infrastructure, led by fibre cuts increases downtime significantly and his company recorded approximated 13 of such cuts just in April 2009, while recording 2 vandalisation of cut fibre cables.

“Repeated and multiple cuts to fibre network disrupts services defeat redundancy and self healing architecture of fibre ring,” he declared.

In addition, he listed inadequate and epileptic power as impacting negatively on Multi-Link’s network, thus resulting in outages.

Equally, he cited an instance with multiple taxation and inconsistency as well as unstructured demands by some government agencies at various tiers in a number of cases resulting to regular blockage of access to sites by local governments seeking to enforce illegal taxes and levies.

He pointed out that increasing community agitation and militancy in the six geopolitical zones particularly in Lagos and Niger Delta, have not been helpful, stressing that community issues impact on rollout, maintenance and refueling of sites as vehicles carrying generators, diesel or other equipment are often detained by miscreants and certain communities, which eventually result in the closure of some of Multi-Links sites.

“Several sites are inaccessible daily on account of community issues,” he observed, decrying the incessant inability and difficulties in securing planning and building approval for sites,” he said, just as poor road network makes access to several planned communities impossible for heavy duty equipment.

“Road construction has resulted in relaying 100s of kilometers of fibre optic transmission infrastructure, in addition to dearth of precise statistics and economic data make network planning very difficult,” he asserted, pointing out that the outages in the SAT-3 impact on network quality.

Outlining some of the CSR support from by the telco since August last year, Msimango said these include Police Games, Ife Day, Coronation, Senate Committee on Women, Skills Acquisition Centre, Benin, school back packs, scholarship for Miss Telecom and 10 bursary and laptops for some university students among others.

“Multi-Links Telkom as a way of life is committed to give back to the communities where it operates,” he said.

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Etisalat expands coverage

The fifth Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) operator in the country, Etisalat Nigeria, has expanded its coverage as part of its second phase of roll-out scheme in the country.

Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Steven Evans, told newsmen in Lagos that the operator is rolling out plans that will see it increase coverage to hundreds of cities, towns and villages across the country before the year runs out, even as it has commenced the process in the northern part of the country.

As said by him, beginning with a symbolic flag off in Kano, yesterday, he said Etisalat services are scheduled to be systematically turned on in cities and towns.

The roll out will be heralded by a series of flag off events, road shows and concerts to register the presence of the network in various parts of the nation as it continues to implement its visionary strategy across Nigeria.

He explained that beyond the scheduled 7 cities with which it commenced commercial operation in October 2008, Etisalat services are live in many more states and towns as well as villages across the federation.

“Some of the main cities where the network has gone live including Dutse, Jigawa, Minna and Jos,” he said, pointing out that these locations have complete coverage and work is constantly on-going to ensure full coverage in every nook and cranny of 36 states including the Federal Capital in its roll out plans.

“Our roll-out plan is not just aggressive but thorough as well as we are keen to ensure that our services are top notch in every location that we are. Proof of our qualitative service in the areas we operate at the moment is the recent Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) report that adjudged us Nigeria’s number one network in terms of quality of service,” he said.

Reiterating the resolve of the network to cover the entire country in good time, Evans said that their vision is clear and mission is sure coverage, which will offer better service s than Nigerians are used to.

Meanwhile, Etisalat has introduced a 3-in-1 game show tagged ‘9jillions’ promotion, which it said, is geared towards giving both old and new subscribers to the Etisalat network an opportunity to win big prizes.

The chief marketing officer, Mr. Wael Ammar, said the promos started with Win a Phone 24/7, which avails Nigerians to win two phones on the Etisalat network every hour of the day, seven days a week for 90 days.

Subsequently, he said, eight game shows will be held across the regions where subscribers on the network would have the opportunity to win various amounts of cash over a five-month period.

“Rounding up the ‘9ijillions’ promo will be the grand finale of the game show where one lucky subscriber will work away with $1,000,000 prize money,” he said.

Ammar pointed out that the way the promos have been structured, every Nigerian is eligible to participate in the promo simply by getting on the Etisalat network and texting their name and location to 5000.

“For multiple entries, subscribers can text enter to 5000, to increase their chance of winning a phone every hour. Texts cost N10 per message only,” he enlightened.

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Spio-Garbrah urges adoption of NGN

Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth Telecom Organisation (CTO), Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has urged telecommunications operators in West African sub-region to embrace Next Generation Networks (NGN) so as to improve their service delivery to the populace.

Speaking at this year’s West African Information Communications Technology (WAFICT) Congress, held simultaneously with the 9th West African International Telecommunications and Information Communication Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel) in Lagos, he said, there is a need for adoption of Next Generation Networks (NGNs) which is based on genuinely innovative technologies already transforming business communications.

Spio-Garbrah, accompanied by Nigeria’s former minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, also said that major drivers for NGNs include changes in service and user needs as well as technological evolution.

Stressing that benefits accruable to Nigeria and other African countries in the aftermath of NGN presence are access, availability and affordability of telecom facilities and improved quality of service. Nigerian operators, he enjoined, precisely to adopt NGNs in order to promote education, employment and empowerment of the citizenry, emphasizing that this would contribute to local content development and ICT ownership.

While advocating for a closer working relationship between government and the telecom industry regulator as well as the operators, he said these three are pivotal to the success of the industry and the people at large.

Equally, the CTO chief, cautioned operators against the notorious 3Gs of Girls, Games and Gambling which most operators in advanced economies have adopted to lure people into their networks in an effort to maximize patronage. He later declared the event open alongside other dignitaries.

Meanwhile, organisers of the West African International Telecommunications and Information Communication Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel) and the West African Information Communications Technology (WAFICT) Congress, has described the co-located events just ended in Lagos, as jointly bringing new opportunities and products to the sub-region.

The organizers in a press statement made available to Champion Infotel, noted that the West African sub-region, visibly driven by the Nigerian telecom revolution, has over the years attained the status of the shining light as illustrated by the tremendous growth in the sub-region’s telecom industry. The 3-day co-located events saw ICT enthusiasts converging at the Expo Centre and Coral Hall for W.Afri.Tel exhibition, organised by Exhibition Management Services (EMS) of South Africa, in partnership with IT & Telecom Digest, on the 9th edition, while WAFICT Congress was an added feature for the first time, since the commencement of W.Afri.Tel in June 2001.

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Microsoft, strongly committed to Nigeria – Uwadoka

Global software leader, Microsoft Corporation, has said its strongly committed to the Nigerian project, according to the public relations manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Mrs. Victoria Ndidi Uwadoka.

Speaking at a visit to Champion House, the headquarters of Champion Newspapers Limited (CNL), last weekend, she said, that as part of the commitment, Microsoft Nigeria has grown from two employees in 2000 to 50 employees as at the end of first quarter of 2009.

Microsoft, she also said, works with partners to drive its market and empower local organizations with the relevant skills

“The way it works is that we do not look at Microsoft as the 50 staff who are sitting in the company, we work with a partner ecosystem, because the plan for developing market is to empower local organizations with the skills, tools and support that they need to actually grow the local software economy,” she declared.

Stressing that this was the reason behind the firm’s decision to have a continuous training and mentorship programme which help them scale up.

‘We offer very regular training through the years and we have been doing that and we have the plan to ensure that the Nigerian software companies actually begin to create the software applications that will fit on the Microsoft platform,” she said.
Pointing out that as the challenges in the market place grow within Nigeria “I am sure the staff strength will begin to grow.”

In addition, she said, Microsoft Nigeria has plans to set up innovation centres across the country, to serve as a breeding ground for young software developers.

“But I can’t tell you for sure when this will happen, because it is a plan we must do in partnership with the government, because it will not be a Microsoft whole thing, so that even if Microsoft walks away it can still run,” Mrs. Uwadoka said, reassuring that Microsoft is really interested in Nigeria.

“The Nigerian market is here to stay and that is why Microsoft is making the level of investment it is making in the partnership ecosystem; in the partnership with the government, the private sector, it is a strong commitment,” she said.

Meanwhile, Microsoft Nigeria also last week announced the launch of the Language Interface Pack for Windows Vista in three major Nigerian languages, namely Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba.

The launch was part of the Microsoft Local Language Program (LLP) for Nigeria, which strives to provide people of all regions, communities and languages, with access to technology in a language that is familiar and which honors cultural distinctions.

This came at a national launch tagged ‘LLP Go-Live’ in Abuja, by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, represented by Dr. Alhassan Bako Zaku, the Minister of Science and Technology.

There will also be several other ‘LLP Go-live’ events throughout the country to be hosted by NGOs, Microsoft Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative for Nigeria MISSPIN Ambassadors, AIESEC Interns and other language stakeholders to reflect the local impact of the development.

Country Manager for Microsoft Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Onyeje, said, with the availability of these LIP, his firm has taken a very important step to ensure that language is not a barrier to technology access.

“Through this programme, local communities now have the tools and resources they need to bridge the digital divide and create opportunities for economic advancement,” he said.

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Globacom presents prizes to 11 winners

Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom, has rewarded 11 winners in its two promotions with their prizes.

Out of the 11, eight winners were recognized from the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) ‘Smile for me’ contest, while three star prize winners were drawn from the second leg of the Glo-CAF Predict and Win promo.

Whereas the MMS contest saw winners going home with 32” Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) television sets, multimedia handsets and airtime, also Glo-CAF 2009 winners smiled home with 32’ LCD television set.

Speaking at the presentation held at the Mike Adenuga Towers (MAT) Victoria Island, Lagos, the Executive Director, Globacom, Mr. Adewale Sangowawa, said the presentation was in fulfillment of the operator’s pledge at the beginning of the MMS contest last December.

According to him, subscribers who wished to participate in the contest were required to send a picture of their best smile or that of their friend and relation via MMS to the short code ‘76453 at the rate of N30 per message in order to win the prizes on offer.

“Multiple entries were allowed in the contest, which was the first of its kind in the country,” he declared.

Sangowawa also said that the telco kept faith with the promise as all of the airtime winners have already received their prizes.

On the Glo-CAF 2009 ‘Predict and win’ promo, noted that it was associated with the development of football on the continent.

“It was initiated with a view to increasing awareness, viewership and participation in the Glo-CAF awards process,” he said, pointing out that interested subscribers were required to send their prediction for the best footballer in Africa 2008 from a short list of nominees of short code 32000.

An electronic draw, he said, was held to produce 103 winners, 100 of the winners have already been rewarded with N500 worth of Glo airtime each.

Reiterating the resolve of Globacom’s commitment to its customers, he said that indeed for the telco, “the customer is the king, which is why we are ploughing back our proceeds into building a first class network as well as investing heavily in our valued customers.”

Sangowawa, therefore, congratulated winners and urged them to remain dedicated to providing customers with quality telecommunications services.

“We are equally enthusiastic about empowering you all to rule your world,” he asserted.

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Gilat Satcom maintains 3,000 VSAT sites – Schapiro

Global satellite solutions provider, Gilat Satcom Limited, has over 3,000 Very Small Aperture Terminals in over 40 countries to its credit, says the Vice President, Sales for Africa, Mr. Daniel Schapiro, reports CHARLES OKOH.

Speaking to Champion Infotel, at the just concluded West African International Telecommunications and Information Communications Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel) 2009, which held in Lagos, last week, Mr. Schapiro, said the company is determined to increase its presence in VSAT products, based on price affordability, which Gilat is conscious about.

According to him, the company delivers a full range of voice, data and internet telecommunications services using VSAT, fiber optic and a variety of other fixed and mobile technologies.

Mr. Schapiro also said Gilat provides broadband internet connectivity, mobile satellite services, VSAT private networks, wholesale Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services and data storage and disaster recovery.

“We maintain over 3,000 VSAT sites and hundreds of portable modems and handsets, providing broadband internet and other voice and data services for leading organizations, such as telcos, cellular operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), cyber cafes, oil and gas companies, universities and education service providers, financial and insurance corporations, military and security services, mining and energy conglomerates among others,” he said.

He further said, that the Israeli firm, founded in 1992 is licensed to deliver data services to its customers and has since year 2000, introduced broadband Internet services.

“Since that time, this product line has become a primary growth engine for the group which has in excess of 3,000 terminals in more than 40 countries,” he said.

In addition, he said, the company two years later acquired by Satcom Systems Ltd. whose shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, paving the way for it to commenced the supply of international VoIP voice services.

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Harris Stratex to inject funds into Nigerian market

United States-based leading wireless communication solution provider, Harris Stratex Networks, has opened a customer service center in Lagos to cater for upsurge in its customers in the country, just as the company plans to inject more funds into the Nigerian market.

This, the company said will facilitate the expansion of offerings in Nigeria, the largest telecom market on the continent.

Chief executive officer (CEO), Harris Stratex, Mr. Harold Braun told newsmen at a media briefing during the recently ended West African ICT Exhibition in Lagos, that the centre would provide addition access to its customer, thus bringing the firm’s offering closer to the people.

According to him, Harris Stratex over the years has had increased customers on the continent, bulk of which came from Nigeria.

He also said that his firm, which specializes on deployment of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), is resolute in consistently increasing the customer-base on the continent, especially in Nigeria.
Braun noted that it was not a misplaced priority to therefore open the service centre last Monday in Lagos.

“Our major market in Africa is Nigeria,” he asserted, stressing that in order for the continent and other developing parts of the world to connect the underserved, they must queue into deployment of mobile networks.

He equally said that Harris Stratex will be investing undisclosed fund into the Nigerian market, pointing out that such areas like the energy, security and surveillance are of importance to the firm.

“There is a need to provide energy efficiency and manage cell sites properly,” he said.

Delivering Internet Protocol (IP) mobile, he said, is Harris’ core business, and with the new centre in place, customers will be able to design their own programmes appropriately.

Also speaking, Country Sales Director for the company in Nigeria, Mr. Bekele Tadesse, reiterated Harris commitment to the nation’s telecommunications and its people.

“We are really committed to this market and we’re getting the full support for the market from our parent company. The market is the No. 1 market in Africa,” he said, noting that Harris is investing additionally in training of staff and partners.

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