Unbundling NITEL:Decay infrastructure may stall process

In spite of the plans by the Federal Government to unbundle the first national carrier, the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and its subsidiary, the Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTel), the proposal faces another obstacle with the discovery that infrastructural decay may hamper the plans.

This is coming as NITEL workforce under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporations (SSACTAC), supposedly on strike, insisted that for the so-called unbundling to even take off there is a need to settle all the arrears owed the workers before now.

Investigations by ITRealms Online at the weekend, showed that although NITEL reportedly has telecom infrastructure scattered across the nation, but due to inability of the government to sell the company on time since its privatization exercise begun about seven years ago.

It was also gathered that though NITEL has about 400,000 lines as at the commencement of its privatization, this figure has drastically depreciated due to lack of maintenance, especially between its exchanges in Lagos and Enugu.

Additionally, the inability for the organization to have a constant management team with its progress at heart over the years, was not helpful, especially with the intervention of Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) intermittently, therefore leaving no room for a progression of decisions taken, thereby allowing the company to deteriorate on daily basis.

Another proof to this fact is that although some companies and organizations claim to have NITEL still working for them, mostly at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the land-line boxes have degenerated to merely ‘intercom’ boxes, while those on MTel have since migrated to other mobile networks in the country, especially the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators.

Yet, another show of the decay in NITEL infrastructure is that calling its mobile subsidiary, for instance, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) would simply inform you that the number you are calling is out of service or worst still not reachable, even when the person has its Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card well inserted on a mobile phone and right beside you.

So, for many other users or subscribers of NITEL and MTel, the company is no longer in existence, because according to some of them, the government has buried these companies with the deal consummated with the Transnational Corporation (Transcorp), which was eventually revoked on June 1, 2009.

For a professor of telecommunications at the American University Yola, Prof. Augustine Odinma, the decay in infrastructure would definitely negatively affect the unbundling of new NITEL, but to what extent is yet un-estimated.

Odinma also said that it is not all NITEL infrastructure that is obsolete, but some need to be replaced in line with the dictates of new technologies, while some could be revamped or rehabilitated.

“Of course, some of the exchange equipment and carrier systems are still usable,” he declared.

Equally for some telecom gurus in the land, NITEL has become a by-product of bad leadership of the current political party in control of government, basically due to their politicization of NITEL as an institution without regards to the bigger picture, which is the country.

Although it is highly believed and advocated in some quarters that the only company capable of reengineering NITEL family is the second national operator, the Globacom, which is a wholly Nigerian telecommunications company.

For those proponents, Globacom as the SNO has all it takes for the take-over of the first national operator; the experience which it has extended to the sub-region within a short time and the financial muscle to push those decayed infrastructure into viability.

The only unanswered question here by the SNO, which has since reiterated its resolve to acquire NITEL with a promise to run it efficiently if given the opportunity is how to manage the debt NITEL has incurred over the years, especially from the salary arrears of the workforce.

Efforts to get the Head, Public Relations at Globacom, Mr. Bode Opesietan’s response was not successful as at press time.

ITRealms Online may recall that currently BPE re-strategising to split NITEL into five subsidiaries in order to appeal to investors in the current dispensation. These would include South Atlantic 3 (SAT-3) undersea cable, the analogue cellular phone STAC and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) to be separated from the fixed line operation, according to BPE spokesman, Mr. Joe Anichebe, who explained that eventually the five units would have operating licenses made available to them in terms of renewal in readiness for take-off.

The Federal Government incorporated NITEL as a limited liability company in December 1984, as a product of the merger between the telecommunications arm of the defunct Posts and Telecommunications Department (P&T) of the then Ministry of Communications, and Nigerian External Communications Limited (NET), but it commenced operations on January 1, 1985.

However, the workforce warned that without clearance of salary arrears owed them, the unbundling of NITEL would be futile, as said by the SSACTAC President, Comrade ‘Tunji Adesunkanmi, who insisted that for the so-called unbundling to become a realty the over 11-month arrears must be settled.

While urging the government to expedite actions on the revitalization of NITEL, he stressed that the return of the telco would fasten the desire to crash tariff by other telecom operators.

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TD, Multi-Links partner on internet ready PCs

Personal computing distribution house, Technology Distributions (TD) Limited is partnering leading telecommunications company, Multi-Links Telkom, in provision of affordable internet- ready PCs, offering computer users 50 hours of free internet access.

Managing Director, TD Limited, Mrs. Chioma Ekeh made this disclosure at the weekend and said that customers patronizing her firm this time would get immediate internet access, with 50 hours free, in the first month of purchasing a laptop or desktop.

Mrs. Ekeh also said the incentive was to herald her company’s mid-year review of the marketing activities of the company, stressing that the benefits of a Multi-Links’ Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO) including limitless access with the ability to download files without much ado.

She explained that TD has taken up the distribution of D-Link products through her expansive and trusted channel of resellers across the West Africa sub-region.

Noting that TD has stocked switches, routers, access points, Internet Protocol (IP) surveillance cameras, network storage, firewalls, media converters, print servers, adapters, access points and outdoor antennas in good quantities.

Additionally, she said that the networking materials from D-Link are of world-class standards and stand a good chance of gaining sizable market shares in the sub-region and urged all TD resellers to add D-Link products to their offerings because today’s Information Technology (IT) market is robust, thus requires versatility and total commitment.

“As professionals we must be prepared to keep pace with the growing needs of the market and ensure that the national objectives of ICT penetration are on course,” she declared.

Reassuring resellers of outstanding support from TD, Mrs. Ekeh said that her firm has set up the Partner Advantage Scheme (PAS), designed specifically to reward partners for their loyalty, resourcefulness and profitability, with effect from April 1, 2009.

Further, she said that the trade rewards would come in cash benefits, credit facilities, shared promo platforms, priority in allocation of goods and other logistics support.

She, therefore, enjoined the resellers to improve their capacities in order to benefit from PAS, citing for instance, that they could invest in infrastructure, human capital and hire a number of strategic staff in a bid to consolidate market share.

Mrs. Ekeh further informed that as part of the objective to use technology to drive growth, TD has invested in the Microsoft Enterprise Resource Planner (ERP); a completely integrated customizable, tenable and global enterprise resource planner solution.

“It is designed to optimize strategic business processes across financial management, supply chain management, customer relationship management, employee management and analytics,” she said.

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Galaxy facilitates online surgery

Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Plc, last week, facilitated the participation of Nigerian surgeons in a Gall Bladder surgery in the United States through video conference at the National Hospital Abuja.

ITRealms Online recalls that recent report of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000, which scored the Nigerian healthcare system 187th out of 191 countries, a group of physicians, surgeons and Information and Communications Technologists came together between July 13 through 15, 2009, at the National Hospital, Abuja for the first round of the tele-surgery demonstration using Galaxy Backbone platform.

The three-day workshop was organized to address the knowledge and skills deficit in the healthcare sector in the country.

Leading the team of United States-based surgeons, Dr. Fiemu Nwariaku, who said the training involved a live surgical procedure was performed in Dallas, Texas to train a group of over 70 Nigerian surgeons.

During the surgical procedure, he said the patient underwent cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder) and Nigerian surgeons in Abuja were able to directly interact as well as question the surgeon in Dallas and get tips on how to best perform the procedure, which lasted for about one and half hours.

While the workshop was hosted by the National Hospital, Abuja, the ICT infrastructure was provided by Galaxy Backbone Plc and Compufix Intercom Nigeria Ltd, hence demonstrating GBB’s commitment to the development of e-health in the country. 

The course participants rated the content of the course highly and noted that this method could greatly assist in building capacity in healthcare in Nigeria.

Commenting on the workshop, President, West African College of Surgeons, Professor O. O. Mbonu, said the demonstration showed the possibilities achievable with modern ICT in the healthcare sector and provides a framework for building a robust telemedicine and e-health component to improve healthcare in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

The USA based faculty was made up of members of the Association for Academic Surgery, while the course was presided over by two U.S-based pediatric surgeons, namely Dr. Ben Nwomeh and Dr. Evan Nadler.

While the course was also supported by Ethicon Endosurgery, EES (a Johnson & Johnson Company) and Trigen Healthcare Ltd. 
Speaking at the session a representative of the Ministry of Defence, Ahmed Safeed noted that the ministry shared in the excitement of the participants on the demonstration of Galaxy’s video conference capacity and described it as a surprising realization and appreciation of the fact that GBB could facilitate real-time interaction between a team of American surgeons conducting a 2-hour surgery procedure in a theatre in Dallas, Texas, USA and their Nigerian counterparts in Abuja.

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PMM to host Cyber Cafe expo ’09

The stage is now set for the second edition of the annual Cyber Café expo slated for Lagos, next month, according to the organizers, the Private Media Mart Limited (PMML).

Making this known in Lagos, the Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer, PMML, Mr. Ejiofor Agada, said the event has been scheduled to hold on Monday, August 10, 2009, with the theme: Scarcity Versus Cost – Tackling the Broadband Challenges, at K & G Events Centre, Oregun – Ikeja in Lagos.

He noted that the concept of the expo was in a bid to identify the problems faced by cyber café operators and the reasons behind the high mortality rate of that sub-sector of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in the country.

“So as to help in identifying their challenges, we strive to inform them on what they are doing wrong, how to do it right and the best way to run a cyber café business,” he said.

The event, he also said, creates an avenue for cyber café operators and potential investors to follow the progress of the workshop with a perfect plan on how to start and sustain cyber café business in Nigeria.

Mr. Agada explained that the Internet is still one of the fastest and cost-effective means of interpersonal and corporate communications in the world and the ability to successfully sustain a cyber café business today has its own tribulations.

He identified the issues of hardware, software, networking, security, bandwidth, power supply and the law as the major challenges facing cyber operators today in the country, pointing out that the issue of fraudulent practices by some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the provision of bandwidth capacities to cyber operators is another phase of the challenge.

“It is to this end that this edition of the event will be showcasing select Internet Broadband service providers in the country with repute and verifiable, honest business practices,” Agada said.

He explained that broadband is expensive for Nigerians due to the undeveloped infrastructures when compared with other countries of the world, urging the government to improve on broadband availability through the provision of enabling policies that would make the services affordable for Nigerians.

“The government should make the market better. The business of providing broadband services in Nigeria is not well indicated at all. Government gives so much attention to telecommunications, the end users of bandwidth utilization more than the providers of bandwidth,” he urged.

The first edition of the workshop focused on hardware and software challenges of cyber café business in Nigeria with participation from Omatek, Beta Computers, Wazobia Linux, Amsco, Jidaw, and Microsoft. 

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Joda flags off anti-mobile phone theft scheme

Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Alhaji Ahmed Joda, weekend in Abuja, flagged off the national anti-mobile phone theft scheme.

The scheme, which has been structured to curtail the menace of mobile phone handsets theft in the country, would see that any reported stolen phone would be barred from any of the mobile networks, thereby making that handset useless within Nigeria telecom space.

With this launch, all the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile operators have already signed to move their subscribers into the system with Zain Mobile already connected to the Netvisa anti-phone theft system.

At the launch which took place at the Netvisa Nigeria Limited office in Abuja, Alhaji Joda, who led four other commissioners of NCC to the event, noted that the menace of mobile phone theft had become a serious problem in the country that had not only inconvenienced many people but also endangered lives and businesses.

He solicited the co-operation of all the mobile operators to connect to the system to safeguard the handsets of their subscribers.

As said by him, with increasing complaints from people nationwide, about the problem of mobile phone theft, the Commission sought for a way to stop the problem, which resulted in the collaborative effort between the NCC and the mobile phone operators to engage Netvisa to manage the system for the benefit of over 70 million handsets being used in the Nigerian networks today.

Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe in his input said the commissioning signals a success story of the scheme which had taken a lot of hard work in planning and coordinating for the benefit of the nations teeming mobile phone subscribers.
“A lot of work had gone into getting the scheme to this phase of flagging off. We took our time to do a lot of study before initiating this scheme and we believe that based on the support of everyone, it would be a success,” Ndukwe said.

The Chief Executive Officer, Netvisa, Mr. Prince Uchendu, said the scheme included the establishment of a national database of stolen phones, which would be used to curtail the perpetration of the theft in the future.

“This registry is in direct support of the NCC mobile phones anti-theft initiative conceived under the thoughtful leadership of the EVC of NCC. The menace and scourge of stolen phones has touched many lives in Nigeria and some, tragically,” he said.

Also, Mr. Uchendu said the service would be at no cost to the subscribers but the subscribers are expected to register their 15 digit International Mobile Equipment identity (IMEI) numbers with the Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR) to be managed by the company through which any mobile phone reported stolen will be blocked from all the networks.

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IFC boosts Zain Ghana expansion with N13.3bn

Still basking in the euphoria of the recent two-day visit of the United States president, Mr. Barack Obama to Ghana, a member of the World Bank Group, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has given a life-line worth $90 million (about N13.3 billion) to Zain Ghana, for expansion projects in the country.

This is coming as IFC also mobilized additional $70 million (about N10.3 billion) in syndications to help Zain Ghana expand its mobile telecommunications network and address the country’s growing demand for affordable communications services.

Zain Ghana is majorly-owned by Zain Group, a leading Middle Eastern telecommunications company and a long-time IFC partner.

IFC in a press statement from its Washington DC office signed by Ms. Alexandra Klopfer, said that the syndicated loan, in the form of an IFC B-loan and a parallel loan, has a seven-year tenor and was over-subscribed by 30 per cent.

The IFC B-loan was provided by Cordiant Capital, the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund Limited, FirstRand Bank Limited, and the Netherlands Development Finance Company, while IFC is acting as a lender of record for the B-loan participants and as an agency vis-à-vis the parallel lender, the OPEC Fund for International Development, simplifying communications between Zain Ghana and the lenders.

“Our subscriber base in Ghana already exceeded one million and this investment will enable us to scale up our operations and provide affordable and reliable communications services to a much larger part of the population,” said Zain Ghana Country Manager, Mr. Philip Sowah.

He also said that with this development, IFC has brought in a significant number of regional, long-term commercial investors – a great vote of confidence for this frontier market, particularly in the current economic crisis.

Noting that after liberalizing the telecommunications sector and promoting competition, Ghana has experienced significant growth in the availability of telecommunications services, at lower costs to consumers.

“At 45 per cent the mobile penetration rate is higher than in other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with similar per capita incomes. Still, Ghana’s teledensity is concentrated in urban areas, leaving the penetration rates in rural and semi-urban areas well below 10 percent due chiefly to capital, infrastructure, and affordability constraints,” he declared.

The press statement quoted the IFC Senior Manager for Global Information and Communication Technologies, Ms. Stephanie von Friedeburg as saying the corporation was pleased to support Zain Ghana in offering access to affordable, quality service beyond large cities to remote and rural areas across Ghana.

“This fits well with IFC’s objective to support the government in making available affordable telecommunications services to underserved populations,” he said.

ITRealms Online recalls that IFC, is reputed for creating opportunities for people to escape poverty and improve lives, while fostering sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments.

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First winners @ Glo text 4 million promo receive prizes

•As PATIN commends

In fulfillment of the promise to subscribers when the Glo Text 4 million promotion was launched, the Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom Limited, last week, presented N1 million cheque each to the first round of four winners in the scheme.

The beneficiaries included a resident of Port Harcourt, Chigozie Ekeoma, Mr. Ashiru Adigun from Warri, Delta State, Mr. Friday Obiebi also from Warri and Mr. Kwabena Yeboah, a Ghanaian resident in Lagos. 

This is coming as the second batch of winners emerged on Monday, from the weekly promo.

Excited winners used the chance to eulogize the SNO while expressing surprise for being among the lucky millionaires to emerge in the first week of the promo.

They noted that the initial calls were received with disbelief until they got to the Globacom office where their winnings were confirmed. One of the first week winners and Warri-based, Mr. Obiebi said, he received the phone call notifying him that he had won with a lot of doubt. 

“When the call came, I said ‘Whosai’, these people don come again. But when I was called again to go to the Glo office in Warri and met the people there, I start to dey believe. Now wey I don get the cheque, I now believe,” he said in his colloquial Warri slang.

He advised other Glo subscribers to continue participating in the promo as anyone could be lucky enough to win, noting that the notification process is very clear as the winner will be asked to go to only Glo offices for verification. 

For the Ghanaian Yeboah, the call came when he was in Ghana. After initial doubts and disbelief, he explained to the callers that he was in Ghana and would not return till the end of the month.

But on hearing that the date for the presentation had been fixed, he decided to return and claim his cheque. Yeboah commended Globacom for being truthful and credible about the Text4Million promo. 

Equally, Port Harcourt-based Ekeoma, said the experience demonstrated the length that Globacom has gone in order to identify the real winners in its promos.

Pointing out that the encouragement to participate in the promo came from his wife after both watched the campaign commercial on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) News-line. 

“In fact, my wife encouraged me to play. Five days later, I was called but my phone was off. But the Glo people traced my line to find out the last person I called.
Fortunately I was with that person when they called him to enquire about me. I want to let everybody know that Glo is straight forward, Glo is faithful and Glo is generous,” he narrated.

According to Ekeoma, he played only 40 times, spending a total of N4,000 in the promo to emerge a winner of the N1m cash prize. 

And for another winner, Mr. Ashiru Adigun, winning N1m in the promo is both a surprise and a blessing. He praised Glo for the promo to reward its loyal subscribers, even as he encouraged fellow subscribers on the network to join by playing as anyone could win in the promo. 

“Keep on trying, Glo subscribers, keep playing”, he said. 

The winners were presented with their prizes by Glo ambassadors who also celebrated with them at the occasion. The Glo ambassadors include Ramsey Nouah, Nonso Diobi, Mike Ezuruonye, Kate Henshaw Nuttal, Rita Dominic, Chioma Chukwuka, Monalisa Chinda, Ini Edo, Uche Jombo and Funke Akindele. 

Meanwhile, Globacom has been commended for being environmentally friendly telecom operator at the launch of Plant A Tree Today Initiative (PATIN), an initiative of the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Helen Onma Mark, which held in Abuja, weekend.
According to Mrs. Mark, “Globacom is graciously leading the way in partnership with the sponsorship of this project, which has enabled us to take off.”

Explaining the goal of PATIN, she said the initiative “is setting a modest target of platting one million trees per local government in the first phase of four years.”

Also, she said that the PATIN would be interested in securing the nation`s diverse ecosystem through a variety of other activities and invited Nigerians to emulate the telecommunications operator and join hands with her organization in “this drive to save and rule our world.” 

Member of the Senate Committee on the Environment, Senator (Lady) Eme Ufot Ekaette equally praised Globacom’s support for the project, saying it was not just a coincidence that Globacom chose a green colour for its brand as the colour is nature friendly.

“Glo has been nature friendly, their colour is earth friendly,” she declared.

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Mobile phones health forum holds in August

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders would next month be hosted to a one-day forum on ‘Mobile phone, Base Stations and Health Concerns’ by ITWorld Int’l Magazine in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and other stakeholders in the industry.

Chief executive officer of ITWorld Int’l, Mr. Enyi Moses said the public forum has been scheduled to hold on August 11, 2009 in Lagos to deliberate on the health concerns arising from mobile phones and base stations.  

The forum with the theme “Mobile phone, Base Stations and Health Concerns” he said, is taking place as part of his organisation’s contribution to engender public discourse on issues of public interest to Nigerians on the use of mobile phones and base stations.

It is therefore expected that the forum will adequately provide information to participants on growing fears that base stations and mobile phones pose risk to health.

“The increased use of mobile phones in Nigeria and around the world has raised public interest in possible health issues (if any) associated with exposure to electromagnetic energy. People are concerned about the health and safety effects arising from possible harmful emissions from mobile phone handsets and base stations,” he said.

Mr. Moses also said that the fears have been elevated to such a level that those who live close to base stations express unnecessary concerns and are beginning to converge to pressure government to order that base stations be cited away from city centres and residential areas.

“It is the need to provide adequate answers to these growing fears that concerned stakeholders are converging to give the true and scientific reports on the effect of base stations and mobile handsets to humans,” said.

Essentially, the purpose of the forum is to ensure that Nigerian public is correctly educated to allay their fears or otherwise on these allegations about base stations and mobile phones.

The forum, he further said, will thrive to make the issues of radiation from mobile phone systems and base stations more understandable and provide definite answers to questions and issues such as “What is radiation? Are there any health risks if you live or work near a base station? Can I get brain cancer or any other related illness from using mobile phones?”

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DSTv raises Face of Africa episodes to 14

Digital Satellite Television (DSTv), service provider M-Net, has raised its Face of Africa television episodes to 14 on its DStv platform with the 2009 edition.

The company also announced in a release made available to ITRealms Online that the finale of this year’s edition will be held in Nigeria, in February 2010, making it the first of the modeling reality show finale to be held in the country since the M-Net Face of Africa started.

Director, M-Net Africa, Mrs. Biola Adekanbi, said the top prize for the new season of Face of Africa has been set at USD50,000 (about N7.4 million) from M-Net, plus a modeling contract with O Model Africa, owned by the first winner of Face of Africa, Ms Oluchi Onweagba.

This year’s search, she said, promises to be an excitement, drama and glamour that Face of Africa is well known for.

She enjoined aspiring entrants to enter online at the Face of Africa website, http://www.mnetafrica.com/foa; where they will be required to complete the entry form and provide photographs of themselves.

According to her, entry is open to any woman who is a citizen of a sub-Saharan Africa and between the ages of 17 and 24, with a minimum height requirement of 1.72m, maximum hip measurement of 96cm and entrants should not have an existing modeling contract, while the deadline is August 28, 2009.

She explained that after a special evaluation session to be held in 14 countries, namely Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, that winners would emerge.

She reiterated that late entries would not be considered, except if they have been unable to access the online entry process. Pointing out that any contestant considered as a finalist and who is from a country which does not have a dedicated evaluation session, will be evaluated by specially selected representatives in their own country.

Later the cross continental search will head to Model Boot Camp during which time the top10 finalists will be chosen and will then head into the M-Net Face of Africa 2009 Finale in Nigeria. 

DStv subscribers, she said, should follow the search by tuning in to M-Net and/or AfricaMagic from the end of October this year, when the series are expected to premiere on screen.

The last edition was won by Ghanaian Kate Tachie-Menson who strode into the spotlight on her second attempt in the series, and walked away as the newest African catwalk sensation.

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Survey rates Oracle financial solution high

Oracle Financial Services Software has been ranked high as the leader for compliance software, according to the highly rated publication’s 2009 Annual Compliance Software Survey.

Readers selected Oracle as a top-three vendor across six of the survey’s eight compliance software categories, according to officials of the company. “No other vendor achieved this distinction in the 2009 survey,” a press statement from Oracle stated.

Equally, ITRealms Online gathered that Oracle ranked first for anti-money laundering (AML) and governance, risk and compliance (GRC) software products.

The survey results also recognized Oracle in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, compliance monitoring and control, anti-fraud, and regulatory reporting product categories.

OpRisk & Compliance compiles its compliance software rankings based on the results of a survey sent to more than 6,000 of its readers from financial institutions around the globe.

Respondents selected their top five companies in eight compliance product categories:  AML; GRC; Sarbanes-Oxley; compliance monitoring and control; anti-fraud; regulatory reporting; spreadsheet products; and e-mail archiving, data storage and reporting.

OpRisk & Compliance wrote, “Oracle is the stand-out vendor across numerous categories this year. It has benefited from the rebranding of its several units – namely Oracle, Mantas and Reveleus – into a single entity, as well as building on its outstanding reputation as a premier player in the risk and compliance sector.
Such a solid performance in so many areas demonstrates Oracle’s truly enterprise reach.”

“Financial institutions are no longer looking for piecemeal compliance solutions; they want a strategic partner that offers comprehensive solutions and has the capability to meet their needs across numerous compliance requirements,” said S. Ramakrishnan, Chief Executive Officer of Reveleus and Mantas Products, Oracle Financial Services Software. 

“The results of OpRisk & Compliance’s 2009 compliance software rankings reflect the value that Oracle Financial Services Software and its solutions deliver – helping financial institutions to break down silos and achieve a full view of risk.” 

Oracle Analytics for Financial Services is a complete and fully integrated portfolio of analytical solutions covering enterprise risk, performance management, regulatory compliance and customer insight. It is built upon a shared analytical infrastructure consisting of a unified financial services data model, shared analytical computations and the industry-leading Oracle Business Intelligence platform.

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Why ipNX slashed call rates – Amah

The Executive Director, ipNX Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Amah, has given reasons why his firm slashed international call tariffs to Six Naira, Ninty-Nine Kobo (N6.99k).

According to him, as part of ipNX’s mission to enable optimal technology driven communication to her numerous customers, the company has to reiterate its commitment by way of slashing rates of both local and international calls on its network.

“Nigerians now have access to a reliable and affordable telephone service with an unbeatable price offer as low as N6.99,” he declared.

Telephone solution from ipNX, he said, offers subscribers the opportunity to make and receive calls at affordable rates, whether locally or internationally to countries such as United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Canada among others.

“ipNX telephone service subscribers can make calls or fax to other ipNX subscribers within the network for free,” he said.

Amah noted that the service is delivered through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and offers users affordable call rates.

“The solution provides users with a fixed Nigerian local number, reviving the era of landline,” he said. The company is clearly focused on creating possibilities whether it’s to help users achieve their business objectives or simply making connection with loved ones.

The company which has been in operation for over a decade, he said, prides itself as the first Information Technology (IT) service provider to introduce the iwireless three-in-one (3-in-1) broadband internet solution, which allows both residential, small and medium business subscribers to browse, talk and fax documents.

“… All at the same time using a reliable high speed broadband connectivity,” he asserted.

The iwireless broadband, Mr. Amah explained has unique features which include its reliability and high-speed designed to offer residential and small business subscribers the ability to browse, talk and fax documents all in one, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria.

“The service is deployed using a modem called i-station. A unique product to the industry,” he said.

Pointing out that unlike conventional internet access modems, the i-station goes the extra mile by addressing challenges and unmet need as a trustworthy solution in the industry.

“The device delivers reliable high speed broadband up to one (1) mega bytes per second (mbps) internet access for users, using industry leading technology. The portable solution also, is WiMAX compatible and is a truly plug and play device, requiring no mast, poles or installation process. A multi-functional device that can be applied wirelessly, to create a WiFi zone,” he said.

ITRealms Online recalls that ipNX is a leading provider of infrastructure based telecommunications services in the country and was formed by the divestment of the telecommunications services division of Telnet Nigeria Limited.


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‘Multi-Links Telkom partnership timely‘

The Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Multi-Links-Telkom Limited, Mrs. Ijeoma Abazie has said that the intervention of Telkom International in Multi-Links Nigeria was timely and had enabled the operator to extend coverage, improve rollout and management expertise, reports CHARLES OKOH.

Mrs. Abazie who disclosed these recently during a visit to Champion House, the corporate headquarters of Champion Newspapers Limited in Lagos, said the telco is working to reduce the percentage of foreign management expertise in the affairs of the company in order to beef-up local content.

“They provide management services as well as the technical support. It adds a lot of value because you know that Multi-Links was a pioneer in this industry in terms of telecom services and we have not gotten to where we should be because this business is capital intensive,” she said.

Pointing out that if Multi-links did not have the capital to rollout as much as it should to increase company footprints and coverage, the telco would be where it found itself before the takeover by Telkom.

“So, the key aspect that Telkom International has brought on board is something that will enable us extend coverage, rollout beyond before now, Lagos and Abuja and Port Harcourt and then in terms of management expertise as well,” she said.

She also said her appointment as the first Nigerian who would be taken on board as a chief of a department, is an indication that the management is working towards increasing local content.

“Going forward we do realize that we have to look seriously at the transfer of skill and begin to identify a pool of skills, local skills and talents, and begin to progress them up the ladder to take over from the non-nationals, who are in Multi-LinksTelkom Nigeria and all of that is being worked out and my appointment is one of the changes you will see in this direction,” Abazie said.

Speaking on the percentage of local staff on Multi-Links network, she disclosed that the telco has a staff strength of about 1136 of which 1041 of them are Nigerians (about 91.63 per cent) stating that it is in its best interest to reduce the percentage of foreign expertise as a way of saving cost.

“But we want to see a situation where at management level we have a lot more Nigerians and that is already on the pipeline for people to actually transfer the skills and head back to their previous duties as quickly as possible because it does cost a lot of money if you are top-heavy on expatriate” she said.

Accompanied by the corporate affairs manager, Mr. Abiodun Bayo, Mrs. Abazie, disclosed that Enugu and some parts of Anambra States are already enjoying the network.


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Etisalat connects Maiduguri

Innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria, has expanded its network coverage with the recent launch of services in Maiduguri, Borno State, unbundling such products as Easy Starter and Easy Cliq available for the people of the state.

At a ceremony to mark the launch Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Baba Hammed Jidda who represented the Executive Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sherriff, expressed optimism that Etisalat replicate the world class service the operator is known for, in the state.

Speaking at the occasion, Etisalat chairman, Mr. Keem Belo-Osagie, represented by a member of the board, Alhaji Bello Garba, said Etisalat is starting off in Borno metropolis with a great deal of enthusiasm.

“… As we stay true to our vision of becoming one of the top ten telecommunication companies in the world by 2010. I am confident that the superior services we are noted for in five continents of the world, where we operate, and the reason for NCC’s recent pronouncement of Etisalat as the best telecommunications company will now be enjoyed by the good people of Borno State,” he said.

The chairman noted that at inception, Etisalat had set a target of covering 50 per cent of Nigeria by end of 2009 and 80 per cent by December 2010, stressing that it would be a third of the time it took the other operators in the market to roll out their services nationwide.

Right now, he said, Etisalat had rolled out services in Lagos, Oyo, Abuja, Rivers, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Plateau, Borno and Adamawa States.

Equally speaking, the chief executive officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Steven Evans,
said that the network had a current ability to accommodate 4 million subscribers at the moment but that work is nearing completion in upgrading the capacity to take 12 million subscribers.

This, he explained, would ensure the network is ever ready to cope with the anticipated number of new subscribers on the network in the new areas where it has rolled out its services in recent times.

“We are keen to ensure that we have more capacity available on our network than the subscribers joining our network. In that way, we would not be sacrificing the quality of our service no matter the number of subscribers who join our network. Our ultimate aim of being Nigeria’s best GSM service provider has already being realized with the NCC naming us as number one in terms of quality of service. We intend to remain Nigeria’s best network forever so we take issues of quality of our network very seriously,” he asserted.

ITRealms Online recalls that recently introduce 9jillions promotion, which is a unique 3-in-1 consumer promotion designed to reward both old and new subscribers on the Etisalat network with bountiful gifts ranging from phones to cash worth millions of naira and an ultimate grand prize of one million US dollars ($1million).


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