Lack of access to technology tops CTA survey

LACK of access to infrastructure and technology have been identified by the latest survey conducted by Brussels-based Centre for Technical Agriculture (CTA) as top on the main causes for inequity in closing knowledge gap in integrated water management for Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.

The survey also revealed that aforementioned is followed by uneven access to information and lack of laws to address such anomalies within the 29-member ACP nations.

According to the report on electronic consultation for the CTA seminar 2010, which just ended in Gauteng Province, South Africa and made available to ITRealms Online, the last round and the fifth of the survey in preparation for the seminar aimed at jump-starting the activities in the working groups and focused on equity, governance and institutional reform, adaptation strategies for vulnerable rural communities, and storage for adaptation.

The survey highlighted that the e-consultation group on equity made a start in collecting insights on the main dividing lines rural-urban, than men-women, sedentary farmers across herders, rich-poor with a proposed division being the arid zone or wet zone.

They also asked what the main causes for inequity could be with respondents listing mostly lack of access to infrastructure and technology, which was followed by uneven access to information and lack of laws.

Additionally, the survey noted that unequal land distribution, poor enforcement of rules and laws in addition to pollution or contamination of water among others.

ITRealms Online gathered that suggestions for the proposed action research were made as well and particularly using participative evaluation methods or compensates all actors; to ensure they could play their role.

Equally, the survey highlighted that training of all actors and organizing them into associations would pave the way for changing the mindset presently.

“Involve, from the beginning, all actors in your research. Each village has its particularities, so the approach should be flexible enough to deal with that,” part of the report read and advised against monetary or physical incentives so as to avoid biasing the process, and to make it replicable, even after funding is no longer there.

Another suggestion made was to absolutely involve a donor, because hydraulic structures are expensive in conducting of such survey to ensure equity is maintained.

On the need for governance and institutional reform, the CTA survey noted that when respondents were asked to prioritize on governance, the response was without doubt to focus on local level governance and on the option to work from the perspective of water user groups and farmer cooperatives, but also to look at capacity building, the need to bring all actors at local level up to speed to increase the chances of a fair outcome of governance processes.

The report, endorsed by the Director of CTA, Mr. Michael Hailu and Head of Communications at CTA, Ms Oumy Nidaye, suggested additional topic as in the link or absence of that link between watershed and administrative organization, stressing that the adaptation of strategies for vulnerable rural communities is very vital

As indicated by the survey, its objective for this group was to collect as many as possible context specific observations and experiences of action, which resulted in cases from Haiti, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Mali, Senegal, Uganda, Burkina, South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria.

The report also noted that obviously in such context and specific situations, the drivers are expected to be specific, more so, when combined, “the major drivers in these cases were considered to be climate change, environmental degradation the management of water resources, population growth, lack of knowledge and lack of investment.”

However, the last question, ITRealms Online learnt was on ‘communication’ to bring change, underscoring the fact that a wealth of suggestions came, but here too the context comes into play, for instance, at what time do people listen to the radio, so that messages would be effective.
As for who to approach, the suggestions vary from the traditional elders to ‘the young’ but there is consensus on the need for working with audio visual materials, urging involvement of community from the beginning in the whole process.

This came as the survey reflected that the biggest challenges in developing local storage was not a huge difference in answers, the report stated was because no forced ranking was applied.

Based on the survey, financing and equitable access to water came out first, followed by organizing the users with a suggestion on additional problem; the survey noted was the choice of the storage-technology.

“The answers could of course be seen as a reflection of the complexity of developing storage in an effective way,” participants agreed.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Digital inclusion: NigComSAT to connect Nigerian villages

The dream of the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSAT) Limited is to make every physical rural community in the country a virtual village through the deployment of satellite connectivity.

Managing Director, NigComSAT Limited, Mr. Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai made this disclosure at the 4th IT Edge West African Convergence Forum in Lagos at the weekend, while speaking on ‘Satellite Connectivity Infrastructure and Broadband: The NIGCOMSAT Perspective’.

He said that satellite connectivity through communication satellites has a pivotal role to play in bridging the knowledge gap that exists in Nigeria and the entire African continent, noting that in the current situation of globalisation, the dream of NIGCOMSAT is to make the physical villages in nationwide and certainly across Africa into a single virtual village.

Ahmed-Rufai also disclosed how NigComSAT intends to achieve this including the deployment of global communication infrastructure - Communication Satellites and complementary ground infrastructures and subsequent integration into the global village.

“We desire to linkup the rural communities scattered around the country, Nigeria with the cities thus attempting to bring the rural communities up to speed with the ever dynamic and constantly evolving cities,” he declared, revealing some more strategies and objectives of this dream, comprising the use of satellite engineering and space technologies as an extraordinary vehicle to driver of National ICT revolution in pursuit of self-reliance and required skills for engineering and technology domestication.

This, he said, is consistent with the provision of secured satellite bandwidth and telecommunication services for defense, security outfits and other strategic telecommunications and broadcast needs of the nation.

NigComSAT, he said, is complementing existing terrestrial telecommunication infrastructures to promote universal access through affordable, high speed broadband telecommunication services.

Additionally, he said that NigComSAT is determined to bring about innovative, cost effective broadband and critical ICT backbone infrastructures with mobility services.

Pointing out that build a platform to diversify monolithic national revenue, NigComSAT, he said, would evolve co-operation strategies and collaborations through alliances, joint ventures and franchises for speedy realization of set objectives and goals.

He firm, Ahmed-Rufai said has the competence to customize and domesticate foreign technologies strategically to suit the needs of individuals and organisations by utilizing NIGCOMSAT Ltd Research and Development capabilities, as well as telecommunication network infrastructure and alliance with other network operators.

The delivery of strategic objectives, he said would boost knowledge-based economy for the nation; capacity building in software and hardware development, as well as employment generation.

The NigComSAT boss emphasised that information and knowledge are critical components of poverty alleviation strategies, which are necessary for breaking the chain of poverty so as to boost fiscal growth of a nation.

“NigComSat-1R (NigComSAT-1 Replacement satellite), can provide easy access to huge amounts of information useful to the poor as services can be provided to effectively reach economically underprivileged people with information that is relevant and useful to them,” he said.

Ahmed-Rufai was emphatic that with deployment of various services such as e-education, e-commerce, e-banking, the projected revenue potential for satellite based services is enormous, just as business transactions could be done on a real-time or near real-time basis between partners such as suppliers and customers locally and globally.

He claimed that capacity building in software and hardware development of the nation, seem to centre on vendor certification such as Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Oracle Database to name a few

“Today the highest level of skill Nigerian engineers can attain in the technology sector, whether hardware or software, is to obtain a vendor certification such as CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional), MCSE, ORACLE DBA,” he said, insisting there is room for improvement despite these certifications and that is where NigcomSAT comes in.

He pointed out that one of the fallout of space technology in a developing country like Nigeria is to create local demand for high skills in software and hardware development.

“The quest for space technology also challenges the industry—from the metallurgy to the electronics, instrumentation and software industries to come up with products required by the emergent space industry,” he said.

Nigeria, he said, would become an attraction for experts and professionals from all over the world, when the small and medium scale industries start to produce products and offer services required by space industry.

“This will lead to direct employment generation. It will also create a ripple effect: high skilled workforce attracting more investment and more investment attracting higher skilled workforce,” he said.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Etisalat roams prepaid subscribers @ 9 destinations

Etisalat Nigeria has extended its roaming service to the prepaid subscribers on the network in order to avail them the opportunity of enjoying its services at affordable costs wherever they may go.

The chief commercial officer (CCO), Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Wael Ammar, confirmed this, last weekend, disclosing that this service is currently available in nine popular destinations across
Asia, the Middle East, North America and Europe.

He explained that prepaid roaming enables Etisalat subscribers on that platform to make and receive calls as well as send and receive Short Messaging Service (SMS) while in other countries outside the Etisalat Nigeria network. The service however applies only in countries where operators have signed agreements with Etisalat Nigeria.

“It is available to subscribers using the easy starter, easy cliq and elite world prepaid packages,” he said.

Etisalat’s subscribers, he said, could now travel with assurance that they would always stay in contact with their loved ones and business partners.

“Communication with ease is one of our hallmarks and we are excited to provide this service and more to our esteemed subscribers,” he said, stressing that Etisalat would still extend prepaid roaming services in the future to other countries with partner operators.

At present, he said, the prepaid service is accessible by default in nine countries, namely United States of America, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Egypt, Cameroun, Benin Republic and India.

“To enjoy the service, subscribers need only switch on their handsets upon arrival at their various destinations. Prepaid subscribers who intend to use their Etisalat numbers while abroad would however be required to load airtime on their phones that would be sufficient to make calls for the duration of their stay or take Etisalat Nigeria recharge cards with them to recharge their lines while abroad.

Ammar said the recharge feature works while prepaid subscriber roams, reminding that to recharge, they should dial *222*recharge number*recipients number# from any Etisalat line.

Already, he said, Etisalat Nigeria has commenced a promo with attractive rates on calls from the UK to all destinations excluding satellite destinations at N99 and calls emanating from South Africa to all destinations excluding satellite destinations at N130 only.

“The promo begins on November 26, 2010 and ends January 31, 2011,” he said, just as Etisalat offers postpaid roaming in 180 countries with over 500 operators.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Nokia introduces SMS warranty scheme

Worried by spate of market infiltration by the grey market, Nokia has divulged some clues on how to detect fake devices in the market place by introducing the SMS Warranty Awareness scheme.

Head, Care Services at Nokia Nigeria, Mr. Silvin Sinan, said they owe it a duty to enlighten their customers to avoid them falling prey to vendors of counterfeit devices.

According to him, Nokia, reputed for mobile devices has advanced strategies to inform customers through Short Messaging Service (SMS) if their phone is genuine and has warranty.

The SMS Warranty Awareness drive will be focusing on educating customers at point of sale before and after purchase of their Nokia phones.

He explained that to determine if a device being bought is genuine or not, all the buyer needs to do is send an SMS of the IMEI number, which is available on the phone package to 32053. The buyer will then receive a reply that the phone has a 12-month Nigeria-warranty.

Sinan advised that non-receipt of this SMS is evidence that the phone being purchased is probably a counterfeit device.

This new system, he said, now offers Nokia faithful an easier way to determine if their phone has a valid warranty, which starts from the date of purchase and guarantees the user of repair at no cost and even replacement in the event of malfunction.

“Willful damage of the device is however not covered by the 12-month warranty,” he said.
ITRealms Online, recalls that Nokia prides itself as the world’s number one manufacturer of mobile devices based on market share.

Beyond this, Nokia’s leadership status as a manufacturer of devices, is fast becoming a leading solutions provider in the converging Internet and communications industries; providing internet services that enable users to experience media, messaging, maps and games.

It recently launched the Nokia N8, which is considered one of the smartest phones on the Nokia stable, which is yet to hit African market, but is expected before the end of this year.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Glo lifts Ajegunle with customer centre

Globacom has lifted the Ajegunle suburb of Lagos State by opening its customer service centre known as Gloworld, at Mobil Road, Ajeromi Ifelodun council area.

Welcoming Glo team at the opening session, the Baale of Alayabiagba Land, Dr. Yaya Olayiwola Adeshina–Ojora, said that the ceremony symbolizes the concern of Glo in being its customers.

The Baale, who was joined at the facility by the Cantonment Commander of Arakan Barracks, Colonel Richard Duru and the Divisional Police officer of Ajeromi, Mr. Chinedu Sylvia, a Chief Superintendent of Police, noted that since the advent of Global System for Mobile (GSM), Gloworld is only of its kind in the area.

“In the history of this land, there has not been such a facility for my people, I am delighted that that Globacom has brought its services close to Ajegunle people,” he said, assuring support to facilitate the successful operation of the new Gloworld.

In his remarks, Colonel Duru applauded the chairman of Globacom for establishing a company that is touching the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

“Globacom has proven that it is not just about making money. Here we have a company that is impacting the lives of ordinary people, giving hope to Nigerians and creating employment,” he noted.

On her part, Head, Gloworld Nigeria, Mrs. Shade Olusope, said that the new shop at Ajegunle was strategic as the town is a microcosm of Nigeria and a bubbling business district.

Gloworld, she also said, has been designed to bring all telecoms sales and after-sales service as close as possible to the consumer.

Therefore, she appealed to subscribers to take advantage of the doorstep shops to register their SIM cards, stressing that more outlets would still be opened around the country before the year is over.

Also speaking one of the business owners in the area and chairman, Foto Fab industries, Chief Fab Uche commended Globacom for the choice of Ajegunle as location for the outlet, saying that it was a heavily populated area which was good for business.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Cisco lowers video conferencing cost by acquiring Tandberg

In effort to lower the cost of bandwidth for video conferencing technology, Cisco has acquired, Tandberg, a global video communications company.

This, Cisco said would be enhance its Cisco Telepresence by offering higher quality video conferencing solutions.

With the close of this transaction, last weekend, Cisco officials said it would create an extensive combined product portfolio, accelerate Cisco's vision of changing the way people communicate and collaborate by delivering simple, unique and interoperable collaboration experiences for customers globally and Nigeria in particular.

Speaking on the latest development, Managing Director, Cisco Nigeria, Mr. Richard Edet, noted that Cisco’s acquisition of Tandberg portends great benefits for all the firm’s customers in Nigeria.

Now that Tandberg is a part of the Cisco TelePresence portfolio, he said, the Tandberg product line would automatically extend Cisco Collaboration video offerings from immersive rooms to mobile Personal Computers (PCs), by way of enabling innovative architecture features and end-user applications.

“Most importantly, all of this will be possible in spite of the bandwidth challenges in Nigeria as Tandberg technology will enable high quality video conferencing over lower bandwidth,” he observed.

Edet explained that through this combined offering, the Cisco TelePresence business provides customers with access to a fully integrated architecture, a comprehensive network-based endpoint and infrastructure portfolio; designed to help provide multivendor interoperability and a suite of unique experiences, customizable applications and flexible deployment models.

Cisco TelePresence solutions power the new way of working, where everyone, everywhere can be more productive through face-to-face collaboration in addition to enhancing customers’ accessibility, flexibility and scalability in gaining the benefits of global video collaboration.

Edet, further said that the acquisition of Tandberg is a very important step for customers in the journey to put Nigerians at the center of collaboration and change the way they work.

“We strongly believe that TelePresence along with Cisco's entire rich collaboration portfolio, powers this new way of working where everyone, everywhere, can be more productive through the pervasive use of video and face-to-face collaboration. Now, that the bandwidth challenge can be fully addressed, our customers can enjoy all these features and move their businesses to the next level," he said.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

ATCON spoils for war with NITDA boss

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) may be spoiling for war with the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Prof. Cleopas Angaye over his recent comment on political will as a retarding factor for his agency’s ineptitude.

ATCON also said that the use of lack of a political will as an excuse to hide poor performance is not acceptable.

ATCON president, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, while reacting to the comment credited to Prof. Angaye on ‘Why ICT is not growing,” where Angaye was quoted as saying that inadequate political will power, insufficient support ICT infrastructure and skill human power were the bane of Nigeria’s e-readiness, noted the need to draw a line between performance and culpability.

But recalling that lawfully based on NITDA Act of May 2007, Angaye’s agency is empowered to receive and use the National Information Technology Development Fund Levy (NITDF) to promote the development of information technology in the country to make the difference, ATCON leadership, was not contented with Angaye’s excuses using lack of political will for the lack of performance by his agency.

According to ATCON’s Omo-Ettu, an integral and sometimes unhealthy part of discourse has been the incessant carping about the failures and inadequacies of the political and socio-economic system, stressing that whilst there is some merit in such arguments, saying it’s disgusting to hear a political office holder blaming the state of affairs and is disturbing when it comes from supposed highly trained professionals, even as some of these officer got their training at the nation’s expense and, sometimes, are put in a position of implementing reform, yet they fail to deliver.

“It leaves us in a state of apoplexy but it is particularly galling when those who have the opportunity to change the system churn out the same old tired reasons of claiming ‘lack of funding’ or ‘lack of political will’ as reasons for poor performance,” he said in a press statement entitled “NITDA: Straddling the line between performance and culpability.”

Omo-Ettu also cited the comment attributed to Prof. Cleopas Angaye, on why Nigeria has had low success in ICT to ignorance on the part of the leaders and lack of political will as responsible for the poor state of affairs in ICT development of the country.

“The timing and indeed the inaccuracy of this interjection, at a time when our march towards creating a true ICT industry out of the present fledging telecom, broadcasting and computer industries is already playing in injury time, should attract our collective gaze at the performance of the Professor in allowing if not bringing about this precarious situation,” ATCON bemoaned.

For ATCON, if Prof. Angaye’s argument is anything to go by, given that he took office almost five years ago then it is certainly the case that Nigeria had fallen in its global competitiveness rating under his watch.

This, he insisted, indicates at best, the ineffectiveness and at worse incompetence of NITDA under his watch.

“Either way, the industry and indeed the nation can ill afford it. A bad situation is made infinitely worse by the Professor’s disingenuous assertions of a lack of political will as there are few things that better express a political will than the government’s approval of a recommendation of establishment of NITDA as an agency to implement the prescriptions of the National Information Technology Policy as postulated by its professional class and installing an eminent scholar of his ilk as its executive head,” he observed.

Arguing that in reality, Prof Angaye’s position is a clear abdication of responsibility, which obviously places the responsibilities on his lap.

“It is about time that he accepted the unambiguous truth that he does and should bear responsibility for the diminution in our global competitiveness rating, the failure to provide the necessary awareness platform for mass education as enshrined in NITDA’s mandate, and should it be the case, the political will which should see us further than we are now,’ Omo-Ettu said.

Pointing out that no one is better placed to engineer the necessary reforms in the aforementioned realms than the head of NITDA. Just as he maintained that the DG, in his official role, must accept that the buck stops with him and the use of the excuse of lack of a political will as a fig leaf to hide poor performance is no acceptable.

“His utterances are really an own goal as they beg the following questions,” he said, wondering how Angaye would define the performance of an organization which is dwindling and what he would say of the head of such an organization if they had been at the helm for four years?

“And would he recommend that organization stick or twist with such a head?” he asked, advising him to recognize the fact that carping is easy especially if you have no responsibility to effect change, insisting that when you do have such responsibility, action is what is required.

ATCON president emphasised that there are risks and costs to a programme of action but they are far less than the risks and costs of comfortable inaction for not only does it flag up his own failings, it belittles the collective action of those who, against all odds, have got the nation where it is today.

“However a simpler and more important lesson is to understand that those in glass houses should not go about throwing stones,” ATCON boss counseled, explaining that if the likes of ATCON refuse to react to this bothersome underestimation of the collective mood, people like Prof. Angaye would think majority of the industry experts are merely idiots.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

MultiChoice’s DTTV workshop opens in South Africa

All is now set for the kick-off of the two-day demonstrative workshop on Digital Terriestial Television (DTT) in Johannesburg, South Africa, by MultiChoice Africa group, which commenced today, reports Remmy Nweke in South Africa.

Head, Communications for MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Segun Fayose, informed that this workshop would pave the way for participants selected across the continent to understand better the path MultiChoice has been playing on digital migration in the region, since it was agreed upon by world leaders under the United Nations with deadline set at 2015.

Noteworthy is that African Information and Communications Ministers had resolved to bring this deadline to 2012 to enable the continent evaluate itself three-year earlier so as to ensure most of the nations meet up with this migration.

Also noted is that currently, South Africa is aggressively strategizing for this migration, while MultiChoice is reportedly on the forefront, while Nigeria is expected to publish its white paper on the presidential committee on digital migration being anxiously awaited by broadcasters and information stakeholders in Nigeria.

Reaffirming the need for the workshop, the Project Manager for DTT at MultiChoice Group, Ian Barnard said that technology is changing at such a rapid rate and dramatically changing media consumption habits too around the world.

Hence, MultiChoice Africa decided on the DTT technology workshop, which would include tour of the firm’s broadcast facilities in order to observe more closely the mechanism of DTT also known as DTTV.

“We want you to observe firsthand the deployment of this technology,” Barnard stated.

Already, some other participants have arrived for the workshop including two Ghanaian journalists, according to Head, MultiChoice South Africa, Ms Caroline Creasy , Head, Corporate Affairs for DSTv, the digital satellite television arm of MultiChoice Group.

ITRealms Online recalls that historically founded in 1986, MultiChoice became the first African pay-Television when Mnet was founded and in 1990 Mnet was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, while in 1992, it launched satellite services across 20 African countries and three years later in 1995, its DSTv made a debut, whereas in 1996, both Mnet and MultiChoice merged into MIH Holdings.

And today, MultiChoice prides itself as a provider of premium digital media entertainment, content and services to multiple devices which includes Pay TV subscriber services to over 2.4 million customers.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Akunyili says Number Portability’ld expand customers choice

Federal Minister for Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili, has said that the expected introduction of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) plan would offer Nigerian telecom consumers a wide choice and better services.

Speaking at the rebranding of Zain to Airtel Nigeria at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Akunyili commended the new owners of Zain Nigeria and some 15 other countries on the continent for the successful launch of their new brand.

The introduction of MNP, she noted, underlines the commitment of the Federal government to ensure that increased competition expands the horizon for excellence in customer service and choice.

She expressed delight of Nigerians with affordable products and services as promised by the Airtel management, saying it would deepen its rural network coverage.

Particularly, Akunyuli noted that Mobile Number Portability would help increase competition among telecoms operators in the country as well as reduce tariff thereby driving affordability.

She pointed out that Airtel has keenly aligned with the government’s desire to introduce Mobile Number Portability, based on the fact that “we have noted with interest your call for Mobile Number Portability, which will ultimately help to increase competition among the operators and result in reduced tariffs. There are a few other initiatives you are pursuing in a bid to lower the tariff paid by customers on your network. Let me assure you that government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will continue to support you and indeed the industry.”

While assuring of the government’s support to the company through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), she beckoned on Airtel Nigeria to create more opportunities to empower more Nigerians to realize their entrepreneurial potentials.

Akunyili emphasized the need for more Nigerians to be given more leadership opportunities and roles in the organization as this would help improve their entrepreneurial skills.

“Nigeria is a big market for your operations, and we have some of the best talents resident within our country as human resources. We want to see more Nigerians rise to top positions in the organization. We want to see more investment in the country. We want you to create more opportunities to empower more Nigerians to realize their entrepreneurial potentials,” said Akunyili.

Earlier, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Enterprises, said: "Bharti began its African journey by promising to deliver world-class and affordable mobile services to customers and delighting them with innovative products. I believe we are taking a major step towards delivering on this by introducing the heart of our business - the Airtel brand - across our operations in Africa. Our Nigerian customers will now be able to enjoy the same best-in-class brand experience as our customers across India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

He further added: “We remain committed to taking our network deeper into Africa, ensuring our services touch the common man and bridge the digital divide in the continent. I am confident that over the coming years Airtel will win the hearts of customers across Africa and emerge as one of most admired brands of the continent.”

With the unveiling of the new brand identity, Airtel becomes the master brand for all the group’s 19 operations in Asia and Africa covering over 200 million customers. In Nigeria, Airtel replaces the Zain brand and comes with the promise of delivering high quality customer benefits through the power of global Airtel brand.

The new Airtel brand comes with a promise to meet the emerging needs of customers with innovative, affordable and relevant solutions to empower consumers, giving them the freedom to do what they choose and provide them with the tools to meet life’s daily challenges.

The red primary colour of the logo reflects the warmth and vibrancy of the African continent. It is the colour of life and of the African sun at dusk. These qualities are reflected in Airtel’s brand personality of being brave and bold, sensitive and empathetic. The new curved addition to the logo is a symbol which will help ensure instant recognition across our diverse international markets.

Over the next couple of months Airtel will launch a number of world leading product innovations which focus on delivering relevant information for customers to enhance their quality of life and provide tools that will help them overcome their daily challenges.

ITRealms Online notes that Airtel is the new brand name for the 16 Zain operations across Africa which were acquired by Airtel International in June 2010, namely in: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel International is a Bharti Airtel company.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

GloWatch to track mobile assets

The newly launched GloWatch is to track mobile assets nationwide, according to officials of the Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom.

This, the SNO also said, is to check the high incidence of theft of mobile assets.

The new product assists subscribers to track the movement, speed and location of their mobile assets such as cars, buses, motorbikes and boats anywhere in the country. It is a GPS/GSM-powered device and works by delivering a stream of Short Messaging Service (SMS) communication between the mobile asset and the subscriber’s telephone set.

Head of Value Added Services, Globacom, Mr. Samson Isa, explained that GloWatch gives the user automated reports such as speed and trip reports as well as date and time of events if the device has been pre-set for such reporting.

“The device does not rely heavily on network resources as it uses only the Glo SMS platform. The service costs N500 for 300 SMS per month,” he said.

Also, he said the new product has a unique advantage over other tracking devices in the market, noting that while such other competing products only allow signal tracking, GloWatch enables the subscriber to listen-in and ‘eavesdrop’ on every conversation in the mobile asset at any point in time.

“The subscriber can monitor his mobile asset virtually anywhere in Nigeria as the Glo network extends all over the country. There are over 20,000 pre-identified land marks in Nigeria for ease of reference and location, which can equally be zoomed on to Google earth map. Pre-Loaded landmarks are also available, thus offering the subscriber a very user-friendly experience and option to track the asset with any mobile phone with a Glo SIM,” he said.

Equally, Isa said, another advantage of GloWatch is that it is easy to install and use. A subscriber could just walk into any Gloworld shop and have the tracking device installed on any mobile asset. The subscriber could also remotely demobilize the mobile asset when necessary.

“Criminals are getting more sophisticated and innocent people are made to suffer huge losses to thieves and armed robbers. GloWatch was, therefore, developed to help tackle the menace of thieves and third parties unto whom assets are entrusted. Our subscribers can now sleep with both eyes closed while GloWatch watches over their mobile assets,” Isa said.

Hence, he said, GloWatch is one more way Globacom is offering value to subscribers. It is in line with our mission to offer innovative and life-style changing products to our customers.

The service is offered through Tramigo, world’s bestselling vehicle tracking modem.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D