Danbatta @GOCOP confab'22: Telecom infrastructure critical to successful 2023 Elections - ITREALMS

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The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said telecom infrastructure is very critical to successful 2023 elections, therefore, every Nigerian in every community should join hands in protecting it for the benefit of the country, reports ITREALMS.

Danbatta, who was special guest at the 6th Edition of the Annual Conference of Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Lagos at the weekend, with focus on the forthcoming election and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in attendance, said with the planned transmission of election data and results riding on telecom infrastructure, there was need to ensure the fidelity of the transmission systems to enhance the credibility of such data.

Telecom infrastructure: Airtel laments 1022 fibre cuts in 9 months, stresses need for CNI inclusion - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

Acclaimed leader in telecommunications sector, the Airtel Nigeria, laments the 1022 fibre cuts on its infrastructure in the last nine months, stressing the need for inclusion of telecom in the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) by the Federal Government (FG), reports ITREALMS.

The Director of Corporate Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Emeka Oparah, told ITREALMS that the declaration of telecoms infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) by FG would assuage the quality of services by telecom operators.

As said by him, Airtel alone recorded some 1022 cases of fibre cuts in nine months, that is, between July 2019 and 11th of February, 2020.

In addition, he explained that 405 cases of the fibre cut were as a result of road rehabilitation activities by construction workers while 617 cases were due to vandalism.

Airtel urged FG to quickly come to the aid of telecoms operators in the country as these activities have resulted in unprecedented dropped calls, poor network quality, network congestion and poor user experience for telecommunications subscribers across the country.

He also urged the federal and state governments to hasten the approval process for right of way for fibre deployment as well as quicken the Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA) approval process, noting that these actions would help solve the problem of network congestion and network failure.

Also speaking during the briefing, the Vice President, Network Operations, Airtel Nigeria, Dr. Adedoyin Adeola, lamented that telecoms installations across the country are repeatedly vandalized, stolen, bombed and destroyed with reckless abandon, creating myriad of problems for the network operators as well as the telecommunication consumers.

“Telecoms operators are plagued with so many problems ranging from security issues to illegal signal boosters. While a network provider is working hard to restore a fibre cut due to vandalism or activities of road construction workers, it also has to deal with illegal signal boosters, which interfere with network quality and operated by unlicensed operators.

“Then, all operators would have to wait endlessly for Right of way approvals, EIA approvals and other approvals. Also, telecoms installations are huge targets for thieves who cart away with inverter batteries, generators, diesels in addition to the other daily and long standing problems of multiple taxation, community issues and all,” he said.

Dr. Adeola also highlighted the efforts telcos are making to remedy the situation despite the harsh operating climate, stating that steps are being taken to improve surveillance across telecoms fibre routes; proactively engage with construction companies and communities; and enlisting the support of security agencies to access sites/telecoms infrastructure in flash points or troubled areas, among many others.

He also called on the government to urgently declare fibre routes as critical National Assets, contain the security challenges Country-wide and improve public power availability and quality.

Chuks Egbune/DoP

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Vandals cut MTN’s fibre network 70 times monthly - Goodluck

Leading telecommunications operator, MTN Nigeria, has condemned the rising incidence of vandalisation of telecommunications infrastructure, especially its fibre-optic network, which suffers about 70 times cut monthly.

MTN also warned of the long-term negative impact on quality of service and national security if the vandalisation is not curbed.

Corporate Services Executive at MTN, Mr. Wale Goodluck gave this condemnation in a statement in Lagos, saying MTN on average suffers more than 70 fibre cuts in various locations across the country every month.

Elucidating his position, Mr. Goodluck said about 42 per cent of the cuts are as a result of poor road construction practices, 25 per cent are traceable to willful damage perpetrated by criminal elements, while the remaining 33 per cent are traceable to other causes, including sabotage.

He maintained that in the past, MTN has lost network availability in over 1000 base stations cumulatively across the network as a result of these cuts.

“This has affected services predominantly in the South East, particularly, Onitsha and Port Harcourt, and also other areas such as Kano, Abuja, Kaduna, and Ibadan, with customers experiencing complete loss of service in some of the locations, while others experienced severe difficulties in making and receiving calls in other locations,” said Goodluck.

As said by him, Goodluck, relevant security agencies and the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are aware of the development and have been supportive of MTN as the company grapples with the challenge.

He, therefore appealed to telecom consumers in the country to further assist by reporting any suspicious activity around telecommunications installations, which are critical national infrastructure.

“By so doing, you will play your part in protecting your right to good services and the full benefits of the ICT revolution,” he urged.

Goodluck reiterated MTN’s commitment to drive the socio-economic development of Nigeria through the provision of world standard telecommunications and ICT services.

Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

NCC, NESREA lock horns over MTN base station

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Environment Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NASREA) lock horns over whose mandate it is to regulate base stations.

The latest in contention was the base station belonging to MTN Nigeria located at Efab Estate, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

This follows the unsealing of the base station hitherto sealed by NESREA by the operatives of NCC on Monday.

Officials of NCC confirmed that NESREA's action was tantamount to regulatory interference in the telecommunications industry in Nigeria.

“It’s an interference on NCC’s regulatory activities as NASREA discountenanced the Commission's regulation on installation of masts and towers,” declared the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, as quoted in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online by the Head, Media and Public Relations, Mr. Reuben Muoka immediately after the unsealing.

Director of Public Affairs of NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo  (middle, speaking to the press)

after the unsealing of the MTN Base Station. With him L-R: Head, Compliance 

Monitoring of NCC,  Mr. Ephraim Nwokoneya (left) and Mr. Reuben 

Muoka,  Head, Media and Public Relations, NCC.

ITRealms Online recalls NCC is the independent National Regulatory Authority for the telecommunications industry in Nigeria, responsible for creating an enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry as well as ensuring the provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services throughout the country.

Conversely, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) was established as a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development with NESREA Act of July 30, 2007 mandating the agency enforce all environmental laws, guidelines, policies, standards and regulations in Nigeria.

Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D