Fear grips operators over unregistered data SIMs

Fear may have started to build up among the telecommunications operators in the country, following the readiness of the industry regulator to commence the next phase after deadline and month-long grace for the registration of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards.

This worry is more on the part of telecom operators for their subscribers on data SIM, which investigations revealed that could be easily forgotten, such as SIM on internet modems or dongles, iPads, Point of Sale (POS) terminals, laptops, Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) among other devices.

Investigations by ITRealms Online showed that panic has gripped most of the telecommunications operators over the issue, mostly on the unregistered data SIMs and likely implication to their networks.

More so, the palpable decline in data service patronage, which has the capability to affect the telecom operators’ revenue.

Industry watchers affirmed that the anticipated revenue decline would definitely take some times to recover from any short comings likely to result from the potential disconnection of unregistered SIMs, particularly on data SIMs.

Additionally, ITRealms Online gathered that the worry is heightened by the fact that voice revenue has been on downward slope for some years now, which has resulted on most revamping operators or new entrants to anchor their marketing on data related devices.

Further, this slope, it was gathered may continue for a long time, just as the Nigerian telecom consumers expect the introduction of the Number Portability Scheme, which industry analysts could be another double sword for every operator in the country, thus a call for wake up.

“… Or face subscriber base decline which ultimately will rob off on other related services of telecom operators in the country, especially on data, which cuts across various mobile devices,” one of the analysts said.

Industry watchers argued that this is very clear with the fact that most Nigerian subscribers have more than two mobile handsets and of course those two or more will naturally have data access on them pending when the quality of service improves.

In the last quarter of 2011, ITRealms Online gathered that the telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reportedly extended the deadline for SIM card registration from September so as to enable those yet to register their SIM cards to do so on or before December 31, 2011.

Further reports had it that the expiration of the deadline, which paved the way for collation and harmonization of telecom subscribers’ data was to facilitate the disconnection of unregistered SIM in the country to boost security services operations.

Although by end of September 2011, when the second phase of the SIM registration ended, NCC announced an extension without definite deadline on when the disconnection may take effect.

But industry watchers were of the opinion that the disconnection would not exceed the first quarter of 2012, given the fact that NCC is seriously warming up for the Number Portability scheme.

The objectives of SIM registration, according to NCC are to assist security agencies in resolving crimes and by extension to enhance the security of the state.

Additionally, NCC said that it would facilitate the collation of data by the Commission about phone usage in the country. As well as enabling operators to have a predictable profile about the users in their networks and allow the commission to effectively implement other value added services like Number Portability among others.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Google gets rid of 60 privacy policies

•As new policy takes off today

Leading global Internet Service Provider (ISP), Google Incorporated, has gotten rid of some 60 privacy policies scattered over the Internet with the introduction of new policy.

Google also said that the new policies were rewritten from top to bottom to be simpler and more readable.

“The new policy replaces more than 60 existing product-specific privacy documents,” part of the Google notice on the new policy made available to ITRealms Online revealed, stressing that this all should make it easier for users to learn about what data Google collect and how they use it.

The second value proposition of the new policy, Google said, is reflected in the efforts to create one beautifully simple, intuitive user experience across Google, adding that it makes clear that, “if you have a Google Account and are signed in, we may combine information you’ve provided from one service with information from other services. In short, we can treat you as a single user across all our products.”

On what is the different about the new Google terms of service, officials noted that they have rewritten the policies, too, to make them more readable and to reduce the repetition and legalese.

The latest terms, ITRealms Online said, explained more simply the legal terms associated with the use of Google services, including how the firm treats content that users submit.

“We’ve also consolidated many of our terms, with most products now using the Google Terms of Service and dozens fewer products than before using additional or separate terms,” part of the policy notice stated.

In addition, Google said that what is staying in its approach to privacy comprised of the goal which has remained to provide users with as much transparency and choice as possible, as well as privacy principles remain unchanged.

“That’s why we support products like Google Dashboard, Ads Preferences Manager, and other tools that help you understand and manage your data. Moreover, we never sell personal information or share it without your permission; other than in rare circumstances like valid legal requests.

Therefore, Google said that the new privacy policy depicts one policy, one Google experience, thus getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read.

Google pointed out that its new policy covers multiple products and features, reflecting the desire to create one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Google.

Maintaining that this stuff matters, hence Google officials urged users to ensure that they take a few minutes to read the updated Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service because these changes are expected to take effect from today, Wednesday, March 1, 2012.

They insisted that the latest privacy policies made it easier for users to work across Google, stressing that the new policy reflects Google’s desire to create a simple product experience that does what customers need, when you want it to.

“Whether you’re reading an email that reminds you to schedule a family get-together or finding a favorite video that you want to share, we want to ensure you can move across Gmail, Calendar, Search, YouTube, or whatever your life calls for with ease,” the notice stated.

Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Digital Migration: FG may soon release white paper

In the coming weeks, the Federal Government (FG) may release the white paper on digital migration for the country.

The white paper, ITRealms Online gathered would extract most of its contents from the supposed documents submitted by the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) on Digital Migration over two year ago.

This indication was given at the weekend by the Zonal Director, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Femi Ayeni in a chat with ITRealms Online in Lagos at the launch of Walka Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld.

While urging Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government over the time it may have taken to get to this point, he said that the white paper would be released soon to justify their patience.

According to him, the white paper is expected to take lots of inputs on modalities for implementation of the nation’s digital migration plans from the outcome of the submissions of the Presidential Committee on Digital Migration.

These, he said, would not be limited to how to deploy the decoder boxes and eventual incentives for broadcast operators in the country in order to ease off any hardship that may come in the way of the migration.

As said by him, most Television houses in the country are already on digital channels, which means they have migrated their services and broadcasting.

When the white paper is released, he anticipates further discussions on the implementation processes.

In a related development, the Ministry of Communications Technology (CommTech) stated in the recently released draft of the national Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) policy that Nigeria should take advantage of the on-going transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.

This, the Ministry noted, is a current global trend towards conversion from analogue to digital broadcasting and Nigeria should take advantage of the opportunities inherent in this transformation.

They listed some of the benefits of  migration  to include  higher  quality  reception,  access  to  more  channels  and availability of a wider spectrum of Value Added Services (VAS).

Also, CommTech Ministry stated that the policy objectives would comprise to comply   with   International Telecommunication Union (ITU)   mandate   of   migrating   from   analogue   to   digital broadcasting; and to properly manage the benefit of digital dividends that will result from the migration.

According to a copy f the document available to ITRealms Online, section 7.13.2 which centres on strategies emphasized that the government plans to embark on a massive publicity campaign for the purpose of sensitizing the general public on the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting; ensure availability and cost effectiveness of set top boxes; and encourage the local manufacturing of set top boxes in Nigeria.

Additionally, the document proposed that the Federal Government, through the Ministry would develop a licensing regime for signal distributors and content providers; provide a clear roadmap for harvesting the “digital dividend” spectrum and ensure competitive allocation of the resource; and ensure compliance of migration by the ITU mandated dates of 2015 for Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) and 2020 for Very high frequency (VHF).

ITRealms Online recalls that mid-last year, a two-day media workshop on digital broadcasting migration was held at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (FCTA), with participants demanding for the official release of the white paper submitted by the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) on Digital Migration in Nigeria over 25 months ago.

The workshop, which held at the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Utako District, Abuja, saw participants arguing that the formal release of the white paper would enable the Nigerian public to know the contents, and for the media to x-ray the paper to spur immediate implementation by the federal government and private sector operators, especially in the broadcasting industry.

Participants noted that the commencement of the implementation process is crucial for charting the way forward for the country, mostly in fulfillment of the global agenda for countries of the world to migrate to digital platform by July 2015, of which Nigeria and some African countries have since brought their migration deadline to July 15, 2013 as a way of fast-tracking the process.

Also, participants at the forum mainly media practitioners lambasted the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for not doing enough in leading the campaign for digital migration in the country.

“It is unfortunate that most people, especially media practitioners based in Abuja where NBC is based don’t know much about the issues around digital migration efforts by Nigeria,” one of the participants decried.

The workshop witnessed presentation of papers on “digital transition: behind the issues; digital migration in Africa and globally; digital migration in Nigeria; challenges of reporting digital migration in Nigeria; Research report on Nigeria Digital Migration,” among others.

The coordinator of the event of the Nigeria Digital Migration workshop, Mr. Emmanuel Edet disclosed the workshop was organized by the Association for Progressive Communication in collaboration with London-based online news medium, Balancing Act and Open Society Initiative.

Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

NaijaHactivists on rampage, occupy Nigerian MDAs online

A body of Nigerian hacker activists under the aegis of NaijaCyberHactivists, has continued to occupy Nigeria institutions online.

Technologically, a hacker is referred to a term described as contentious term used in computing for several types of person, while computer security experts see those hackers as crackers, who access a computer system by circumventing its security system, even as some describe them as hobbyist who makes innovative customizations or combinations of retail electronic and computer equipment, yet there are those known as ‘programmer subculture,’ who share an anti-authoritarian approach to software development now associated with the free software movement.

Investigations carried out by ITRealms Online at the weekend showed that hackers have embarked on this mission of occupying Nigeria businesses, especially Federal Government institutions websites online in sympathy of the populace following the sudden removal of fuel subsidy by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ).

On Monday, the website of the Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC) was also hacked by Naija Cyber Hactivists, denouncing the deployment of soldiers across the country, especially Lagos by GEJ at the Gani Freedom Park among others, to molest protesters.

ITRealms Online recalls that on the New Year day, January 1, 2012, the Federal Government had announced the removal of fuel subsidy, thereby causing hike in pump price from hitherto N65 per litre to about N143 per litre.

Further investigations showed that as at the time of filing this report, both the websites of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) among others.

Although, ITRealms Online also gathered that by weekend, NAFDAC website, http://www.nafdac.gov.ng/ has been restored, while that of EFCC, http://www.efccnigeria.org/ remain inaccessible as any attempt showed that the requested Universal Route Locator (URL) had additional code ‘/jm15/’ indicating that it was not found on the server. While, additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an Error Document to handle the request is being displayed on the website ever since last Friday when the EFCC website went live with the news that the likes of telecom business mogul, Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola and others were allegedly arrested.

Also, ITRealms Online gathered that sooner than it was hacked, officials of EFCC denied the arrest of these business moguls, alleging that its website was hacked.

Speaking on this development, the Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Emeka JP Obegolu told ITRealms Online that as much as Nigerians are entitled to peaceful protest within the law, hacking of website is a cybercrime and legitimate protesters are not welcome.

He advised those hackers to avoid criminality as a way of protest.

Equally commenting, one of the protesting Nigerian youth who gave his name as Hareem, said that this – the hacking of government institutions website; is a very good way of communicating their message loud and clear to the government. Mostly “if they don’t still understand what is going on.”

Further investigations confirmed this with a Tweet from NaijaCyberHactivists, saying that the hacking of EFCC website was in solidarity with the Nigerian masses’ protest over fuel subsidy removal and alleged bad governance and inability of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to assent to the demands of the people.

ITRealms Online further gathered that on Friday, January 13, 2012, NaijaCyberHactivists had stated through social media, Twitter, that it should be occupied for unwillingness to give the Nigerian people justice.

The call to occupy EFCC was for not bringing the suspected cabals among the oil importers and corruption politicians in the country to book, which came as popular a demand online.

“The AYES have it. EFCC’s website goes down officially at exactly 2pm tomorrow with an #OccupyEFCC chatbox on it.

In what started with a question from NaijaCyberHactivists on a motion: Should EFCC’s website be occupied for mis-information & lack of will to prosecute the Cabals? Aye or Nay? The majority of his followers affirmed to the temporary occupation of EFCC website, mostly for the inability of the Commission to tackle the purported cabals defrauding the country of millions of Naira.

ITRealms Online recalled that the hackers had occupied EFCC site with that notice.

In addition, the website of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) was last Friday hacked following the alleged announcement by the Commission for arresting and detained some 21 executive directors of oil-chip firms for defrauding the nation over fuel subsidy.

The former Head, Media & Publicity Unit, EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi was purportedly reported as saying in a press statement dated January 13, 2012 that those arrested were in response to fuel subsidy scam.

He also alleged to have said that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested and detained at the weekend included the managing director of CONOil, Otunba Mike Adenuga, who also is the executive chairman, Globacom and three others.

He said these comprised of his counterparts at African Petroleum (AP), Mr. Femi Otedola, MRS Oil, Mr. Sayyi Dantata and Mr. Adewale Tinubu who is the Group Chief Executive of Oando plc among others.

Equally, Babafemi was reported to have disclosed that some senior officials of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), “who defrauded the nation several billions of Naira.”

The EFCC spokesman was further alleged to have said that in total, “21 executive directors have been detained in all and at the moment been interrogated over fresh information that they allegedly stole fuel subsidy funds,” even as he promised to release more information later.

Investigations conducted by ITRealms Online indicated that the EFCC website may have been hacked by unknown persons following agitation on the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government, this was further strengthen by the fact that some media organizations who rushed to the press, especially online to announce the arrest have since yanked the announcement off their website.

Even as it was rumoured that the said Mr. Babafemi Babalola may have resigned from the employ of EFCC as at January 12, 2012. However, EFCC has since Friday denied the reported arrest of Adenuga and co.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Fuel Subsidy Removal protests: Nigerian Tweeps cautious of State agents monitoring

Proponents of social media aspect of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as tools for revolutionary strike action which commenced across the country on Monday have cautioned Nigerians to be wary of agents of the State monitoring online conversations.

Tweeps is a conjunction of Twitter and Peeps resulting into ‘tweeps,’ which is commonly used to refer to the Twitter flowers of someone or Tweet enthusiasts.

ITRealms Online gathered that proponents of nationwide protest against the removal of fuel subsidy by the Nigerian president on January 1, 2012, including the famous Enough-is-Enough Nigeria (EiENigeria), OccupyNigeria and Save Nigeria Group among others.

The coordinating civil society groups enjoined protesters to ensure they use technology to plan but note that agents of the State are monitoring conversations.

“Treat sensitive information with caution,” the group told Tweet followers.

They further advised Tweeps who are using Short Messaging Service (SMS) to first connect their account to their mobile numbers, saying that subscribers on Airtel or MTN could send START to 40404, while those on Glo could send START to 20644 to connect.

They equally said that Tweeps using this module would be required to complete a one-time login with your username (twitter handle) and password, explaining that “No downloads” is needed, although each SMS will cost you N10.

According to the proponents, SMS allows 160 characters, compared to Twitter is 140, hence, they advised protesters to keep their tweets below 140 characters so that it will be delivered.

“Please use popular hash tags, for instance the #FuelSubsidy or #OccupyNigeria in your tweets so that any emergency requests could be picked up for action,” the group advised.

In addition, the group cautioned those who may be using a public computer to send sensitive information, clear the cache so no one could gain access to information.

For most browsers, experts in the group counseled that if you press “Shift+Ctrl” then “Delete”, you will get the “Clear Browsing Data” option. Clear as required, adding that protesters could keep sensitive information a bit more secured by making sure they only send such to people they know and trust, otherwise, they should use Direct Messaging.

ITRealms Online also gathered that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has promised to be on standby to assist with legal issues during the strike, even as they warned Nigerians to stay nonviolent and report every suspicion to protest coordinators.

Meanwhile, current tension in the land over the removal of fuel subsidy has forced new media enthusiasts in the country to carry their grievances to the internet by relying on social media networks to share grievances and strategies for the total strike.

While some use Facebook, others chose Twitter, YouTube and Yfrog to name a few of the social media networks on the Internet to distribute information.

This came as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) have variously denied rumours making a round that services, especially on the Blackberry offering would be cut off to avert impending revolt by Nigerians using mobile technology devices in communicating during the strike.

Even as NBC said every station has the right to cover protest, but must ensure that the interest of the nation takes prime position.

ITRealms Online investigations at the weekend revealed that since the proclamation of the removal of fuel subsidy on Sunday, January 1, 2012 by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration, Nigerians have taken solace on the Internet to share information especially their hardship following the removal.

Whereas some Nigerians have asked the Jonathan government to cut government waste rather than removing fuel subsidy as his New Year gift to Nigerians, others insisted that charity must start at home with the Presidency cutting on the cost of governance at the Aso Villa.

A public statement made available to ITRealms Online by some civil society organisations, government, they said should make petrol affordable, maintaining that it’s the only thing government do as it does not provide water, electricity, good roads, good health care facilities or good educational opportunities.

The civil society group also said that the removal has forced an increment which has doubled across the country including the cost of transportation, food, health care, and cost of running businesses in addition to the cost of generating electricity through the generating sets, whereas most salaries is now worth at least 35 per cent less as goods and services have tippled on average.

According to the group, although the minimum wage remain N18,000, the government at all levels have not implemented this wholesomely, contending that the government could save money by cutting waste and tackling corruption, most of which exist in the public service.

They noted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is currently prosecuting former Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, his counterpart from Oyo State, ex-police offer, Adebayo Alao-Akala among others for over N200 billion.

Equally, they argued that the government disburses N250 billion per year as ‘security votes’ to the President and Governors, which they could spend at will.

The 2012 budget, they pointed out has allocated approximated N1 billion to purported ‘feeding’ for the president and the vice president, while the same budget allocated N1.7 trillion wage bill and N675 million to generate power in the Aso Villa and VP’s residence respectively.

They, therefore, urged Nigerians to join the protests in their cities, send a Short Messaging Service (SMS) to share their opinion on 0816666222 and 08120006622 as well as send an electronic mail to info@eienigeria.org.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Ghana leads queue for NigComSAT-1R transponders

WITH satellite coverage of over 40 African countries in the orbit, NigComSAT-1R may have started to attract the commercial attention it deserved with Ghana leading the queue to have access to the services of the replaced Nigerian Communication Satellite (NigComSAT-1R) launched last month in China.

This is coming barely a fortnight after the launch of NigComSAT-1R, which was monitored globally, even as Ghana has ordered for two transponders.

A communications satellite’s transponder is the series of interconnected units which form a communications channel between the receiving and the transmitting antennas.

A transponder is composed of an input band limiting device known as a band pass filter, in addition to having an input low-noise amplifier (LNA), designed to amplify the normally very weak, because of the large distances involved signals received from the earth station. Even as it’s a frequency translator; normally composed of an oscillator and a frequency mixer and used to convert the frequency of the received signal to the frequency required for the transmitted signal.

Experts at Wikipedia, an online open source encyclopedia explained that most communication satellites are radio relay stations in orbit, and carry dozens of transponders, each with a bandwidth of tens of megahertz. Most transponders operate on a “bent pipe” principle, sending back to earth of what goes into the conduit with only amplification and a shift from uplink to downlink frequency.

Confirming this at a maiden media interaction after the launch of NigComSAT-1R, the chief executive officer, NigComSAT, Mr. Timansaniyu Ahmed-Rufai, said that Ghana and Congo are some of the countries on the continent keenly interested on receiving service offering from NigComSAT, just as Ghana has asked for two transponders.

He noted that the replacement satellite is of no cost to Nigeria, while the commercialization potential of NigComSAT extends beyond the current 40 African coverage to China and Asia as well as Europe among others.

NigComSAT, Ahmed-Rufai said, is specifically for Africa and has been globally positioned.

He disclosed that talks are on with MainOne, a cable company in Nigeria to enter into partnership with NigComSAT through deployment of its services and compliment the efforts of MainOne in extending broadband availability to homes in the country.

This step, he said, would usher into homes what he described as ‘Internet surfing without tears.”

Ahmed-Rufai who was accompanied at the session by the Executive Director, Marketing, Ms Bimbola Alale, Head, Legal Services, Ms Alima Udoye and General Manager, Corporate Strategy and Planning, Mr. Olabode Oroge, said that Nigerians are fully in control of the recently launched satellite which arrived its orbital home successfully on December 27, 2011, which is approximately seven days or 168 hours after it was launched, stressing that it will remain there in the next 15 years plus when its lifespan is expected to expire.

He underscored the fact that the satellite was built on a DFH-4 platform and was successfully launched on a Long March 3B/E launch vehicle into the geo-transfer orbit (GTO) on Monday, December 19, 2011 at exactly 5.41pm local time, from Xichang satellite launch centre in China.

As said by him, following the separation of the satellite from the launch vehicle, the satellite was injected into the geo-transfer orbit and subsequently began its journey to the final orbital position of 42.5degree East in the GEO-stationary orbit.

“This operation is referred to as Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) operations of the satellite lasted for one week with about five orbital maneuvers carried out successfully,” he said, maintaining that the satellite was placed in its final orbital position of 42.5 degrees East at exactly 00:58 GMT, on Tuesday, December,27, 2011.

He said that the satellite now positioned, is within the view of the two NigComSat ground control centres based in Lugbe, Abuja and Kashi in China respectively, of which NigComSat-1R is now monitored and controlled from the Abuja ground station; where the data from the satellite are presently being received real-time.

Hence, he said that In-Orbit Testing (IOT) has commenced and will last another 40 days from the date of arrival at orbital home, before commercial activities could take off, to ensure that the tests satellite conform with the design requirements.

“Upon the successful completion of IOT, it is expected that commercial services shall commence in the first week of February 2012. In anticipation of this, the Direct-to-Home (DTH) platform, broadband Internet services and other services are being prepared for hosting on the satellite as soon as commercial activities flag off,” he said.

Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D