Nigeria and e-inclusion

Cover of the week:

As stakeholders assemble in Abuja today for a two-day national forum on National Information Communication and Education Programme (NICEP) network, REMMY NWEKE appraises Nigeria’s effort at ensuring e-inclusion takes its rightful place in the country.

Recently, during a Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO)-organized Information and Communication Technology (ICT) forum at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, a call was made by an expert to the 36 states of the federation in Nigeria on the need for digital inclusion, otherwise called e-inclusion.

Popularized by its specific references within the European Union (EU), this term has since assumed a global dimension to connote the possibilities of using ICT tools to bridge the digital gap existing among the people, especially between urban and rural dwellers, the haves and the have- nots.

The Free Dictionary by Farlex, described digital gap as the difference in technologies used and/or deployed in two separate entities, companies, countries, ethnic groups, to name a few; where one is more advanced than the other. Also, it could be said to be the difference involving those who have computers and high-technology devices in general and those who do not, equally tagged as ‘digital divide.’ As well, it could be the disparity dividing the current-day products and the technology on the drawing boards.

Thus, digital inclusion becomes imperative to shore up the livelihood of rural and underserved communities, which would eventually lead to bridging the poverty gap through the empowerment of the citizens, invariably through ICT infrastructure and usage of the available tools, positively.

One main advantage of ICT tools in our daily lives is the enthronement of a knowledge driven society, which leapfrogs into a knowledge economy and even evident in several parts of the world including Africa, with clear records in Egypt and South Africa, as shining examples.

Principal of a Philadelphia-based digital inclusion consultancy firm, Karacomm, Ms Karen Archer Perry, in one of her contributions toward ensuring socio-economic inclusion, especially in developing countries of the world, which includes Nigeria, outlined ‘Eight Ways to Promote Digital Inclusion Now!’ She prescribed the reading of “Innovating for Inclusion: A Digital Inclusion Guide for those Leading the Way,” sponsored by Microsoft and authored by Maria Wynne, Lane Cooper and herself.

As said by her, innovating for inclusion offers a framework for creating an inclusion initiative in a given community, which includes excellent references and success stories from around some parts of the United States.

In addition, she prescribed checking-out the Pew Internet and American Life Project as well as the Brookings Institute by considering how these reports could impact on individual’s community, social fabric and economy.

She suggested a few favourites comprising the adoption of broadband technology and effects of broadband deployment among others. Just as making sure all of related websites to the e-inclusion project are accessible to those with visual impairments.

For instance, beginning with the Web Content Accessibility (WCA) guidelines by making certain that the version in use is the most current available.

Equally, she suggested the promotion of the use of technologies that could assist users with visual and physical disabilities. Setting up a meeting with community leaders from the local government chairman, supervisory councilors, house of assembly members, governors, chief information officers as well as the members of the National Assembly; as in the case of Nigeria, is vital.

Efforts, she said, should be made by opening up a discussion about policies and investment in Digital Inclusion, which could be likened to the recent visit of House Committee on Governmental Affairs to Galaxy warehouse in Lagos. Very importantly, according to Ms. Perry, is the ability to spend some time at local libraries to feel the pulse of the people and learn what could help them to become ‘digital citizens’ by using broadband-connected computers among others.

Essentially, there is need to always update Community Technology Centers where they exist. In Nigeria, for instance, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with the support of some state governments and members of the National Assembly sited several Digital Awareness Project (DAP) and Advanced Digital Access for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) across the nation, alongside its State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI).

However, Perry suggested as motivational step to ask youngsters and school teachers how pupils adapt to usage of technology to support and reinforce core curriculum.

“While most people think about the digital divide in terms of access, there is a new divide forming around efficacy. Make sure your clients and your kids are using the web to deepen their understanding of concepts, create new ideas and expand their own learning communities,” she declared.

Adding his voice to the e-inclusion campaign at the CTO forum in Abuja, the Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone Plc, Mr. Gerald Ilukwe, beckoned on Commonwealth member states to embrace ICT as a platform for bridging the poverty gap in their regions.

Noting that Galaxy Backbone Plc, a wholly independent company of the Federal Government was established to provide a common platform for the provision of network connectivity and transversal services to the public sector, facilitate digital inclusion of rural and underserved communities.

Ilukwe underlined the fact that his company aim is geared towards effective connectivity for a socially inclusive and commercially vibrant Nigerian society. Recollecting that not quite long ago, GBB signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) for the provision of broadband connectivity to all of the 1,500 post offices across the nation.

Stressing that the partnership affords his company the opportunity to drive key objective of delivering e-education, e-health, e-agriculture and e-government solutions through National Information Communication and Education Programme (NICEP) network; offering opportunities for Galaxy to secure partnerships with leading ICT establishments, bandwidth wholesalers, equipment vendors, funding and development partners and solution providers.

Emphasizing on inherent opportunities in (NICEP) for the country, Mr. Ilukwe said, during a recent presentation for the members of the National Economic Council (NEC), that more than ever before, mostly with ravaging global economic crisis and falling prices of crude oil, there is no doubt the Federal and State Governments should seek alternative ways of leapfrogging the country into the 21st century knowledge economy.

“Nigeria can strategically position to compete in the knowledge economy by acquiring the right infrastructure and implementing human capacity development strategies relevant in the new millennium,” Ilukwe said, proposing a sustainable partnership framework through which the 36 state governments could extend the reach of NICEP services to cover all state capitals and local government areas countrywide.

NICEP, he explained, is an ICT intervention programme of the Federal Government to provide connectivity for broadband internet, data, voice and video communications to rural and underserved communities including educational institutions in the country.

He noted that the network, when deployed could be leveraged upon to bring about continuous growth initiatives to all Nigerians, even as it will facilitate the digital inclusion of underserved communities, assist in the area of human capacity development and deliver beneficial e-services to citizens.

Already, he said, more than 1,000 locations across the country have been connected to this network, stressing that to provide internet access, the network is capable of supporting ICT-based solutions targeted at universal access, health, education, poverty alleviation, wealth creation, as well as those focused on enhancing public sector efficiency.

“With so many public services going online, for example, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Examinations Council, (NECO) registration and recruitment into some government agencies, the need to provide access to people in rural areas can never be overemphasized,” he said.

While calling for partnership between the public and private sectors in the pursuit of national development, especially using the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as tool, Ilukwe said, any agency involved in e-inclusion should not be driven primarily by a motive to make profit, but to serve the under-served communities.

“We have also had situations where people say Galaxy is competing with the private sector, and we say a large part of where we go and provide services have always been out there and the private sector did not provide those services simply because the private sector operates with a single primary motive and that is profit. Government is not solely profit-driven. However, there will always be room for partnership,” he said.

Pointing out that the culture of competition instead of collaboration among customers and service providers alike as well as challenges with critical infrastructure especially, power, have become impediments to digital inclusion.

However, he said that from these challenges there are emerging trends and opportunities, identifying some of these to include a shift from reactive to proactive services, industry and government regulation, encouraging and enforcing sharing and collaboration, strong investments and subsidies from government in critical information infrastructure. Observing that private sector service providers are re-investing earnings and seeking for new revenue streams and large enterprises are focusing on core missions and competencies as well as outsourcing ancillary services.

Ilukwe said that there are lots of opportunities opening up as networks grow and that these abound within local governments, community centres and post offices, stating that these locations are severely under-utilized.

“Quite a lot of people who manage these locations do not know the potentials that are out there. The post offices in particular are located in strategic and prime areas. I observed recently, during a trip to Enugu that in one of the post offices’ warehouse I visited, somebody could put down 300 personal computers (PC) there,” he observed.

Above all, as the stakeholders gear up for the two-day national forum on NICEP, which is at its third edition, at Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, there is apparent need for the states and local governments across the country to come up with strategies for heeding the call made earlier by GBB boss, through partnerships with the company.

Industry observers, therefore, look forward to an enlightened session that would further reposition Nigeria as a thriving nation with digital inclusion at heart through political and technocracy collaboration, especially if we expect any reasonable progress to be made in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the key objectives of the 7-point agenda and Vision 20: 2020.

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Uncertainty engulfs NITEL

... Over search for new core investors

SEVENTY-TWO hours to the expiration of the May 30 deadline allowed for Expression of Interest (EOI) for the sale of, at least, 51 per cent of the Nigerian Telecommunications Plc (NITEL) to new core investor, uncertainty appeared to have surrounded events leading to the exercise.

Transnational Corporation (TRANSCORP), the current owners of the 51 stake in NITEL took over the management in 2005 after a widely criticized ‘preferred bidder’ option purportedly concluded at the presidency and ever since then it has been crisis after crisis either on the part of Transcorp or NITEL and its mobile subsidiary, MTel.

Coupled with the inability of Transcorp to meet the desire of the Federal Government and NITEL workforce, it was agreed that the current stake of 51 per cent be offered for sale, which could even be adjusted upward to 71, if need be.

The height of present uncertainty within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector with particular reference to NITEL, which built up due to several issues capable of forestalling the ‘unending’ efforts to dispose NITEL by the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE), were drawn from the turn of events in recent weeks leading to the deadline for the search for new core investor.

For instance, the unrest of the workforce since Transcorp took over, created a faction and latest exposure on alleged fraudulent activities in high circles within the organization, leading to the arrest of NITEL board chairman, Mr. Mr. Tom Iseghohi and some top management staff, which came after the purported sack of the American chief executive, Mr. Kevin Caruso, few weeks to the deadline for the expression of interest.

Piqued by the inability of NITEL and Transcorp management to settle their salary arrears for the past 11 months, NITEL workers have decided to take their destinies in their hands by engaging debtors of the organisation, including the First Bank of Nigeria Plc, for its inability to remit over N1.1 billion collected on behalf of NITEL in the past six years.

Industry observers said that as at press time, there is yet no hope for any keen core investor for the moribund NITEL.

While the closure of this bidding process is said to be a key trial for the newly appointed Director General of BPE, Dr. Christopher Uloneme Anyanwu, given the unfruitful attempts of his predecessor, Mrs. Irene Chigbue in the past four years.

BPE in its addendum call for EOI for the sale of at least 51 per cent equity stake in NITEL plc, noted that as published at the end of March 2009, the shareholders of Nitel “The Shareholders” thereby expressed their willingness to consider selling NITEL and its wholly-owned Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) subsidiary, MTEL, either as combined or as two separate entities.

According to BPE, bidders will have the opportunity to submit proposals for the acquisition of the combined operation or for the acquisition of the two separated companies.

“At the submission of their Expressions of Interest, interested parties may indicate their preliminary preference to bid for either, NITEL, MTEL or both,” part of the BPE public statement read.

Equally, NITEL shareholders said they were aware of the need to eliminate from the proposed transaction any uncertainty over the amount of debt carried by both companies before conclusion of the transaction.

The prequalification criteria for the EOI stage, they said, have been adjusted to include the minimum of 1.2 million aggregate fixed and/or mobile subscribers; telecom operators with operations in only one country are eligible to apply.

“Where interested parties express interest as a consortium including a qualified telecom operator and other investors, the telecom operator will be required to own at least 20 per cent of the consortium’s post-acquisition equity,” it read, stressing that with the all other pre-qualification criteria remain unchanged, preference will however be given to investors that meet the original published prequalification criteria in its entirety.

BPE pointed out that every ‘Expressions of Interest’ must be submitted with the documentation supporting qualification, latest Saturday, May 30, 2009 by 5 pm Nigerian time to “The Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises(BPE) office in Garki, Abuja.

ITRealms Online recalls that just last week, embattled NITEL employees under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporations (SSACTAC), in Abuja gave the management of First Bank Nigeria Plc, a seven-day ultimatum within which to clear a $7 million debt (about N1.1billion) owed the organisation or face the anger of the workers, who report indicated were determined to prevent the bank from carrying on with its services.

A letter addressed to the Managing Director of the bank which was made available to ITRealms Online, weekend in Abuja, SSACTAC said, the in-house union has been left with no other option than to issue a seven-day notice to the bank to clear the matter in both parties interest to avoid crisis.  

Stating that the letter signed by the President and Deputy President of the Association, Comrades E.Y. Kazzah and Gabriel Abah, listed the debt accruing from non remittances of collection, unauthorised debits of account and letters of credits not completely drawn with the bank since 2002.

However, most outrageous aspect of the pervading crisis in NITEL was the fraudulent case of millions of dollars which blew open earlier this month, involving the Group Managing Director of Transcorp and who also is the chairman of NITEL board, Mr. Tom Iseghohi and two other management staff, namely, the company secretary, Mohammed Buba and director of operations, Mr. Mike Okoro, even as they may be facing criminal charges of fraud, cheating, theft, obtaining by false pretence and breach of trust, money laundering and forgery among others.

Trouble was said to have started for Messrs Tom Iseghohi and Co, when he purportedly sacked Mr. Kevin Caruso, who discovered to his chagrin the shortchanging that occurred in his monthly allowance of about $75,000 (about N11m), whilst he was being paid just $25,000.

This eventually linked to the intervention of security agencies, mostly the State Security Services (SSS), who effected the arrest.

Speaking to ITRealms Online at the weekend, the deputy president of the Senior Staff Association of Transport, Telecommunications and Corporations, (SSATTC) MTel branch, Mr. Chidi Oparauwakwe, said that they are praying, because “we cannot continue like this with Transcorp.”

Meanwhile, the staff of Transcorp recently wrote the corporation, saying that it has nothing more to offer and apparently handicapped in meeting the expectations of its stakeholders.

Those who spoke to ITRealms Online on the state of their respective organizations, both the factional president of the Senior Staff Association of Transport, Telecommunications and Corporations, (SSATTC) Nitel branch, Comrade Elias Kazzah, the deputy president of the union at MTel, Mr. Chidi Oparauwakwe, and the purportedly deposed President, National Association of Telecommunications Employees (NATE) at NITEL, Mr. Charles Amankwe, all agreed that Transcorp has overstayed its welcome.

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ipNX partners NCC in accelerated broadband

Provider of infrastructure-based Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services in the country, ipNX Nigeria Limited has entered into a partnership with the regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to deliver State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI) project to the people of Kano State.

ITRealms Online gathered that the deal would be consummated tomorrow in the city of Kano, thereby bringing broadband internet access to every part of the state.
Affirming this, in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online, the
Executive Director, ipNX, Mr. Ifeanyi Amah, noted that the partnership is to accelerate unlimited internet access to Nigeria, especially in the northern part of the country and encourage innovation.

“The move to empower Nigerians with broadband Internet access started almost two years ago, our intention is to take our products and services to other regions. Our commitment in that direction can be seen through our partnership with NCC on SABI,” he said.

Reiterating that the company is consistently leading the industry with innovative, value laden products and services, saying the company introduced “i wireless broadband, a reliable, high speed wireless broadband solution designed to offer residential and small business subscribers the ability to browse, talk and fax documents all at the same time. The first of its kind in Nigeria.”

ipNX Nigeria Limited which started business in 2001 is one of the few operators that successfully rolled out and utilized its 3.5 Gega Hertz (GHz) spectrum which it won during NCC’s Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) auction in 2002.

Although ipNX is highly recognised for delivering reliable data communications services to corporate organisation especially within the banking sector, ipNX is now extending its broadband Internet and VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) services to small and medium sized businesses and residential customers through its newly deployed 3.5G fixed wireless access network.

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SAP customer base increases in Africa

Director of a leading business software solutions provider in-charge of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) business at SAP Africa, Mr. Derek Kudsee, has declared that the future is rested on SME, even as the company now has increased its customer base to1,300 across the continent.

Speaking to ITRealms Online during the one-day session of SME world tour of SAP, which stopped over in Lagos, last weekend, Mr. Kudsee, noted that based on this SAP has developed two business solutions; namely the Business One, and All-in-One.

He explained that Business One is a product for small businesses that enables SMEs to discover day-to-day processes and work challenges, noting that every small business has multiple business processes.

According to him, with fast growth and change, it’s no wonder that sometimes those processes don’t work together as well as they could.

He said, SAP Business One assists SMEs to integrate and streamline business processes, stressing that the entry level is the major thing and special attention, hence SAP come up with this product and usage depends largely on customer’s needs.

Like the name sounds, All-in-One product, he said, is all-encompassing, even as SAP tend to serve as an alternative where local software providers are lacking.

He explained that most SMEs do not have access to technology, “So we have to condense it and resell it for SMEs, because they are the future.”

Kudsee said that SAP made up to between 1 and 2 million Euros in the last business year and is projecting to grow its business by at least 12 customers this year, especially through the resellers.

As said by him, the global markets have established that the world is under recession, pointing out that when eventually this trend would spur new business models and strategies.

He underscored the fact that it is no secret that SME market is the driving force of innovation and job creation in the economy, stressing SME is also the most section of the economy affected by global recession.

SAP, he said, has made significant progress in providing solutions for SMEs in response to their peculiar needs. Pointing out that the SAP SME World Tour is a flagship event that stops in 50 SAP regions.

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Arit’s ESET antivirus hits market

This year’s Computer, Telecommunications and Online Service (CTO) may have ended, but the echoes from the week-long event continue to make the air waves, as Arit of Africa showcased its ESET antivirus solutions among others at the expo.

Executive Director, Arit of Africa Ltd, Mrs. Ronke Okeremi, noted that productivity level of professionals and executives have been boosted with the advent of Essential Security against Evolving Threats (ESET) antivirus and security software. which has been developed to eradicate the greatest threat of viruses and save valuable man hours.

According to Okeremi, the compact and intuitive user interface to its minimal use of alerts, users receive the best possible proactive detection against viruses, malware and spyware without enduring excessive system slowdowns and alerts, reboots or annoying false positives by simply deploy ESET antivirus.

She also said that her company, the exclusive distributor of ESET for Nigeria and Ghana, has made ESET available to financial institutions, insurance, oil and gas, government and other sectors of the economy.

“That is why we have adopted this year’s CTO as a starting point. The CTO is quite suitable for the commercial push of the ESET antivirus and smart security software, so that SMEs, professionals and other executives would benefits from its effective protection against today’s huge volumes of Internet and email threats. We are taking
ESET to the CTO and other parts of the country. To achieve this target we have accredited over 20 resellers across the geo-political zone of Nigeria for this purpose,” she said.

Mrs. Okeremi explained that ESET is also one of the fastest antivirus solutions as users usually are unaware it is actively running.

“For IT and security professionals, it’s easy to build group policies and manage updates. For end users, it’s incredibly easy to use and highly effective, hence you’ll record an almost nil in terms of help desk calls for virus outbreaks”, she declared.

In addition, she noted that computer and Internet virus, malware and spyware pose the greatest threat to security of business and financials, stressing that cyber criminals flood the Internet with over 100,000 new attacks every day.

“Some attacks target only a few users, making them very hard to identify using traditional antivirus technologies. ESET provides award-winning proactive antivirus and antispyware protection without affecting the user’s computer’s performance, while offering high level management control,” she said.

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Yayale to address forum via video conference

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Madmud Yayale Ahmed, would today, deliver a keynote speech at Galaxy Backbone organized stakeholders’ two-day forum via video conferencing.

The event which is the 3rd public sector ICT Infrastructure forum is being put together by Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Plc in partnership with the National Economic Council and Nigeria Governors’ Forum as a 2-Day National Stakeholders’ Forum on NICEP, at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The Manager, Corporate Communications at Galaxy Backbone Plc, Mr. Franklyn Ginger-Eke, said that the forum is an avenue to enlighten state governments on the developmental opportunities represented by National Information Communication and Education Programme (NICEP), which is aimed at accelerating provision of connectivity for broadband internet, data, voice and video communications to rural areas and under-served communities including health and educational institutions at State levels.

Ginger-Eke told ITRealms Online that highpoint of the opening day of the forum would be the live broadcast of the keynote address by the guest of honour, Alhaji Madmud Yayale Ahmed, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation via video conference powered by Galaxy Backbone.

“As a leading enabler of digital inclusion in Nigeria, Galaxy has built and operates one of the most sophisticated state of the art ICT infrastructures in the public sector. Other value added activities that will take place during the forum includes the setting up of a Cyber Café with ten PCs so that interested participants who wish to get on the internet can browse within the venue,” he said.

There would also be a demonstration of an interactive distance learning mathematics class involving students of School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada broadcast live from GBB’s Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) studio at its Network Operation Centre located in the central business district of Abuja to the audience at Yar’Adua Centre, the venue of the 2-day national stakeholders’ forum.

According to him, a key component of NICEP is the IDL through which Galaxy enables the delivery of multiple, live synchronous e-learning lessons to an unlimited number of geographically dispersed students to either PC or TV-based classrooms using a friendly student/instructor interaction.

“The IDL project combines high quality bi-directional video, voice and educational tools like slide projection, whiteboard, chat and application projection,” he explained.

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Know your Skype end user license (9)

No Removal of Notices: You agree that You will not remove, obscure, make illegible or alter any notices or indications of the IP Rights and/or Skype’s rights and ownership thereof, whether such notice or indications are affixed on, contained in or otherwise connected to any materials.
Use of Skype API

2.7.1 You may make use of the Skype API provided that:
(i) You comply with the Skype API Terms of Use at http://www.skype.com/legal/terms/api/ ;

(ii) Your use of the Skype API is for legitimate purposes only and shall not adversely affect the functionality or performance of the Skype Software or services provided by Skype; and

(iii) You will monitor the Skype Website in order to ensure that You are aware of any changes in the Skype API Terms of Use. If such changes are not acceptable to
You, You will immediately stop using the Skype API and, where applicable, the Skype Software.

2.7.2 If You are interested in using the Skype API for a purpose which is not permitted under this Agreement or the Skype API Terms of Use, You will have to obtain Skype’s prior written consent and explicitly agree upon any further commercial terms.

2.8 Skype Promotional Materials: Nothing in this Agreement will give You any right to use the Skype Promotional Materials.

3. What You should and should not expect from Skype.

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MTI wins 146-site deals

•Unveils 3 subsidiaries

MTI Nigeria Plc has won over 146 deals for the execution of cell sites nationwide. This will run across four network operators, just as it unveiled three subsidiaries into the nation’s market, MTI Engineering, MTI UniTower and Mass Power.

Vice chairman, MTI Nigeria Plc, Mr. Frank Kirkitie gave these insights at the investor’s forum organized by the company in Lagos, last weekend.

These operators cut across MTN, Zain, Multi-Links and Siemens Networks, aside from the one being executive across the sub-region for the likes of Globacom, MTN and Zain.

Confirming this, the Managing Director, MTI Engineering, Mr. Selwyn Watkins, said that his own subsidiary, which focuses on co-location build out, won 91 sites deal out of the 500 Greenfield sites for MTN Nigeria, which amounts to 18 per cent of the total project.

MTI Engineering, he said, won 121 from Zain out of the 400 basic co-location build out, which is the 30 per cent and Multi-Links has awarded 10 sites with a further 20 sites depending on performance, while Siemens Network has given the company 24 sites with awaiting 50 sites.

Also, Watkins said MTI Engineering presently handles fibre optic and copper, as well as currently maintaining Glo fibre lines across the country.

Welcoming participants to the forum, MTI chairman, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, noted that the forum was to update core-stakeholders of the company with its foreign partners deals and avail them the opportunity to understand the path the company is taking, especially the team from the United States-based Span LLC led by the chief executive, Mr. Garald Zadikoff.

The delegation, he said, is made up of key secondments from Span LLC to manage the joint venture, MTI-Unitower Services Limited, which includes a Director, MTI-Unitower Network Services Limited, Mr. Steve Wiseman, CEO, MTI-Unitower Network Services Limited, Mr. Andre Claeys, chief technology officer (CTO), Mr. Luk Jonchheer as well as chief marketing officer (CMO) Geoffrey Critchon, MTI-Unitower Network Services Limited.                             

ITRealms Online recalls that MTI Nigeria Plc in the bid to reposition itself for global competition, recently signed the final shareholder’s agreement with Span LLC, thereby formally creating MTI-Unitower Network Services Limited, as a joint venture company, to provide and manage tower infrastructure for wireless telecom operators.

Nwuche said that this deal with Span would enable MTI to the setting up a world class telecoms infrastructure company made up of a management and technical operatorship with knowledge and expertise in co-location telecommunication infrastructure networks, in addition to run, operate and manage MTI Unitower Network Services Limited on a day to day basis.

The first part of the agreement with SPAN was endorsed in June 2008.

Equally, ITRealms Online, notes that MTI Plc had acquired an infrastructure sharing and co-location license from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),for its joint venture company, MTI-Unitower Network Services Limited, to facilitate its commercial operations in tower leasing, infrastructure management and asset acquisition and lease back, in the telecom infrastructure sub-sector.

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Mobitel targets September roll-out

•Plans 40,000 fixed lines

Still in the euphoria of its latest 2.3 Gega Hertz (GHz) license, the returnee Mobitel Nigeria Limited, has awarded various contracts worth over $37 million (about N5.4 billion) to hasten its targeted roll out of 40,000 fixed lines by September this year.

Sources close to the company, informed ITRealms Online in Lagos, last weekend, that the telco has concluded plans to hit the market with 40,000 fixed lines, which it would offer alongside 1,400 free minutes on voice for each of its subscribers.

According to our sources, all efforts are geared towards going to the market on or before September 2009, just as Mobitel may have invested over $300 million till date.

ITRealms Online reliably gathered that Mobitel which expended over $100 million to return to the active table in the industry, is expected to engage some 600 staff.

Equally, it was gathered that out of the $37 million contracts awarded so far, VocalTec got $6 million for the first phase of a cutting-edge Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) platform, Alvarion of Isreal got $8 million for the first phase roll-out of 50 base stations in four main cities.

Also, Mobitel said it has awarded Main One Technologies the sum of $23 million for 2.5 Gega bit for a five year deal, just as co-location infrastructure providers, IHS and Helios Towers, have been signed on, while a forth night ago, the telco signed on Phase3 for its national transmission, even as Gateway Communications was given some contracts too.

Mobitel, a pioneering provider of telecommunications services in Nigeria is wholly acquired by a consortium led by Omni Ventures in 2008 and offers fixed and wireless voice, data and value-added services focusing on small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and high-end consumers across the country.

Mobitel maintains nationwide frequency spectrum allocations and a set of licenses that could be converted into a unified access service license. Powered by leading-edge WiMAX technology and a rigorously engineered network enabling the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective solutions, Mobitel provides a tailored service offering through an innovative sales-channel and customer-care strategy.

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Nokia launches 3 entry phones

Mobile device giant, Nokia, has launched three new entry phones; Nokia 7020, 2330 and 2720, into the Nigerian market.

Vice President at Nokia for Entry Category Markets, Mr. Alex Lambeek, who performed the launch in Lagos, said that Nokia tends to bring the Internet into emerging markets closer to the people.

The latest from the Nokia shelf, Lambeek said, would encourage mobile information and entertainment flow among families and friends.

The Nokia 2720, for instance, he said, comes Internet-ready and works with Nokia’s range of emerging market services such as Nokia Life Tools and Ovi Mail, thus creating solutions that help people get ahead.

As said by him, the power of the internet is undeniable and Nokia as a mobile device company has since realized this fact.

“We’ve seen mobile technologies catalyzing the growth of the informal sector across the world, empowering local entrepreneurs and having an immediate and lasting impact on people’s lives. Services like Nokia Life Tools and Ovi Mail, combined with the mobile phones we’re launching today, bring powerful solutions that can be the gateway to knowledge, entertainment and people, without the need for a PC,” he said.

Extensive Nokia consumer research, he said, indicated that about half of the emerging market customers connect to the Internet over a mobile phone than a Personal Computer (PC).

“As a result, Nokia has developed locally relevant solutions that consist of affordable mobile phones and applications, designed and built from the ground up to meet the specific needs of customers in the developing world. Whilst many people are still primarily using voice and text, the Internet does offer a whole new range of opportunities,” he said.

Lambeek pointed out that Nokia Life Tools, for instance, is a service that enables people to make better informed decisions, find timely and relevant information, access learning opportunities and enjoy entertainment regardless of time or place.

A pilot study in India, he said, showed that the services had high appeal for livelihood and life improvement services. Nokia Life Tools will soon be available in Nigeria.

Another service aimed at the developing world is Ovi Mail, which has the potential to be the first digital identity for many people in emerging markets. Unlike most other email services, an Ovi Mail account can be created and used directly on a Nokia device without ever having to use a PC. Since the launch of the beta service in December 2008, around 90 per cent of the accounts were created on a Nokia phone.

Lambeek stressed that with the longstanding commitment in emerging markets, Nokia customers could now be confident that any product from its stable meets a strict and consistent set of high-quality standards.

This, he said, is particularly important in markets where technical assistance and repair shops are not easily accessible.”

For Nokia 2720, a compact fold phone with an exciting mirror-effect design, he said, helps people stay organized with easy access to email, calendar, Internet connectivity and file sharing applications.

“Email can be activated by completing a simple three step set-up process,” he asserted.

On the Nokia 2330 classic, he said, it comes with discreetly premium looks and trusted quality offers easy access to Nokia Life Tools, Mail on Ovi, and the internet. In addition, the Nokia 2330 classic includes a camera.

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