Google, Microres train Nigerian media practitioners on new media tools

Global leader on Internet services, Google has in Nigeria partnered Microres in the hosting of new media workshop for media practitioners in the country.

Speaking at the first phase of the workshop, Head, Communications and Public Affairs, Google Nigeria, Mr. Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade said that it’s a collaboration that is expected to spur more media involvement in the development of contents using available technological tools, especially on Google platform.

He also disclosed that over 100 media practitioners participated in the workshop held at the conference hall of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to him, a lot of goodies await participants at the end of the session including certificate to be presented to those who successfully completed the training.

Speaking during her presentation at the workshop, one of the Google evangelists, Ms Nmachi Jidenma took participants through the recently launched GooglePlus even as she encouraged Nigerians embrace the Google’s social tools by ensuring that they have Google electronic mail account, Gmail; which is one of the requirements to enjoy the benefits that come with GooglePlus.

According to her, a lot could be achieved using GooglePlus, including sharing of files with friends, family, acquaintance and even public.

Nmachi further took participants through the use of Google documents and value proposition of settings in the Gmail, in addition to how to include signatures on outgoing mails, which she said, could make such a mail authentic or otherwise.

She also explained ways of delaying mails delivery, at this era of increasing fast internet for corporate users and to avoid sending the wrong mails to individuals and mostly superiors, by enabling the undo buttons in the settings among others.

The root for importation and exportation of emails from previous email accounts were also showcased to the participants.

On the Google document, Nmachi said that it has the feasibility for two or more people to contribute simultaneously in writing a document for a project collaboration, especially as a team working in corporate world, experimenting with the editor of ITRealms Online, Mr. Remmy Nweke.

She concluded her session by exposing participants on how easy it is to set up blogs, mostly when they have Gmail accounts, just as she took time to show how to customize Gmail accounts for corporate and organizations using the theme options in the settings to beautify such accounts alongside the corporate colours among others.

“Most companies are using Google drive, which means that every staff is on Gmail and customized for such an organization,” she explained.

Google, she said, has partners that help organizations to go customized such as Descasio, adding that with Gmail, users could simply organize their information, declaring that emails should be more than just getting their emails organized, like marking some mails on important and creating folders for certain mails.

Another Google evangelist, equally speaking at the workshop, Mr. Lanre Aina also guided participants on how to optimize the Google search engine with techniques, which includes participation of attendees.

Participants at the workshop cut across online, print and broadcast media practitioners.

Our Reporter
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SkyVision launches VSAT hub in South Africa

Acclaimed leader in global provider of Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity over satellite and fibre optic networks throughout Africa, SkyVision Global Networks Ltd, has launched its new iDirect Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) hub service for South Africa.

Marketing Communications Manager, SkyVision Global Networks, Iris Tovim, stated in a press statement that this offering would be operated by SkyVision Networks South Africa (Pty) Ltd., SkyVision Global Network’s local subsidiary.

Toyim also said, the establishment of SkyVision Networks South Africa and the teleport and local VSAT hub it operates is the latest strategic move SkyVision has taken in order to expand its African footprint.

This offering, the company said will enable it respond to Africa's need for high quality communication services over fibre, wireless and satellite.

The new iDirect Hub in Johannesburg, Toyim further said, supports the latest iDX 3.1 iDirect release, and takes full advantage of the Amos 5 satellite with its coverage of southern and sub-Saharan Africa.

“This will allow SkyVision to offer cost effective and highly reliable VSAT services for South African companies and organizations,” Toyim said, stressing that SkyVision offers a range of VSAT satellite routers, including the latest iDirect X1, data rates and services in order to accommodate each customer’s specific needs.

Remmy Nweke

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Bharti Airtel acquires Qualcomm AP for N257.4bn, expands 4G roll-out

Bharti Airtel has acquired a 49 per cent interest in Qualcomm Asia Pacific’s (Qualcomm AP)’s India BWA entities to spur partnership for the roll-out of state-of-the-art fourth generation (4G) networks on Long Term Evolution-Time Division Duplex (LTE-TDD) technology in Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala, for $165m, about N257,400,000.00 billion.

Bharti equally said the deal would boost its establishment of broadband footprint across India.

Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Airtel, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, said, the world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies, Qualcomm, has signed an agreement for Bharti to acquire an interest in Qualcomm Asia Pacific’s (Qualcomm AP) Indian BWA entities.

ITRealms Online gathered that under the agreement, Bharti has made an initial investment of approximately USD 165 million to acquire 49 per cent interest in Qualcomm AP’s India entities that hold BWA licenses in Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala.

This entails that by way of acquisition of 26 per cent equity interest equally held by Global Holding Corporation Private Limited and Tulip Telecom Limited, and the balance by way of subscription of fresh equity in those entities.

The agreement contemplates that once commercial operations are launched, subject to certain terms and conditions, Bharti would assume complete ownership and financial responsibility for the BWA entities by the end of 2014. 

Further outline of the agreement shows that Bharti already has BWA licenses in four circles, namely Kolkata, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra and 3G licenses in thirteen circles in India.

“With this agreement, Bharti has secured a nation-wide broadband leadership through a combination of 4G and 3G, with its own networks in 18 circles. Bharti has already taken the lead in LTE TDD space by launching 4G services in Kolkata and Karnataka Circles,” he said.

Mr. Bharti-Mittal, says the company is delighted to partner with Qualcomm, who shares same commitment to the government’s agenda of broadband for all.

“This partnership will combine the strength of Bharti’s national telecom footprint and Qualcomm’s technological leadership in the LTE TDD space. With a broadband ready network across India, Bharti is well positioned to lead the next phase of Indian’s telecom revolution,” he said. 

Chairman and chief executive officer of Qualcomm, Dr Paul E Jacobs, noted that one of the key objectives for Qualcomm has been to include a strong partner in the Indian venture with the scale, experience and resources to deploy LTE TDD networks.

“We are pleased to have Bharti’s participation and support in this effort,” he said, adding that GHC and Tulip have been great partners in facilitating this transaction, hence, Qualcomm remains dedicated to the continued progress and success of the BWA venture and to fulfilling its commitment as a key equity stakeholder. 

ITRealms Online investigation shows that Qualcomm expects to provide technical assistance to Bharti in connection with network architecture and optimization, infrastructure and device testing, as well as continuing to develop and support the underlying technology and the LTE TDD ecosystem.

Remmy Nweke

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Nigeria grows teledensity by 6.12% in one year

The Nigerian teledensity has recorded a growth rate of 6.12 per cent in the last one year, ITRealms Online can authoritatively reports.

Investigations by ITRealms Online on the latest monthly subscriber data rate made available to correspondents, for the period April 2011 through March 2012, shows that as at April last year, Nigeria’s teledensity was at 64.70 per cent, while as at the end of March 2012, it has grown to 70.82 per cent.

Although across the networks, namely Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Fixed either wired or wireless have a total installed capacity of 176,662,992, by end of March 2012, some 134,913,614 were connected.

Out of the aforementioned connected lines, GSM recorded a whopping share 119,460,789, CDMA got 13,133,240, and Fixed wired cum wireless had 2,319,585.

Also, the total of active lines in use across the networks came to 99,145,013, out of which GSM’s share was put at 94,531,980, CDMA recorded 4,031,698, while Fixed wired and wireless was 599,335.

The period under review equally saw the installed capacity of the trio still with GSM subsector leading with 150,036,225, followed by CDMA networks with 17,232,725, the Fixed wired cum wireless industry maintained the last position with 9,394,042.

However, in the month of April 2011, the Nigeria’s teledensity declined from 64.70 to 64.65 in May of the same year, which amounts to a downward slope of 0.05 per cent and 0.03 in June 2011.

By July 2011, the teledensity has regained its growth rate and went on to surpass the month of April to record 64.88, which is about 0.18 per cent increase.

This growth was however, sustained henceforth till March 2012 by achieving 65.78 per cent in teledensity in August 2011; 66.76 in September, 67.09 in October, 68.13 in November and  68.49 by December 31, 2011.

While January 2012 saw a growth in teledensity to 68.68, February 69.01 and March this year having 70.82.

Remmy Nweke

 

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