Digital Radio: Expanding the horizon for listeners

Features of the week:

The coming of Digital Radio (DR) in Europe has given boost to expansion of the horizon of information dissemination, reports REMMY NWEKE

THIS year’s Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) held in Berlin, otherwise known as the World of Consumer Electronics exhibition, ended earlier in the month, with the proponents of the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) making their mark in the minds of European citizens and mostly those who trooped into the venue of the annual event.

DRM came out of a consortium formed in 1998 by a small group of broadcasters and manufacturers, who joined hands to create a universal digital system for the broadcasting bands below 30 Megahertz (MHz) in the shortwave, medium-wave/AM and long wave.

Known as the open standard, DRM has endorsement from the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), International Union (ITU) and International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC).

The consortium

The consortium in March this year, voted to commence the process of expanding the system to the broadcasting bands up to 120 MHz, and the design, development and testing phases of this extension is due to be completed between 2007 and 2009.

DRM has since become an international consortium of broadcasters, manufacturers, network operators, research institutions, broadcasting unions, regulatory authorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Metamorphosing into a 91-member group as at June 2005, comprising member-nations from Ecuador, Germany, China, United States (US), Finland, Malaysia, United Kingdom (UK), Japan, Spain and Australia, DR is further referred to as satellite radio (SR), due to its compatibility with satellite broadcasting.

However, Digital Radio is made up of two broadcasting standards currently in use in Europe and Berlin being the presumed center of Europe, was the best occasion to sell DR to the populace, especially at IFA. These standards include the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) and Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM).

With DAB already on air in most European nations it is now available mainly in national and local services and is reportedly being sought after by over 1.5 million radio sets. On the other hand, DRM is a standard developed to allow digital broadcasting in the long, medium and short-wave hands.

Experts said that with DR, the era of fine tuning a station would be over in search of a better reception. Rather, it allows listeners to scroll up and down through a list of available stations.

Selecting the stations

This is achieved by mere pressing a button to select stations without much ado, thus giving the user access to every radio station on air at the user’s neighbourhood, including AM, FM and even digital.

Champion Infotel investigations revealed that, for instance, if a listener has tuned to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and moved from the neighbourhood, he or she need not re-tune as long as there is signals, hence the radio set when switched on would automatically find the best available frequency at the new area.

DR, additionally, does not cause listeners what analyst described as ‘noise’, which has been the bane of the analogue broadcast system.

Director of publication, ‘Radio Programme Guide’ a special package introduced to further boost DR diffusion, Mr. Philippe Chapot, said “Today, DR is expanding everywhere in Europe and France’s future is in the hands of the Audiovisual Council (CSA),” in this respect and must be decided before the end of the year.

Mobility capacity

The Director also described radio as wonderful media and is not just an accompaniment but a media to listen to because of the content and mobility capacity.

The importance of DR in Europe has motivated BBC and Radio Netherlands International (RTL), Deutshland Welle among others to find it convenient to launch this service for their teeming listeners.

Project Director, BBC, Mr. John Sykes said that the corporation had always been in search of new ways of reaching its audience and this dream was officially harnessed on September 1, this year, when the station launched a digital radio service in English to the Benelux countries (Europe) and some neighbouring parts of France and Germany.

BBC through MW frequency 1296KHz promises major service of 18 hours a day, which is supplemented with digital transmission on SW via Telenor of Norway and VTC of UK, hence enabling the corporation to operate through its analogue and digital networks internationally.

“Digital Radio is about increased listener choice, and a revolution in the way we use radios. No more fiddling around with frequency dials and wavebands; you select your station by name and the radio would find the best frequency automatically,” he buttressed.

Disclosing also that BBC is tinkering on introducing an electronic programme guide to allow listeners using radios with a record function to effectively create their own schedule.

For the World Services’ Controller, Distribution and Technology at BBC, Mr. Mike Cronk, the corporation looks forward to seeing digital radio fully integrated into mobile phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs).

“We’re keen to open up a dialogue with our audience, and the back-channel provided by Third Generation (3G) and Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) telephony means, we would stay in touch with people on the move,” Mr. Cronk declared.

What you should know about DR

With 25 FM radio stations in Berlin already hooked to DR and 17 other channels in Germany that could be listened to in Berlin as at the time of filing this report, there are some significant broadcasting different formats and technologies, potential listeners should note, presently in Europe.

These include that radios with DR logo enable listeners to simply own a DR receiver – radio set – and receive signals freely. Those with FM mean that listeners need FM receiver to receive freely too as well as AM entailing the receiver must have an AM band to get signals.

Those with ‘web’ signs means users or listeners need an internet subscription to receive free and audio software installed. ‘Free’ on the hand means a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) subscription and a free box decoder that is ungrouped to enable reception, while ‘NOOS’ requires subscription and a decoder to receiver NOOS cable, as well as Astra and C+ for those wishing to receive signals from CanalSAT and Astra Satellite, which could be free or payable subscription decoders.

Any hope for Nigeria?

This development is coming as Nigeria has less than five community radio stations, despite some state government radios’ claim to have community radio status. Presently only the University of Lagos (UNILAG) radio could be regarded as purely community radio which requires huge sum to even get the license, let alone acquire equipment.

It is relevant, therefore, to note that as long as little or so-called community radios are not in the hands of the private sector and civil societies, the gap between the society and citizens in a country like Nigeria would continue to grow.

Also, there is need to rethink in the place of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) so as to strengthen the bid to close digital gap in the country by turning out motivating policies to this effect, that would attract investors.

The earlier this is done, the better for the nation and her citizens, mostly those who basically depend on radio to receive information and know what is happening, especially in the rural areas.

So, when next you buy a radio, check well to know what it takes to keep date with digital revolution, remembering that any DR radio offers free receiver option while satellite aspect of it is by subscription.

Worrying aspect is that in no time this brands of digital radios will flood African market and Nigeria being the largest concentration of this continent will witness the effect immensely.

Connect Tech excites presidency with EGOS

by Remmy Nweke

CHIIEF Executive, Connect Technologies Limited, Mr. Chris Uwaje, has listed the imports of a locally developed electronic government (e-govt) application, known as ‘Enterprise e-Governance Operations Solution’ (EGOS), even as the Presidency was excited on the performance of the solution.

Mr. Uwaje, who disclosed this to Champion Infotel recently said that, EGOS performance thrilled a cross section of Presidential advisers, ministers, permanent secretaries and directors general, at a just concluded presidential retreat held at the Banquet Hall of Aso Villa, Abuja, during a presentation.

He said the presentation was in line with the federal government’s e-strategies initiative through the public, private partnership (PPP) window, which he noted, is the dream of the indigenous software developers.

Enumerating on the importance of the solution, like EGOS, the chief architect informed that it is a core engine for government-to-government (G2G) application based on software that is 100 per cent indigenous effort, resulting from over 26 months of research, design and development cycle.

Pointing out that the solution, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) groupware for government entities, is platform for the new world order based on information age.

He noted that as the world transits into the information age, new conditions were being created for future economic cum industrial successes.

“We fashion the Nigerian response within the context of governance to sustain 21^st century rapid development competitiveness, and bridge the emerging digital and knowledge divide,” he declared.

EGOS, therefore, promises to enhance the capability of government to organise, manage and deliver resource information for the three arms of government; executive, legislative and judiciary.

He emphasised that it would also help in task allocation, workflow administration and management, regulation, enforcement, national planning for ministries’ budgeting, government projects, litigation releases, procurement and inventory as well as human resource database.

This is in addition to having the provision for commodities' investment management, small business and human resource capacity building.

Mr. Uwaje, known for his active role in pioneering the National Policy for Information Technology in the country, particularly the section on e-government, said, the G2G portfolio’s primary goal is to enable federal, state and local governments to more easily work together to better serve the populace.

To achieve this goal, he stressed, government must make it easier for states and localities to meet reporting requirements, whereas promoting the use of performance measurements.

“State and local governments will see significant administrative savings and will be able to improve programme delivery because the data necessary to measure performance will be more accurate and timely,” he said.

CHAMS honours 14 staff @ 20

by Remmy Nweke
COMPUTER Hardware and Maintenance Services (CHAMS) has honoured 14 of its personnel for outstanding performance and for long service at the 20^th anniversary held in Lagos.

The honours’ list was topped by some management and junior staff of its three main entities within the CHAMS family, including for being the most diligent and dedicated senior and junior staff as well as best staff of the year.

Managing director, Chams Nigeria Limited, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, managing director, SuperCard, Mr. Femi Williams and General Manager, Paymaster, Mr. Jimi Ademosu, were recognised for long service awards.

Others honoured for having spent between seven and 14 years in the company were namely Idowu Logile, Kennedy Palmer, Yussuf Kadiri, Yomi Oyebanjo, Mrs Olushola Omotayo, Jumoke Molade, Debbie Olutimi, Taiwo Bajela, and Wasiu Falade.

The awards for Most diligent and dedicated junior staff went to Wasiu Falade of Chams; Gabriel Udoh of Supercard; while most diligent and dedicated senior staff, Jumoke Molade of Chams made the list. The outstanding educational performance was captured by Idowu Logile of Chams and most common best staff of the year was given to Wasiu Falade.

In his speech to the occasion, Mr. Aladekomo described it as a tale of two cities with mixed feelings, noting that the firm, CHAMS, since established September 1985 has carried out pioneer business platforms in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in the country.

In 1992, he said, CHAMS took a new dimension by de-emphasising sales and services to delve into research and development of new technologies.

The success of this step, he said, resulted into card technology personalization, identity card, enrolment logistics and access control services that the industry now reckons with CHAMS.

With a vision to remain innovative, he said, CHAMS have to its credit subsidiaries such as Supercard, Card Center and Paymaster, which are into different IT solutions cut across intelligent multi-application card based biometric solutions and web portal, production of different ranges of cards including Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) scratch cards, Subscriber Identification Module (SIM), Automated Teller Machine (ATM) among other payment platforms.

According to Corporate Affairs officer at CHAMS, Mr. Yemi Akinleye, more is yet to unfold as the firm strives to deploy its electronic payment solution, ChamsAccess service terminals across the nation, beginning with major cities like Lagos and Abuja.

Delegates to vote @ WCIT-06

by Remmy Nweke

DELEGATES to the 15^th World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) slated to hold in May 2006, in Austin, Texas, United States, would have the opportunity to vote on three selected global impact issues.

These issues are centered on privacy and security, digital access, and healthcare in the 21^st century.

WCIT annual convention holding between May 1 and 5, 2006, is known for gathering over 2,000 global leaders from business, government and academia to discuss IT policy, direct the future of technology and endear drive to social-economic development.

In a joint message in its monthly newsletter made available to Champion Infotel, the chief executive and president of WCIT-06, Messrs Ben Bentzin and Glyn Meek, respectively, disclosed that with the exercise, delegates would for the first time cast votes on policy proposals in these three areas.

They said proposals that receive “a plurality of votes will be published as the official recommendation of WCIT-06 and World Information Technology Services Alliance (WITSA).

Already, Accenture and Unisys are topping the list of sponsors by agreeing to bankroll two of the three key issues believed to be the focus of the next year event.

Accenture, they said, would lead the Digital Access issue, while Unisys would take that of Privacy and Security aspect.

This development came as WCIT-06 has introduced ‘international ambassadors’ to assist in spreading the word for the five-day conference.

This team, organisers said are now active in about 25 countries and are billed to have outreach efforts in 80 countries by May 2006 when the event is scheduled to hold.

Meanwhile, former Rwandan ambassador to the US, Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa, has been named to speak at the WCIT-06 board of directors meeting this November.

He would be examining how to harness IT to drive social and economic change at the meeting billed for November 8 in Texas.

Mechanic takes home Mercedes Benz car in Glo Kano draw

Motor mechanic resident in Maiduguri, Borno State in the northern Nigeria, Mr. Moses Ularam, has won a brand new Mercedes E class saloon car in the on-going Globacom’s 2nd Anniversary Double Slam promo.

"Mr. Ularam, with Glo phone number 08057125894 emerged one of the four winners in the first Kano Draw of the promo which started in August 2005."

Also winners in the draw were Mr. John Onoja with Glo number 08053474360, a civil servant attached to the Police Affairs Commission, Kaduna, won a Kia Sorento jeep and Mr. Musa Shalangwa, with Glo number 08054524092, a staff of Ministry of Works, Borno state, went home with a Honda City.

The fourth winner is with Glo number 08057203855 won also a Kia Picanto.

The winners who could not be immediately reached on the day of the draw all expressed a mixture of disbelief, surprise and joy when Globacom officials eventually got in touch with them later.

While drawing the first winner on the occasion, the Zonal Director of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Alhaji Hanshi lauded Globacom for putting together a formidable team in the region and for giving something back to the society.

He commended the growth and the competition in the telecommunications sector which has brought tariffs low and made life easier for ordinary Nigerians. He called for the same to be replicated in the power sector of the country.

The other three winners were drawn by guest of honour, Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero, represented by his heir apparent, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Kano Police Commissioner Ganiyu Dawodu, and State Special Adviser on utilities, Mallam Saidu Bello.

Globacom is giving out prizes worth N350 million in the Globacom 2nd Anniversary Double Slam promotion which is acclaimed to be the biggest promotion ever in Nigeria. It also marks the first time a corporate organization has offered houses to Nigerians in a promotion.

The prizes to be won include six town homes, six Mercedes Benz Cars, 6 Kia Sorento Jeeps and six VW Polo cars. Others are six Honda city and 12 Kia Picanto saloon cars.

In addition to the cars, all subscribers to the network are winners as they automatically win 15 per cent bonus airtime with every recharge.

Another round of draw will hold in Kano in November 2005.

GITEX-05 opens in Dubai, ITEdge makes a debut

A five-day Gulf Information Technology Expo (GITEX-05) opened Sunday at the Dubai International Convention and Exhbition Center, with Nigeria’s leading West African Information and Communications Technology (ICT) magazine, ITEdge, making a debut at the event.

Business Champion recalls that at the just concluded African Information Society Initiative (AISI) media awards 2005, ITEdge was honoured via its portal, http://www.itedgenews.com/ for local content provider category.

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"This is not restricted to any
particular mobile format like Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) ..."

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Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC), organisers of GITEX-05 has also introduced route map and mobile exhibition guide to assist visitors to the annual expo in exploring the event.

The route map and mobile guide could be located online at www.mobile.gitex.com.

A press statement from ITEdge, media partners to the Asia’s leadign ICT show in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), and endorsed by Mr. Segun Oruame, said the route map would be distributed to visitors on site from each exhibition halls, the mobile guide solution would detect all accessing devices on-the-fly and pass appropriate information off the website.

This, he said, is possible by auto reprocessing of the information, which is then send back to the device in real time.

“All mobile devices available in the market could benefit from this service through any General Packet Radio Sevice (GPRS) network or Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) at the event venue,” Mr. Oruame explained.

He also said this is not restricted to any particular mobile format like Wireless Access Protocol (WAP), Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)-Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) and several others.

Additionally, he said, both mobile guide and route map have been structured in a way that the list of exhibitors and floor plans are made available.

“The mobile guide will provide information about exhibitors, their location, hotel and travel information, as well as local prayer times and weather updates,” he added.

GITEX-05 would last till Thursday, September 29, this year.

Effects of WSIS on Nigeria

Features of the week:

Second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) comes up in 54 days away in Tunis. REMMY NWEKE reports that the processes have been a stimulae to development in the Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in the country.

TWO years ago when the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS-03) came to a close in Geneva, Switzerland, little did any one give Africa let alone Nigeria a chance to record much development in the use of ICT that impacted so much on the people before the second phase.

WSIS, known as the global gathering of Heads of State and government and other high-profile leaders came out of the first phase with two essential documents, namely ´Declaration of principles and Action Plan, upon which Information Society (IS) will be founded and time frames between 2005 and 2015 by advancing internationally agreed development goals in efforts to close digital divide.

Quite Revolution

In what assumed another quite revolution, the import of this summit to various continents of the world cannot be measured, particularly in Africa where most of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) seem to have their roots, and nations in transition as far as democracy is concerned.

The event organised by the United Nations (UN) through its agencies and coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) set the ball rolling with the inauguration of the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) to trash the issue which resulted in open hand to the Internet administration coordinatoion by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The group report would be presented officially in Tunis.

This process has greatly paved the way for the African Network Information Center (AfriNIC), which came live after the adoption of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) report on the proposal among other task forces and working groups at different levels of ICT; to ensure that as the world leaders meet in Tunis again on IS to evaluate the outcome since the last first phase, some would have reason to beat their chaste, even if no one eulogies them, despite obvious infrastructural difficulties.

Government's commitment

Among these leaders would be the President of the largest black and African nation on the continent, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria. Although he attended the Geneva phase with regrets that the nation did not showcase its teeming potentials at the exhibition stands, his government’s attitude to ICT changed for the better afterwards.

So, few months later during the e-Nigeria 2004 organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Chief Obasanjo tasked African leaders, mostly from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the need to harness thoughts in order to have a common front for the greater continental positioning at the second phase.

His administration also encouraged what experts said was opening of the door for better understanding of the implication of allowing the nation to be behind equals rather than the leader or big brother role according to politicians; mostly by providing the enabling environment for the regulatory agencies like the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to steer the telecom industry, to its present height, which equals telecom growth to that of India, with over 150 per cent increase in telephone access as at January 2004 and by August 2005, the nation has from what was obtained earlier recorded 16 million Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) subscribers, according to NCC boss, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe.

WSIS therefore strengthened the efficacy of ICT at the leadership circle, making it possible for African political leaders to work towards transparency and good governance on the continent.

This is equally evident in less politicization of ICT policy issues into onward implementation, therefore affording the leadership at various stages amenable to the fact that technology begets future development in this century.

Therefore, the commitment has shifted upwards with good results as African nation’s and precisely Nigeria, could be said to be more considerate of the implications of worsening the already digital divide in the system. So they now see ICT with some amount of seriousness.

Dividends of ICT

And given the influence of GSM, for instance, in the last four years and its economic boost to ordinary Nigerian who would graduate with uncertain future, but now some of them own and operate call centers at streets and even villages with the help of communications technologies like booster antenna to mention a few.

Another instance, is that between the two phase lay a great number of media houses focusing on ICT and not merely having increased access but have generated some positive hits in the technology reporting both locally and internationally.

With the understanding that Nigeria journalists now could send stories from Europe, other parts of Africa and the world at large where there is Internet access may no longer be news, but the fact that generality of editorial staff are daily getting keen over the use of some of these technologies, especially the internet is a positive one.

Also, at the presidency it was reported that top-notchers of the nation’s leadership have ´passed´ 21st century literacy test coordinated by NITDA which is prerequisite to enthrone appropriate policies that will boost investment which come with provision of infrastructure either by the government or by members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) based on arrangement and understanding between this two.

At least, a Senator of the federal republic now knows the difference between Information Technology (IT) and ´It´, Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) and ´Ups´ amidst several daily used ICT jargons.

As matter of fact various state governments are now setting up ICT centres for their people, which they tagged ‘democracy dividend’ usually offering business center services in a large scale, and training at different levels too.

Achieving the Action Plan

For instance, Nigeria has achieved some parts of the section A3 in the Action Plan by forming stakeholders partnership between government and OPS known as the National e-Government Strategies (NeGSt), a public private partnership (PPP); to over see the role of developing and implementing comprehensive, forward, and sustainable national e-strategies.

Even as the linking of local and central government departments and establishing websites and electronic mail (email) addresses are coming in phases with the relaunch of the nation’s portal, www.nigeria.gov.ng, thereby boosting local content development with requisite technical conditions on the Internet beginning in earnest with the proposed IT bill, thus encouraging by way of building confidence and security.

This came as controversies on local hosting of the country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) name, .ng, was rested following government’s intervention, giving birth literarily to the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).

On achieving the capacity building demands of IS, the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) Utako-Abuja was established over 16 months ago and by tinkering on unified licensing scheme due to take off next February, NCC is broadening access to global frequency harmonisation and systems standardization, as required by C4 and C2 in the Action Plan. These are expected to boost Internet and communications in the country, while reducing illiteracy level in the use of ICTs at various levels.

Above all, communications is fundamental to social process of inclusion which WSIS tends to achieve hence a basic need for the foundation of all social organisations and centre of Information Society.

A New Dawn

In stressing this fact, the issue of deploying electronic voting machine come 2007 general election in the country, is as good as endorsed if few obstacles pointed out would be fixed as assured by the chief electoral officer of the federation and chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Maurice Iwu.

It was not surprising therefore that Mr. President, like heeding the call by former president, Information Technology Industry Association of Nigeria (ITAN), Mr. Chris Uwaje, recently that political leadership positions in the country should be left for those below 50 years, has his choice of Ministers as mostly new breeds whose interest in technology deployment is immeasurable.

By the end of the summit, industry watchers look forward to more streamlined monitoring of the follow up of the two documents, mostly the Acton Plan, to give room for adequate implementation beyond the conference and probably present good report card by the end year 2015.

Tinubu, Adebayo, Ndukwe for City People fair

Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo and the executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe would lead dignitaries to the maiden edition of the City People organized Information and Communications Technology (ICT) exhibition.

The exhibition tagged IT & Telecom fair, is coming up in the city of Lagos, few weeks after the industry witnessed a five-day FoneFest at the TBS Lagos, even as there would be InfoFair in the northern state of Kaduna this November.

A press statement made available to ITRealms by the management of City People, said the maiden edition of the two-day IT and Telecom fair would be at Silverbird Galleria, beginning from Tuesday 4, through Wednesday 5, October this year.

According to the organizers, all roads will lead to the prestigious Silverbird Galleria along Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island, Lagos “for the maiden edition of City People's Information and Communications Technology Exhibition tagged "IT & Telecoms Fair 2005" the statement said.

Big players in the sector, the organizers said, have been invited to be part of this expo as participants as this would give them ample opportunities to display their organization’s products.

They also said the fair promises to be a very remarkable one as major handset manufacturers like Nokia, Samsung and Philips are itching to exhibit their products.

Expected at the event equally are the major computer manufacturers and distributors as well as major producers and dealers of IT products.

“Telecommunication operators in Nigeria would also display their products and Value Added Services (VAS),” the organizers declared.

Noting that the fair would present an opportunity for visitors to repair their damaged handsets as tested and trusted handset repair outfits would be at their service during the 2-day event.

Part of what participants will enjoy is publicity blitz of the exhibition in City People Magazine and on television as there will be collaboration between City People Magazine and a local TV station yet to be announced.

Free certification @ LinuxWorld-05

CANADA-based internationally vendor-independent organization advocating the use of Linux, Open Source and Free Software, through certification of Linux Professional Institute (LPI), has concluded plans to offer free certification at the two-day forthcoming Linux World Expo in the United Kingdom (UK).

The two-day conference and exhibition, has been slated for next month at Olympia 2 London.

Director, Community Relations at LIP, Mr. Scott Lambertson, disclosed that the premier institute for Linux certification organisation would offer free testing during the event scheduled for Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6, October this year.

In a press statement made available to Champion Infotel, Mr. Lambertson quoted the LPI chief executive, Mr. Jim Lacey as saying that LinuxWorld is a great venue to promote Linux, Open Source Software and the importance of recognized professional standards and vendor-independent certification for Linux professionals.

"LPI exam labs at LinuxWorld provide an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to provide accessible, high-quality certification to the Linux community," Mr. Lacey also said.

Registered delegates to the conference, he said, could write the exams free of

Charge, but trade show attendees would pay a reduced fee of £25 to write the exams during the conference, rather than the regular price of £50.

Also, during the exam labs, Open Forum Europe will offer LPI 101 and 201 exams, along with 102 exams for those who qualify and request the advanced-level testing. All exams will be offered at 10 - 11:30 a.m. and 1.30 – 3:00 p.m. each day in the LPI Examination Rooms, and are located on the lower ground floor in Olympia 2.

He explained that candidates must pre-register on the LPI website at https://www.lpi.org/en/register.html to receive an identification number. All exam candidates should bring valid photo identification and their LPI ID number to the exam lab.

LPI is an official sponsor of LinuxWorld, internationally, and will be participating in the LinuxWorld Expo where LPI’s staff will meet attendees at the OFE booth (stand number D15). OFE will be giving advice on Linux and Open Source Software to business, government and education visitors.

Owodunmi replaces Weston @ Starcomms as CFO

PRIVATE Telecom Operator (PTO), Starcomms Nigeria Limited, has announced a replacement of its immediate past Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mr. Mark Weston in person of Mr. Oluweseyi Owodunmi.

Though his appointment like that of Weston is on contractual basis and takes immediate effect.

The replacement became apparent following the expiration of Mr. Weston’s contract.

Until now Mr. Owodunmi has been the Managing Partner of Kayode Owodunni & Co., a Lagos-based firm of Chartered Accountants.

Mr. Owodunni has a Bachelor of Science degree (Cum Laude) in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting, from Georgetown University, Washington D.C., United States (US), and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts, US.

Before his MBA, Mr. Owodunni worked as a Certified Public Accountant with KPMG Peat Marwick LLP in Washington D.C. coming out as American Institute of Certified Pubic Accountants’ Exam in 1995 on his first sitting, and became a qualified CPA.

Also prior to joining Kayode Owodunni & Co., he worked for five years with Lucent Technologies Ltd., an American Telecommunications Equipment Manufacturer headquartered in New Jersey, US, in various capacities.

He further worked in the Mergers & Acquisitions area, advising the various Strategic Business Unit Executives on acquisition transactions which Lucent completed between 1998 and 2000.

In addition, Mr. Owodunni worked within Lucent’s Optical Networking Business Unit as a Product Manager responsible for profit and losses on core networking products, with annual sales of over $285 million.

He returned to Nigeria in 2003, and has since been admitted to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria as an Associate member.