Unregistered SIMs to be deactivated – NCC

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that any unregistered Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) also known as SIM cards in the country at the end of a deadline to be announced soon would be deactivated.

A SIM card is a smart card used in GSM and CDMA mobile phones to identify the user for billing and sundry services as well as a device for storing information in mobile phones for Security Information Management (SIM) purposes; a concept in data security and which could be transferred from one mobile handset to another as far as the handsets in question have cellular modules.

The anticipated deadline, from ITRealms Online investigations would not be less than six months and would not be more than one year.

However, indications emerged weekend at the end of a one-day consultative forum on Thursday, held at the NCC headquarters in Abhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.photo.gifuja, which was attended by the regulator, NCC, major telecom operators and security agencies in the country that Nigeria would soon join the fray in compulsory SIM registration as obtained in some other countries of the world.

Affirming the possibility of deactivating unregistered SIM cards on the networks around the country at the end of the grace for registration, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe said that this has become imperative on the prepaid SIMs on the face of its security challenges to the nation.

According to him, an Action Committee has been set up with a one month mandate and is expected to come out with a guideline on the mandatory registration including specific deadline for already existing subscribers to get registered or face deactivation.

“Unregistered prepaid cards may be deactivated by the deadline of the registration period,” he said, in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online.

Ndukwe also enumerated other countries where same action has taken place before now to include Singapore, Australia, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and South Africa.

“So, Nigeria will not be the first nor only country strengthening controls to deal with the anonymity of prepaid SIM Cards,” he reiterated.

While highlighting the need for a time frame to be set aside when operators will commence compliance to ensure proper recording of the personal details of all customers who buy prepaid SIM Cards, Ndukwe assured that subscribers could continue to use their pre-paid SIM Cards as long as they register their particulars with their mobile operators during the registration period.

He also said that it was agreed the registration of SIM cards by pre-paid subscribers and the methodology of carrying out the registration would involve both potential and current subscribers.

Noting that though this was the first effort at systematically holding a discourse on the subject, the results of the consultative forum was intended to contribute to an evidence-based policy guideline on a practical regulatory regime on registration of pre-paid SIM Cards and to ensure that mobile services remain a tool for social and economic development.

As said by him, NCC has been deliberating on this issue for sometime in addition to other complaints received from security agencies and concerned individuals and corporate over the rise in the use of mobile phones to commit crimes and the difficulty in tracking down the perpetrators who take advantage of unregistered SIM Card especially for prepaid consumers.

“It is a widely held opinion that every technological development has provided a new opportunity for criminality and the introduction of cellular mobile telephone services is no exception. As part of an ongoing holistic security review by the Government, the Commission by this Consultative meeting planned to work together with all network operators who issue SIM Cards to subscribers to agree a workable regulatory regime,” he said.



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MTN, Ultima join forces on Project Fame West Africa

Telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria is determined to offer another life-cycle of excitements to Nigerian viewers’ home as it partners with the producers of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Ultima Communications, in unveiling Project Fame Television show, at the weekend.

Speaking at the groovy ceremony at the Planet One, the Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Nigeria, Mr. Bola Akingbade said the project is intended to fish out more talents in the country.

He said that this is yet another opportunity being offered by MTN to encourage Nigerians to take to professional music.

“We are here to open the famous Fame Academy,” he declared.

Akingbade added that it would involve 16 candidates drawn from various parts of West Africa and is expected to last for 90 days under the guidance of professionals at different stages of the project.

Also, he said that the group would be divided into groups who would later embark on probation and viewers would have the option of voting for their favourites at various stages until the last three emerge.

At MTN, he said, this presents huge opportunity for the teleco and its subscribers.

“All participating candidates should be able to play instruments, write and sing their songs,” he said.

According to him, the over-all winner would be contracted with a car and some cash reward.

The second place winner, he said, would also get a car, but not as much as the over-all winner got. However, all the top three are expected to perform at all the MTN Xtra Cool events.

In the structured college, Akingbade said, progress would be monitored weekly by a jury in a performance management system and is expectation is that the MTN Project Fame period would be one of the best for television viewers as the 26-minute show would be on TV through out the period.

“MTN Project Fame is a huge opportunity to harvest music talents. Winners will get recording contracts, cash, car gifts and be given the opportunity to perform in all MTN Xtra Cool events. To the young people, we say, go and become famous. This is your chance and make it happen,” he urged.

Akingbade also charged the organisers to shop thoroughly round West African countries for sixteen young minds who, as students, would then be housed in one environment and be nurtured into music icons within the three months the programme would last.

Equally speaking, the chief executive of Ultima Communications, Mr. Femi Ayeni, commended MTN Nigeria for buying into the concept presented by his firm once again.

He said that what they have decided to do is to team up with biggest network on the continent alongside Endemol and the largest television network in the country, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to make it happen.

“What we have decided to do is to team with the biggest mobile phone company in the country, MTN, the biggest Reality TV producer in the world, Endemol and the biggest TV network in Africa, NTA, to bring this show to Nigerians,” he said.

Mr. Ayeni explained that what Ultima plans to do with the project is to teach, entertain and inform in the company’s tradition demonstrated in Who Wants to be a Millionaire among other reality shows on its stable.

As said by him, Project Fame Academy would train the candidates on chorography, instruments and how to become professional musicians.

The students, he said, will also have the opportunity to fulfill their life ambitions by performing alongside their music idols within the period.

ITRealms Online, recalls that Project Fame originally belongs to Endemol but is berthing on Nigerian airwave through Ultima Communications which has other relationships with them in some other projects.


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TD dangles Basket of Opportunities

Technology Distributions (TD) Limited, is dangling yet another resellers reward programme dubbed the ‘Basket of Opportunities’.

The new reward programme, the company said, would begin on Thursday, June 24 with a ceremony in Lagos.

General Manager, Marketing, Technology Distributions, Mrs. Chioma Chimere, disclosed that the number one Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is not relenting on the need to reward customers.

“The first of the series of launchs took place in Abuja on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 and the second on June 24 in Lagos,” she said.

As said by her, the current promo would last six months, that is, till November 30, this year when the draw would be held with star prize winners expected to emerge from the classified zones of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Ghana branches.

Mrs. Chimere disclosed that star prize for Lagos and Abuja branches is a Hilux van each, while the Port Harcourt winner will go home with a Kia Picanto car. A Tata Indica car will be won from the Ghana branch.

The intension of the promo, she said, was to spur the resellers to bolder and more yielding marketing activities.

She also noted that there are limitless opportunities in the ICT market today and TD wants her resellers to overcome the challenges of attaining new turnover targets.

“Therefore, for customers to qualify for the star prize, they must meet a minimum turnover of N250m in Lagos, N100m in Abuja, N50m in Port Harcourt and $250,000 for Ghana,” Mrs. Chimere said.

She added that business partners who purchase products during the promo period equally stand a chance to win amongst others, the following gift items: HP keyboard, APC password manager, laptop stands, surge arrests, carry cases, Microsoft encarta, Kessington locks, Toshiba mouse, Toshiba flash drives, back packs, scanjet adapter, extra battery for photosmart printer, and Epson C91 printer.

She reiterated TD’s commitment to the growth of ICT market in the country, stressing that TD would continue to open new ways of rewarding and enriching the trade.

Chimere equally recalled that in the recent past TD has given generously to resellers through the power promo that gave out generators, the IPG and ISS win a car promo in which two cars were won, and the Contributing to Excellence Promo that was designed to help the teaching and learning of mathematics in Primary Schools.

Mrs. Chimere pointed out that the Basket of Opportunities promo is also meant to highlight the fact that TD is a one-stop shop for the total ICT needs of individuals and corporate organizations.

TD is a hub for the big Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) like HP, Acer, Toshiba, Cisco, APC, Epson, and Microasoft and original products direct from these OEM’s include servers, desktops, laptops, printers, consumables, power backups, palm tops, switches, routers and software.


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Ekuwem, Nwaogu commend Progenics on Symbols M

President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, and the Senate committee chairman on Banking, Insurance and other financial institutions, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, have commended the management of the nation’s leading banking software house, Progenics Corps Limited, for introducing its Symbols’ M solutions for microfinance entities in the country.

Speaking at the launch of the solution in Lagos on the “Role of Technology in the development and sustenance of the microfinance banking industry” Ekuwem said, that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) enables a click to knowledge for those who care to belong to the 21st century.

He applauded Progenics for focusing its products on SMEs, describing them as a veritable part of the economy, insisting that the Symbols’ M from the company is not inferior to its counterparts developed in so-called advanced countries or even Asia.

“A product is not less powerful because it is developed in Nigeria and it does not mean its 100 per cent better than a product manufactured in United States,” he said.

According to him, part of the problem in the Niger Delta, is the refusal to encourage local content development, thereby engaging the youths more meaningfully.
Vision-20 2020, he said, would not be realized if local content such as Symbols’ M that was locally developed is not patronized by all relevant institutions.

“Without encouraging made in Nigeria products, the possibility of realizing vision 202020 would be very slim,” he asserted.

Although he acknowledged that local content may not be upto the standard needed for a given purpose, Nigerians should play around with local content products and report back to the developers so as to help them improve upon the product and make it better.

Maintaining that in the global economy, “its no longer who you know but what you know,” and tasked Nigerian Microfinance industry to buy into the idea of those who developed Symbols’ M for their good and that of the nation’s economy.

Welcoming participants to the occasion, Managing Director, Progenics Corp Limited, Mr. Tony Udoh said that the essence of the launch is to show how technology could contribute to poverty alleviation programme embarked upon by various levels of government in the country.

“We believe access to financial services by the poor is one of the major poverty alleviation tools,’ he said.

Udoh believes that without leveraging on ICT, licensed microfinance banks will soon be afflicted with similar challenges that overwhelmed the community banks.
He explained that Symbols Microfinance (Symbols M) is a comprehensive and integrated microfinance application.

“The system is aligned to all facets of banking operations to produce unparalleled customer service without the attendant operational bottlenecks,” he said, adding that it comprises several modular applications.

Equally, the Senate committee chairman on Banking, Insurance and other financial institutions, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, gave kudos to Progenics for the innovative application, saying that her presence at the occasion marked part of the support from the government, especially the legislature.
She later unveiled the Symbols’ M.


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FG inaugurates 6-man committee on S & T

Federal Government, at the weekend, inaugurated a six-man committee forthe National Science and Technology, Research and Development (NSTRD) at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

ITRealms Online sources said that the presidential committee has to fashion a dimension for the 21st century foundation for science and technology in Nigeria.
The committee, ITRealms Online also gathered is presided over by the chairman of the Board of National Merit Award, Professor Oluwafeyisola Adegoke.

Other members of the committee are Professor (Senator) Iya Abubakar, Prof. Abiodun Francis Oluwole, Dr. Umar B. Bindir, Dr. O.P. Obande and Engr. R.D. Abubakar.

A deputy director in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Malam Muhammed Bukar, would serve as committee’s secretary.

The formation and inauguration, our source further disclosed was at the instance of President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Just as the terms of reference of the committee comprises to advice government on how to fashion out and establish a National Science and Technology, Research and Development foundation, its sources of funds, legal status, and basic structures as well as functions.

ITRealms Online recalls that during the President Ibrahim Babangida era, a similar committee was set up with renowned activist Ishola Williams as the executive secretary.

Meanwhile, the federal government through the Ministry of Science and Technology currently has several plans for guided Research and Development (R&D) in all areas of Science and Technology according to the Minister, Mrs. Grace Ekpiwhire.

In addition to keeping abreast with latest progress in R & D in Science and Technology among industrial and educational communities within the country, the sub-region and overseas; ensuring that the various R & D efforts of public Science and Technology establishments fit in with the overall development plan of the nation.

As well as the linkage of researchers and their establishments with entrepreneurs for commercialization of successful research results, even as the ministry has the capacity to utilize the facilities of Technology Incubation (TI) and Science and Technology Parks (STP) to nurture new projects especially in areas of national priority.

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Lagos to host Digitest 2008

Lagos, the centre of excellence, would in next month play host to over 800 youths as Digital Peers International (DPI) organizes its 2008 Digitest in the former nation’s capital.

National Director of a non-governmental organization championing the development of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) capabilities in women and children, the Digital Peers International (DPI), Mrs. Ibukun Odusote made this disclosure at a media conference in Lagos.

Mrs. Odusote represented at the occasion by Head, Programme and Operations, Mr. Rotimi Olawale, who led the team of DPI officers including Messrs Biola Adebajo and Kunle Oloyede, Heads of Designs and Facilitations respectively, said that an estimated 800 youths are expected to be part of the Digitest this year being hosted in Lagos.

She also said that due to several partners have queued behind the project through various support thereby reducing the cost of participation per child to N15,000.

This, she said, would in addition afford such participating students to become members of Digitest Information Technology (IT) Club in schools and registered DigiPals.

Digitest, she said, has membership across all the 36 states of the federation.
While commended the efforts of its partners, DPI said that the likes of NTA, Zenith Bank Plc, the Education Trust Fund, Radio Nigeria, Ministry of Information and Communication, Computer Professional Council of Nigeria, Nigeria Computer Computer Society among others.

Equally, she said, that Nigerians should expect exciting version of Digitest Nigeria scheduled to hold in Lagos, from August 19 to 31, 2008, “where 800 participants are expected in camp to learn and compete around the theme, “e-business: no barriers, no boundaries.”

In addition, DPI would once again take its Digitest Abroad project to Singapore and Dubai between August 1 through 15, 2008.

“More than 30 children have registered for this year’s edition which promises to be as exciting, educational and fun filled as its previous editions. The participants will train at the Informatics Institute in Singapore and afterwards develop IT solutions around the theme; e-business: no barriers, no boundaries,” she told newsmen.

On the Nigeria’s vision 2020, Mrs. Odusote noted that being among the 20th largest economy by year 2020 cannot be energized if young people are not equipped with the necessary ICT skills needed to build a vibrant economy.

“No development and no growth takes place any longer without ICT as computer has taken over the determinants of national development,” she declared.

Pointing out that Digitest, which is IT-based, is a modest contribution to the computer age in terms of creating awareness and educating young people on vital computer and ICT skills.

“What would happen in this country if any of our children between the ages of 8 and 18 now are not computer proficient in the next 7-10 years, it will be disastrous for this great country,” she asserted.


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ExpertEdge partners Actimize on e-fraud control

Subsidiary of the Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), the ExpertEdge Software, is partnering with Actimize Ltd to bring to the Nigerian Information and Communications Technology (ICT) market, a suite of solutions.

Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communication, Ms Morenike Popoola, said the partnership would also assist banks, government agencies and other financial institutions with advance techniques of fraud detection, prevention and compliance with regulations.

She also quoted the European, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Sales Manager at Actimize Ltd, Mr. Tal Noam, as saying that during the just concluded e-Payment seminar organized by CWG in Lagos, that the Actimize e-Payment Fraud Detection and Prevention Package is based on proprietary algorithms designed to analyze data such as Internet session data, phone call/fax data, Automated Teller Machine (ATM), transaction records, employee log-ins, banking transfer operations and account information to uncover fraud at both the payer and beneficiary levels.

He also gave insight into other solutions from the Actimize suite, including Actimize Insider Fraud Solutions, Actimize ATM Fraud solution, Deposit Fraud Detection solution usually used in checkmating cheque fraud to name a few.

Mr. Noam listed some of the benefits and values that Actimize offers to the Nigerian markets to include guaranteed quick return on investment to all intended users of Actimize suite of products.

He also explained how Actimize Fraud solution package could be used to execute proven fraud implementation methodology, developed by industry leaders and fine-tuned by Actimize clients and partners.

He further said Actimize Fraud Detection solutions, for instance, is comprised of data mapping, complex alert generation, transaction blocking and comprehensive alert investigation capabilities; link analysis investigation, cases support and so on.

Mr. Noam emphasized that Actimize proven track record consist being the 6 of the top 10 global banks, 6 of top 10 United States (US) banks, and 8 of top 10 US brokerages, processing hundreds of millions of transactions a day uses the Actimize Fraud Management Suite of Solutions.

Equally commenting, the Product Manager for Actimize and Fraud Management Solutions at ExpertEdge Software, Mr Kola Awonugba, noted that the human resources needed to implement and support Actimize solution in Nigeria and the West Coast will be trained to meet the challenges and add value to various sectors of the economy and mostly the financial sector.


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Grey market is our major challenge – Umo

Managing Director, Hewlett Packard (HP) West Africa, Mr. Ime Umo, has described the influx of grey market as the firm’s major challenge in the regional market and precisely Nigeria.

Umo made this disclosure at an interactive session with the media since assuming office few months back in Lagos.

“Grey market is really impacting on HP market share in the country,” he declared.
He also said that though HP is not afraid of competition among the local computer companies, but was emphatic that the major challenge facing his firm in the region is how to curtail the influx of the grey market.

Usually, grey market is known to be those who buy in good marketable quantity a certain brand of goods without requisite records and impact to the local market where it would finally be disposed off on out of the box prices, most at times without guarantee.

He cited an instance with the Otigba market in Ikeja-Lagos, saying that most of those trading at the market are just interested in low priced personal computers (PCs), most of which he alleged are counterfeits.

“Grey market is a major challenge for us and we’re not encouraging anybody to do grey and I am sorry for anybody who bought from grey market, because, HP cannot help you at our service centres, except if the person is ready to pay for such services,” he lamented.

He also advised Nigerians to always consider the total cost of ownership while making Information Technology (IT) purchases especially on computers.

He insisted that they cannot run away from competition but tends to leverage on the existence of its partners to ensure dominion of the market.

Umo further said that HP Nigeria is responsible for the West African market and evolves within some departments including the Financial Services Industry (FSI), Communications and Entertainment, Personal System Group (PSG), Image and Printing Group (IPG), and Technology Service Group (TSG).


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Celtel extends free prepaid roaming to UK, 4 others

Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operator, Celtel Nigeria, has taken its prepaid subscribers to another level by availing them free opportunity to roam to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirate (UAE), Belgium and Sri Lanka via the network.

Chief Marketing Officer, Celtel Nigeria, Mr. Norman Moyo said in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online that with the introduction, prepaid subscribers would not be required to change their Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) whenever they travel to these locations.

“With the introduction of Pre-paid roaming, our customers do not need to change their SIM card or purchase another line when they travel to major locations of the world. Our customer can now make and receive calls as well as send SMS even when they are several kilometers away from home,” he said.

Explaining that the pre-paid roaming service has been made possible by the signing of recent agreement between Celtel and a number of telecommunication network operators in various countries of the world.

He added that pre-paid customers could use their phones in the Celtel One Network countries, the world’s first borderless mobile network, which covers several countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Chad, Malawi, Niger and Sudan.

According to him, Celtel is excited to be able to provide this options for its teeming subscribers.

“We’re happy to be able to help our customers stay in touch with their families, friends and business associates in several places across the globe,” he declared, adding that prepaid customers need not have to make any deposit with the company before they could use the service.

“Indeed access to the service is hassle free as the customer does not have to pay registration fees, complete registration forms or have their SIM cards specially provisioned before access to in the service can be granted,” Moyo said, promising that the coming months, Celtel Nigeria will be expanding the number of countries where customers could use their Celtel SIM cards when outside the country.

He described the development on the network as unique due to its benefits to the subscribers.

“It allows all pre-paid customers the access to use their local numbers while traveling out of Africa. It also affords customers an opportunity to be connected to the Celtel Network while abroad without a single hassle of registration or special provisioning,” he said.

The new addition to the roaming portfolio of Celtel will complement existing roaming arrangement for post-paid customers who have had access to the company’s roaming service since 2001 as they have more than 290 networks across the world to enjoy.


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