Lessons for MPs on ICT4D

Recent happenings at the National Assembly indicated that Legislators in the country need some lessons in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for a sustainable development, writes REMMY NWEKE.

OVERTLY, learning has been described as a continuous process, by various experts, but then, it is not for those who should know in a given subject to goof. Hence, information is regarded as one of the essentials of learning, and as such a key and anybody who does not have the requisite information or key thereof, may not be allowed to enter the dome, such as a nation’s legislative house; be it at the local government level, state or even national where there exist two chambers of lower and upper houses.

Probably as part of a New Year resolution, a Member of Parliament (MP) at the lower chamber of the National Assembly (NA), who also is the chairman, Information and National Orientation at the House of Representatives, Hon. Dino Melaye, recently expressed determination to make an inroad politically as he commenced this year’s legislative session with a call for a probe of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and re-organisation of the telecom regulatory organ, which fundamentally belong to him as a Nigerian and a legislator.

He also adduced some reasons to include among other things that NCC has become a branch for the telecom service operators in the land instead of a distinct regulator and protector of the Nigerian consumers, in addition, the man at the helm of affairs has purportedly exceeded the public service age limit of 60. He alleged as well that the nation lost an estimated N1.7 billion due to the five-year pioneer status granted Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators; still he accused NCC of being at the root and apparently an evidence that the Commission under Ndukwe has somewhat become operators ‘unseen’ hand against the populace.

These allegations formed part of Melaye’s intended proposal to the house and was shared with the media during a parley, barely 24 hours before the motion was to be made at the floor of the house.

Subsequently, the lower chamber aborted Hon. Melaye’s plans to raise his motion claiming that he breached the House Rule by calling a press conference over his intention. In response to this, Melaye came up with the claim that NCC has infiltrated the lower chamber with incentives not to allow the motion.

NCC in its response, said “We are not afraid of probe,” especially from the National Assembly, because it is constitutional, according to the Chief Executive Officer, NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, while fielding questions from newsmen on the allegations in Lagos.

Ndukwe also said, that looking back since his assumption, there was nothing to be afraid of even as the National Assembly has the right under the constitution of this country to probe any government agency as it may deem necessary, including NCC.

His office, Ndukwe noted, is a political appointment and as a matter of fact there are other more elderly professionals holding various positions in government as at today, insisting that he would remain in office as long as it pleases Mr. President.

He revealed that before now, there had been a similar petition bordering on the above claims by Melaye to the Presidency, of which the Secretary to the government had since clarified that he had the mandate of Mr. President to complete his tenure.

On the allegation that NCC bribed members of the House of Representatives, which was why Hon. Melaye was not able to table his motion as proposed, Dr. Ndukwe said that such a thing never happened as he was out of the country most of the period on official assignment and wondered who would have authorized such ‘a useless venture’ in the first place, because NCC hold honourable members in high esteem and will not even think of such thing in the first instance. He maintained that nobody in the commission would attempt to embark on such a journey of bribing anybody, especially the members of National Assembly.

“So, who do you even bribe and leave the other,” he wondered, appealing to those opposing the current stand of the commission under his leadership to exercise patience as very soon, the second term of his office will be over. “Then, we shall see the person who will do the magic the self-styled apostles are asking for.”

By end of March 2010, Ndukwe is billed to have completed his second term in office, even as at the end of January 2009, Nigeria telecom subscriber has clocked over 64 million, while over N300 billion was made by NCC into the federal government’s coffers via various licenses in the last eight years.

Reacting to the recent news making a round in the telecommunications sector over the allegations by Hon. Melaye, the managing consultant of information technology-driven EDP Audit & Security Associates, Mr. Christian C. Ekeigwe, illustrated what the experience was like at the ‘dark age’ of telecommunications in Nigeria.

Ekeigwe recounted an ordeal before the transparent liberalisation in an online forum, Naija Information Technology Professionals and noted that his first mobile phone line was the 090 series, which cost about N300,000, despite waiting for weeks to be activated after payment. Eventually, he had, at least, eight NITEL land lines, which cost was put at about N150,000 each, even as they were acquired after an earlier one could not be fixed.

“I had to have a NITEL contractor on retainership and a staff whose job was to show up at NITEL Ikeja office every day, either report fault, pay bill, reconcile accounts, follow up, among other things on full time; just to have windows of uptime with any of the NITEL lines,” he said.

And looking back at the recent development in the nation’s telecommunications industry, Ekeigwe celebrated how easy it is now to simply pay for any of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) 3G Internet access charge while on transit at Abuja Hilton, which took less than five (5) minutes.

“That was my backup to the Hilton Piano Bar hot spot and RJ45 cable in my room at the hotel, plus Blackberry if I chose to have one ....” he stressed, saying that it is now really a great time to be alive in Nigeria, thanks to God for the enablement for communications technology, then former President Olusegun Obasanjo, although most Nigerians may not like him, but he was instrumental to that technology change, thus deserves the credit as well as Ndukwe for steering the boat well.

Ekeigwe noted also that before the true liberalisation of the industry which commenced at the current democratic dispensation, Internet was luxury, while having access for checking electronic mail was a status symbol. Invariably, NITEL staff were gods to be honored to make a simple call.

“Put simply, Nigeria was in a communications Dark Age,” he recalled, pointing out that as a victim of that dark moment, he empathize with the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Ndukwe over the allegations.

“Let us assume he has made mistakes, I forgive him for there is no man walking the face of the earth without mistakes, not when you had to work at such a hectic pace to move a society from stone age to civilization. Ndukwe deserves our respect,” he advised Nigerians.

For Dele de Oracle, a member of the forum, Ndukwe should have focused attention on the allegations at hand and not achievement. Stressing that Ndukwe should have realized that Nigeria is a country where hardwork sometimes is not honoured and develop to the point of envy.

As said by Dele, introducing age to the discussion shows that some people might have personal issues against him, while on the tax holiday, he said the government committed blunders because the citizens do not see the gains of such tax holidays, hence there is need to raise eye-brows.

“They (citzens) still pay through their nose while some of the monies made by these companies are not re-invested in the country, but carted away,” Dele bemoaned.

Another stakeholder, Mr. Ndubisi Obiorah posited that a Nigerian paid about N300,000 for 090 back then, was not out of extravagance, because an average handset back then was about N100,000, just as the cheapest Motorola was going for about N96,000.
Reminding Nigerians in diaspora that MTS which offered this handsets then was also a monopoly and sold the analogue handsets at hiked prices.

“Even as at 1998, analogue Multi-Links cellphone that operates only in Lagos area was about N138,000; this was the successor to the 0-9-0 scam perpetrated by NITEL and MTS,” he said, noting that in some offices they were not lucky like Ekeigwe as at the 1990s because any new NITEL line went for about N200,000 plus attendant bribery and most office had a dedicated staff whose job was to massage NITEL officials’ egos and palms every blessed day.

He recollected that back then, “NITEL never sent bills; they simply tossed your line to induce you to come in and pay. Any hungry NITEL technical staff could toss your line at any moment and thereby forcing you to bribe him to restore it. Plus you would beg and plead with the almighty NITEL worker to accept your bribe and restore your line.”

Today, Obiorah noted that it is amazing nowadays to see the same NITEL begging people to take landline at N9,000. “I shudder when I recall the horrors of those dark days ... Abeg, kudos to Ndukwe and his team for liberating Nigerians from the bondage of NITEL.”

Obiorah equally argued that it is worrisome that Hon. Melaye should accuse NCC of the decision of the federal government that existed before the coming on board of the current administration at the agency and even get personal.

He emphasized that pioneer status is implemented by the Nigerian Investment Promotions Commission facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Finance, even as the tax holiday granted telecom operators, in this regard were not restricted to few companies in the sector, but enjoyed by the other sectors of the economy.

“It was an incentive to attract investors when Nigeria needed them most. It is most unfortunate that the Hon. member would turn around to suggest that the chief executive of NCC would be held responsible,” NCC spokesman, Mr. Reuben Mouka had retorted. Explaining that pioneer status, that is, tax holiday, is an investment incentive which is offered to virtually any foreign investor on application since the 1970s, thus, nothing new.

Yet another Nigerian ICT enthusiast, Mr. Ayobami Oladejo, opined that EVC Ndukwe had to kill two birds with one stone. “He defended his honor and at the same time set the record straight for all to see,” Oladejo said, concurring that Ndukwe may not be a saint as no other person is, but he obviously will go down in history as a successful regulator.

“He who must throw the first stone should ask what legislators and other arms of government are doing to ensure telecoms operators are liberated from the use of generators to power their base stations? Or NCC will be the agency to do that too?” he wondered, stressing that if the infrastructure is wrong, then, ‘there is always a price to pay.”

Above all, what the Melaye experience has showcased is what the likes of a telecom trainer, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu would describe as the ‘nonsensical ignorance’ of most of our legislators at all levels of government.

Industry observers see that episode as a very big minus for an occupant of the post of a chairman on Information and National Orientation like Melaye. Although he has his fundamental right to comment or even seek for probe of any government agency, but its more noble to make such request based on correct and current information given his position and moreso, now that the like of DaarSAT is transmitting Parliamentarian sittings live on satellite.

One expects Melaye and company to have been grounded on their interested subjects, may be hire one expert to do the home work for him or at best appoint one special advisor on information for himself or even the committee he presides over and it is highly anticipated that there is available fund for research and development, if not at the National Assembly, there are some from democratic institutions internationally.

This leaves one to wonder on the kind of information he as the presiding officer of the committee must have been feeding his colleagues with when he cannot devote a little time to find out the correct information as in the issues surrounding pioneer status.

Therefore, it is advocated that the two houses at the national level should urgently embark on ICT retreat for its members and if possible make it an annual event, so as to enable them get more acquainted with the issues in motion and push developmental clock forward by facilitating legislations that can engender growth across board.


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Economic meltdown:‘Nigerian telcos need no bail-out’

AS the global economic meltdown is furiously spreading its effect, the upper chambers of the National Assembly, the Senate has said that operators in the Nigerian telecommunications sector need no bail-out of any kind for now, report REMMY NWEKE & CHARLES OKOH.

This came as the telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), re-echoed this position, saying that the global meltdown would not affect the telecom sector in the country.

Chairman, Senate committee on Communications, Senator Sylvester Anyanwu gave this hint at a media parley in Lagos, after a facility tour of Etisalat Nigeria, last weekend.

Anyanwu accompanied by his vice chairman, Sen. Joseph Akagerger, and other members of the committee, namely Senator Bola Mohammed, Senator Patricia Akwasaki, told ITRealms Online that he does not think operators need any kind of bail out, at least, not to the best of his knowledge at present.

According to him, operators in the country are still new and are working assiduously to improve services and penetration nationwide, attributing the meltdown at Wall Street to regulatory lapses, which is why his committee is planning a forum later this month of March, with focus on the Communications Act before it goes for second reading .

Telecommunications operators, Senator Anyanwu said, are currently pre-occupied in living up to their billing based on the proposed outlook they submitted in 2007 to the committee towards the last quarter.

He expressed optimism that most of them are very keen in improving services and more so to deliver on data and reach out to the local dwellers countrywide.

The national assembly and Senate precisely, he said, is not planning any sort of bail out for the sector, because it is promising to stimulate growth around the entire eco-system.

He pointed out that the federal government is very much interested in improving the public power supply in the country, because power and security are two major issues in telecommunications service delivery.

As at 2007, Senator Anyanwu said the public power supply was less than 30 per cent on average, but today has improved offering, which paved the way for an operator like Etisalat to be running on 40 per cent public power.

This, the Senator, noted helps in the total cost of operation and even ownership for the end users.

On the issue of double taxation, he noted that it is not every state in the country that has instituted their own taxes on operators, while some do and for those who do, his committee and the general upper chamber have been engaging them to ensure that peace reigns for development expected to take root.

Meanwhile, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has said that the effect of the global economic meltdown will not adversely affect the industry.

Speaking at a one-day Technology Times Outlook 2009 in Lagos, last week, Ndukwe said this was the general consensus of stakeholders at the recent NCC organised stakeholders forum held to consider the possible effect of the meltdown on the communications industry, in Abuja, penultimate Thursday.

“The consensus at the forum is that the industry is doing well and is not likely to be affected by the global crisis and in fact, it has the potential to act as a catalyst to other sectors for future economic recovery,” Ndukwe said.

Pointing out that banks still want to do business with telcos because they remain the cash-cow of the economy, stressing that although people may not want to spend more money in other areas, ‘they still will make calls for business and social reasons.”

He anticipated that the sector would advance on its records by improving on broadband penetration, thereby accelerating the social and economic development in the modern world.

Dwelling on ‘Sustaining the next growth phase of Nigerian Telecommunications industry through enabling regulatory environment,’ Ndukwe said, the open market approach of the nation has promoted rapid deployment of ICT services nationwide.


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Ekeh urges Nigerians to learn from India, China

Chairman, Zinox Group, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, has advised Nigerians to emulate the Chinese and Indians in playing their roles as nationalists if Nigeria must emerge the black power that the world expected, just as Zinox is set to produce an average of 3 million Personal Computers (PC) beginning this year.

He proffered this advice at the one-day seminar tagged Technology Outlook in Lagos, put together by Technology Times, saying that Nigeria has a lot to learn from these two Asian countries to be technologically viable, decrying the attitude of Nigerians for foreign goods and is a fad that feeds on the cultural inferiority complex of a colonized people.

“We have other people to look up to such as China and India. We must take a look at China and India and copy their models if Nigeria must emerge the black power that the world is expecting,” Dr. Ekeh asserted.

Stressing that this has been the reason for Zinox’s desire to place a computer on every table in Nigeria so as to enable Nigerians achieve the destiny of being the foremost black power in the world.

Although, he agreed that there are a good number of computer brands in the market today, noting that it would not be too difficult to fill Nigerian tables with computers if we had to order just any computer in sight.

“There is, as I have said earlier a national goal. The national goal include the creating of computer manufacturing capacities for Nigerians, the creation of millions of jobs for Nigerians, the establishment of an industrial infrastructure on which we can build a future Nigeria,” he said.

Ekeh also cautioned that Nigeria as a nation would not achieve this dream without the patronage of local brands in the technology sector like Zinox among other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM).

“This dream would never be built unless we consciously concede the computerization of Nigeria to Zinox and the other OEMs,” he said.

Ekeh further disclosed that in the last 1 year Zinox has invested over $2.5b to increase her capacities to deliver.

“This investment has given us a new head office and a production capacity of 3 million PCs per annum,” he said, underscoring the fact that the demonstration was in closeness to the aspirations of the people that Zinox last week launched a laptop branded Zinox Bijimi.

“Bijimi is a digital bull, with a 13-hour battery life. Zinox also recently enhanced the chances of the PC getting into many more Nigerian homes with the launch of Zinox Telecom, a company that significantly reduces the cost of the internet to the typical Nigerian. Zinox Telecom already has multi-million Naira contracts to deploy across Nigeria,” he said.

Further, he called on the government to ensure the stability of the Naira as the instability would affect the dream of placing PC on every table in the country for the use of Nigerians.

This, he said, require the involvement of the government in the face of the on-going financial problems which is getting more complex by the day, hence requiring the involvement of governments.

“What is the lending rate from banks to the manufacturing sector or are the manufacturers directed to borrow only from designated banks? Would the computer manufacturer, for example, Zinox Computers be entitled to some tax exemptions because of the expensive trail blazing efforts of being a pioneer?,” he asked.

He, therefore doubted how the nation would insulate the computer manufacturers from the free fall of the Naira, stressing that the entire production chain is agitated when the Naira loses against the Dollar.

“We cannot deploy the computers on these precious Nigerian tables if we cannot forecast and control the cost of inventory. The market would be unable to buy the products if the pricing is unstable,” Ekeh declared.

Nigerians, he insisted, must be culturally attuned to grow a Nigerian technology products. “Do we have the disposition to patronize our own products? I must point out that Nigerians are luckier than most other climes where technology had to grow from the scratch. In the case of Zinox Computers we obtained all known international certifications for quality before we started production. We had to go the whole length in other to assuage the skepticism that would arise from a lack of self esteem among Nigerians. The preference for foreign goods is a fad that feeds on the cultural inferiority complex of a colonized people. We have other people to look up to,” he said.

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TiwaNet deploys hotspot @ 3 Lagos’ suburbs

Licensee of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Tiwanet Technologies Limited has completed deployment of hotspots in three suburbs in Lagos State.

Chief executive officer, Tiwanet, Rev. Faith Afolayan made this disclosure at a press meeting in his office at De-Star Shopping Complex, Isheri-Olofin also in Lagos.

He said that the three benefiting suburbs recently covered with hotspots included Alimosho Local Government Area (LGA), Gbagada area and Apapa.

“We deploy hotspot solutions and already have reference points, for instance, in Alimosho LGA, Gbagada area and Apapa, all in Lagos State,” he said.

These suburbs were linked through the deployment of what he depicted as Long range hotspot.

Afolayana also explained that with hotspot deployment which could come in three versions is generically referred to as any public accessible wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), meaning that the public can use a laptop, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) or Wireless Access Point (WAP)-enabled phone among other wireless mobile devices to connect wirelessly.

“Of the estimated 150 million laptops, 14 million is known to be Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) and other emerging Wi-Fi devices sold per year worldwide for the last few years,” he said.

He underscored the fact that hotspots are often found at public places such as train stations, airports, military bases, libraries, hotels, hospitals, eateries, bookstores, campuses to name a few.

According to him, there exist free and commercial hotspot options, stressing that free hotspots operate in two ways, including using an open public network as the easiest way to create a free hotspot.

“All that is needed is a Wi-Fi router, while private users of wireless routers can turn off their encryption, thus opening their connection, intentionally or not, for sharing by anyone in range, which makes access to the router not to be easily controlled,” he declared.

Afolayan further said that closed public networks use a hotspot management system to control the hotspot, which is a software that runs on the router itself or an external computer.

“With this software, operators can authorize only specific users to access the internet, and they often associate the free access to a menu or to a purchase limit,” Afolayan explained.

As said by him, commercial hotpots come in three variants, namely the long range, indoor and mobile.

With long range hotspot, he said, customers could be far from base stations to the length of about 7 kilometres.

“Sometimes, repeater stations may be required, hence such customer require customer premises equipment (CPE),” he said, while the indoor hotspot could be deployed within the premises and could be configured to distribute the signal.

“In this scenerio, laptops and desktop computers that is Wi-Fi enabled can connect to network resources,” he said, noting that this is commonly deployed at residences or office environment.

On the mobile hotspot, Afolayan said is one of the recent developments that could cover a short range starting from 500 metres with capacity for expansion.

“The product is good for camps, campus, schools, estates, to name a few,” he said, assuring that Tiwanet has what it takes to ensure seamless connection of devices at any point in the country.

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iWayAfrica launches Wi-Fi

Leading Internet Service Provider (ISP) on the continent, MWEB Nigeria, now iWay Africa Nigeria Ltd, has launched a commercial Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) solution that allow laptop users to connect wirelessly to the internet at locations nationwide.

The General Manager, iWayAfrica Nigeria Ltd, Mr. John Ugbe, said that the service was officially launched last month to give owners of hotels, lodges, eateries, restaurants and café’s the ability to provide internet services to their patrons.

“Users of this service can purchase various pre-configured voucher denominations from the hotspot owners with varying time durations and megabyte caps,” he said, stressing that iWayAfrica Nigeria Ltd offers an out of the box turnkey solution that includes billing capability, access control and internet connectivity offering a hotspot owner the opportunity to expand their business revenues with bundling it to iWay solution.

He explained that the iWay’s Wi-Fi solution offers a captive portal, which automatically loads when a Wi-Fi user connects to the hotspot and could be customized according to the hotspot owner’s requirements.

This, Ugbe said, represents a great opportunity for a hotspot owner to promote his brand.

“A hotspot owner may even rent out space on the captive portal at a premium to third parties increasing the potential to earn further revenue from the hotspot,” he said.

As said by him, iWay’s Wi-Fi service boasts of a fully customized and brandable Wi-Fi solution that enables the hotspot owner to offer customers a unique experience of showcasing their brand on customized login pages, as well as the use of marketing material for the venue owner.

“It will also allow a walled garden facility that permits the hotspot owner to set free internet sites which customers can access, as well as configure “free” browsing time feature, where guests, at the discretion of the hotspot owner, can access the internet free of charge for a stipulated time,” he said.

Ugbe further said hotspot solution is ideal for lodges, larger hotels and conference venues and businesses that may not have access to fixed line services.

“Wi-Fi offers users unprecedented convenience as they are able to connect to the internet seamlessly and quickly anywhere there is Wi-FI access available. No cables, no Local Area Network (LAN) points, means this is a truly portable technology that is available in most new laptops and portable devices,” he noted.

Ugbe explained that for nomadic Personal Computer (PC) users who are always on the go, this means they could be connected to the office whilst not actually at the office physical location.

For the hotspot owner, Ugbe pointed out that the commercial hotspot is a means of differentiating their venue and attracting customers to the establishment as well as an additional source of income.

“The internet has become part of our daily lives for both work and play. Popular social networking services like linked-in and my space and others for business networking purposes are testimony to an online digital life that is expanding in the 21st century. We are seeing increased demand for the internet and we are pioneering new technologies to deliver new broadband solutions in Nigeria,” Mr. Ugbe said.

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Technology, key to growth – Ovia

THE Managing Director, Zenith Bank and founder of Visafone, Mr. Jim Ovia, has said that attaining the goal of vision 20-2020 can only be achievable through technology.

Ovia who was speaking at the Technology Times Outlook 2009, in Lagos, also said that for any nation to be considered among those aspiring to attain development in 2020, she must attain an average per capital income level of 100 US dollars per day.

“For meaningful development there is need to improve on the present 40 per cent teledensity and two per cent internet penetration,” he declared, stating that the cost of communication is expensive to embark on.

In addition, Mr Ovia said it cost a lot of money to lay optic fibre cables and to maintain infrastructure. This explains why it has been difficult to bridge the digital divide with the speed expected.

The Visafone boss, said strengthening education, empowering for employment, improving healthcare to alleviate poverty, migrating from electronic to mobile commerce, promoting local entrepreneurs are some of the strategies for empowering the less privileged in the society.

Others, he said, are making the world wide web (www) local, engaging the marginalized, improved governance, and social mobility and mobilization.

‘Access to information is the main difference between those who have and haves not,” he said.

On the way forward, Mr. Ovia said empowering the masses through education, tackling poverty, improving infrastructure, strengthening public private partnerships (PPPs), capacity building, connectivity and training women are some of the strategies for development.

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ATM consolidation to continue

Automated Teller Machines (ATM)-industry consultancy firm, Tremont Capital Group, has released its 2009 ATM Industry Fact Sheet, which summarizes the history and current state of the ATM industry with projection that consolidation would continue despite global financial meltdown.

Chief executive, Tremont Capital Group, Mr. Sam M. Ditzion, made this disclosure, last week, saying that among other findings in the report included that estimated 401,500 ATMs are currently deployed within the United States, approximately 202,500, about 50 per cent of which are now operated by independent sales organizations.

Also, Tremont Capital Group predicted that rapid consolidation in the International Standardization Organisation (ISO) sector will continue in the near-term, until consolidators acquire the nation’s remaining viable small to mid-sized ATM portfolios.

Ditzion noted that as the United States marks the 40th anniversary of its first ATMs deployment, the number of ATMs usage in the nation has surpassed the 400,000 milestone and cash remains the dominant payment mechanism for consumers, even as his firm anticipates three key trends in the industry this year, 2009.

First, he said, that average ATM transaction volumes will stabilize and possibly increase as consumer credit standards continue to tighten and the deleveraging process deepens. Secondly, financial institutions will slightly consolidate their ATM networks, whereas continuing to implement check-imaging upgrades on an accelerated basis, while the third, is that the ISO sector of the ATM industry will experience continued merger and acquisition activity.

Tremont Capital Group produced the report working closely with ATM International Association (ATMIA), which is an international nonprofit trade association founded in 1997 for the ATM industry, with over 1000 members in 49 countries, as well as chapters in Africa, Asia, Europe, Eastern Europe, USA, Canada, Asia Pacific and Latin America.

As an independent, non-profit trade association, our mission is: to promote ATM convenience, growth and usage worldwide; to protect the ATM industry’s assets, interests, good name and public trust; and to provide education, best practices, political voice and networking opportunities for member organizations.

ATMIA’s membership covers the full range of the ATM industry and business lifecycle, including manufacturers, ATM deployers, ISOs, private owners, networks, switches, card issuers, financial institutions and all providers of related products, services and consultancies.

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CTO offers 50 operators tech transfer

AN Estimated 50 telecom operators around the world from emerging markets are to gain from the new capacity-building programmes slated this year alone by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO).

Announcing this scheme in London, CTO said it would provide capacity development research and specialist knowledge-transfer for telecom industry to be approved, in March 2009 with focus on funding, and a range of workshops aimed at fixed and mobile operators in the emerging markets, especially those within the Commonwealth.

Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, affirmed this in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online.

He said that CTO is in the process of developing programmes in areas of green technologies for rural access and connectivity, spectrum management and harmonisation, competition policy and market development to ensure greater penetration of basic services such as voice and data services in emerging markets in Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Caribbean were millions are yet to have access to a
regular telephone service or the Internet.

These programmes, he said, will focus in areas such as Internet protocol (IP) networks, interconnection, fibre networks, MPLS, Internet Protocol version Six (IPv6), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), WiMax, Next Generation Network (NGN) and network security.

Telecom governments and regulatory bodies are also expected to benefit from programmes aimed at supporting policies and regulatory frameworks to help maintain growth in the sector.

“The growth registered and the introduction and success of unexpected applications over the last 5 years in the developing world is a testimony to the unpredictability and yet, the phenomenal potential of this industry for accelerating economic development. Reaching out to the unconnected will be easier with more government policy foresight and more adequate regulatory capacity for the industry”, Spio-Garbrah said.

Last year, over 40 organisations have benefited from specialist assistance in technology, with programmes focused on subjects such as NGN, 3G, FMC, VoIP and mobile IP. Regulatory programmes the same year included licensing, interconnection, numbering and LRIC.

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Experts to advocate ICT solutions on financial crunch

This year’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2009, slated to hold in Geneva between October 5-9, will include a global leadership summit to address the role of Information and Communications Technology (ICTs) in economic recovery from the worldwide crisis and stimulating future investment and growth.

The ITU Telecom board of directors, which met in Barcelona last week, gave their full support to ITU to play a catalyzing role in shaping the agenda for global economic recovery and development.

The board, which includes key industry leaders, emphasized the role of the digital economy in reviving the broader global economy.

Chief, Media Relations and Public Information, ITU, Mr. Sanjay Acharya, said in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online that the leaders expected at the forum will express their confidence in ITU for steering ITU Telecom World 2009, in the right direction, the Directors also agreed that ITU Telecom World will be held in Geneva in 2011 to mark its 40th anniversary.

ITU Telecom World 2009, he said, is the leading global ICT showcase that brings together Heads of State, Ministers, industry leaders and regulators for the high-level summit, cutting-edge forum and a dynamic exhibition.

“Such a high-level gathering from across governments and industry will create a unique public-private networking platform on a global scale to brainstorm strategies aimed at paving the way to economic recovery and development,” he said.

UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon has confirmed his attendance.

“It is vital that we use opportunities such as ITU Telecom World 2009 for a frank debate on the way forward for the ICT industry that will translate challenges into real and workable solutions,” Mr Ki-moon said.

Information and communication technologies, he noted, are increasingly critical for global development and human well-being, as such, UN must not allow today’s economic downturn to slow progress in providing widespread access to these essential tools.

In his part, the ITU Secretary-General, Dr. Hamadoun Touré said, the forthcoming ITU Telecom World 2009 will be the right time to bring together all the key players in government and the ICT industry.

“We will be in a better position to assess the effects on industry and establish both how to resuscitate those sectors that need it as well as to focus on how ICTs can be a catalyst for recovery,” he said.

ICT sector, Toure pointed out, has been the powerhouse of the global economy in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), stressing that investment in ICTs makes as much sense now as it did in building the physical infrastructure of roads and railways during the great depression of the 1930s.

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Speakeezee unveils Mi handsets

Authorised distributor of Mi brand of handsets in the country, the Private Networks Nigeria Limited (PNN) has unveil is latest in stock Mi mobiles at all Speakeezee stores nationwide.

A press statement endorsed by the Manager, Corporate Communications, at PNN, Ms Cynthia Nwagboniwe, quoted the chief executive of Mi, Alpesh Patel, as saying that the brand offers the urban youth users of cell phone in Africa a snap up with “ Mi” range of Quality Affordable handsets.

Hence the brand was last month introduced into Nigeria via its nationwide authorised distributor, Private Networks Nigeria Limited (PNN).

Patel recalled that Mi was launched in April 2008 as a secured African network operator and leading distribution deals in 10 markets. “Mi – Fones” are officially available in Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Mauritius, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to name a few,” Patel said.

According to Patel, Mi was the only handset manufacturer in the world to release a Mi – Obama phone (limited Edition) made exclusively for the Kenyan market.

“This particular exercise which was done for fun, got the world talking about “Mi” with endless articles and blogs from the cellular tech world. (Google: Mi-Obama Phone). Mi’s record market penetration is expected to be high in Nigeria because of the brands clever positioning. We provide the emerging market consumer a range of reliable good looking products at affordable prices with the key focus being on variety,” Patel.

With this entrance, Patel further said that Nigerian consumers could find the Mi range of funky handsets at all Speakeezee retail stores.

“The Mi phone product range is an arsenal of slick, status affirming phone models boosted by the flagship Mi Metalix range. All of the Mi products are available in the market at well under N13,000.00,” the ceo said.

In addition, Patel went on to say they were extremely proud and honoured to have Speakeezee carry its range in their prime retail stores.

“The Mi handsets will be available exclusively at Speakeezee outlets first and our Nigerian distributor, PNN, will thereafter appoint other retailers and dealers nationwide,” Patel explained, stressing that having Speakeezee as valued retail partner enables Mi to deliver affordable warrantied handsets directly to the end consumer.

The available range at Speakeezee, he said, boasts of the worlds slimmest Dual SIM GPRS WAP handset – Mi 8801, the Mi210F with an internal FM antenna enabling users to share their music with their friends and the Mi300F with a VGA camera, available in RoseGold for the she or Chrome for he.

Recently, PNN announced the completion of Phase 1 roll out of Speakeezee outlets in Lagos - Ikeja, Surulere, Victoria Island; Jos, Ado-Ekiti, Kano, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Asaba and Benin, with 25 new outlets spread in phase 2.

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