TheNewsGuru

Tag: Broadband

  • Inability to achieve 30% broadband penetration in Nigeria raises concern

    Nigerian Communication Satellite Ltd. (NIGCOMSAT) has expressed concern over inability to achieve its earlier intended 30 per cent broadband penetration to ease internet access in the country.

    Mr Muhammad Jiya, the satellite company’s Senior Manager in the Department of Innovation and Development, expressed the concern on Thursday in an interview in Abuja.

    It would be recalled that the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu in 2016 said that the country would achieve 30 per cent national broadband penetration by the end of 2018 as projected in the country’s National Broadband Plan.

    Shittu then said that the country had so far achieved between 18 to 20 per cent penetration as a result of private sector initiatives.

    Jiya identified that internet accessibility and connectivity was a huge challenge to many citizens, especially in remote areas.

    According to him, the higher broadband will ensure that those remote areas without access can be reached.

    He added that “not being able to achieve the 30 per cent broadband penetration is a source of concern to us because we need data for the economy and what drives data is connectivity.

    “If we cannot achieve 30 per cent broadband penetration, it is a big challenge but we at least need to get closer to that.

    “If we cannot move closer to that, we hope that government will put more emphasis in ensuring that we go beyond the 30 per cent, which will help us a great deal.”

    However, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) saddled with working toward the attainment of the broadband in November said the country could not achieve the 30 per cent broadband.

    The NCC said that the country’s broadband penetration was presently 23 per cent and was stalled with high Right of Way (RoW) charges and multiple taxation from some institutions and state governments, among other challenges.

     

  • 5G to cover over 40% of world’s population by 2024

    5G to cover over 40% of world’s population by 2024

    5G is expected to reach more than 40 percent global population coverage and 1.5 billion subscriptions for enhanced mobile broadband by the end of 2024.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports this will make 5G the fastest generation of cellular technology to be rolled out on a global scale, according to the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.

    According to the Mobility Report, North America and North East Asia are expected to lead the 5G uptake.

    In North America, 5G subscriptions are forecast to account for 55 percent of mobile subscriptions by the end of 2024.

    In North East Asia, the corresponding forecast figure is more than 43 percent.

    In Western Europe, 5G is forecast to account for some 30 percent of mobile subscriptions in the region by end of 2024.

    Between 2018-2024, total mobile data traffic is expected to increase by a factor of five, with 5G networks projected to carry 25 percent of mobile traffic by the end of the period.

    “As 5G now hits the market, its coverage build-out and uptake in subscriptions are projected to be faster than for previous generations. At the same time, cellular IoT continues to grow strongly.

    “What we are seeing is the start of fundamental changes that will impact not just the consumer market but many industries,” said Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Business Area Networks at Ericsson.

     

  • Nigeria reaches broadband penetration target

    The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, said that Nigeria’s broadband penetration, according to the ITU/UNESCO policy forum, is currently at 22%, indicating that the minimum target to reach 20% by 2017 was met.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the EVC, at a session with journalists recently, explained that the minimum and maximum targets set were 20% and 30% respectively.

    Professor Danbatta further stated that the International Telecommunications Union/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization policy forum would release the latest broadband penetration figures by September 2018.

    “Nigeria’s broadband penetration was between 4 to 6% in 2013 when the target was set and the NCC has since, licensed infrastructure companies (Infracos) to deploy fibre network in various regions of the country.

    “There is an initiative under the office of the Vice President, but being driven by some licensees of the NCC to deploy 18000km of fibre infrastructure.

    “The whole idea is to add 18,000km of fibre in addition to the 38,000km of fibre that we have already on the ground, to make it 56,000km,” he said.

    He also stated that a subsidy of around Three Billion Naira (N3b) had been budgeted to be paid piecemeal to the infrastructure companies to deploy the fibre, stressing “This payment will be predicated on milestones by the licensees”.

    The challenges to broadband penetration in Nigeria include multiple taxation and Right of Way issues, most of which the NCC is working very hard to address.

    The Commission has had very fruitful talks with the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) in this regard, Danbatta stated.

    The EVC also reiterated NCC’s commitment to stopping illegal call masking operations in Nigeria.

    “We have discovered that call masking is being perpetrated with small movable devices called SIM boxes and we are in the process of choosing the best from a list of technology solutions used in other countries, to block the devices, track and apprehend the culprits”, he said.

     

  • NCC to open up, assign other spectrum bands to telcos

    NCC to open up, assign other spectrum bands to telcos

    The Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) has said, given that spectrum is a critical mobile infrastructure, it will open up and assign other spectrum bands for telecoms service providers in the country.

    NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Professor Umar Danbatta, made this known, while also stressing that the Commission will open up and assign the other spectrum bands in an open and transparent manner.

    TheNewsGuru had earlier in a feature urged the telecoms regulatory commission of a greater need to tread with caution in order to avoid monopoly with the Visafone spectrum transfer to MTN Nigeria.

    This is given that the MTN/Visafone spectrum transfer has raised issues among telcos operators in the country.

    ALSO READ || Telecoms: NCC must avoid monopoly with Visafone spectrum transfer

    TheNewsGuru reports reports that 2.3GHz spectrum has been licensed for wholesale wireless last mile services.

    According to Danbatta, there are ongoing discussions with various levels of government to facilitate speed in processing permits, harmonisation of tax regimes and to ease the deployment of infrastructure, including streamlining right of way charges.

    He said that there were also limitations and access gaps in metro fibre deployment to nodes, neighbourhoods and last mile connection to homes and businesses, which the government needed to address.

    “Since spectrum is a critical mobile infrastructure, the commission will strive to provide the required frequency spectrum capacity.

    “The commission will facilitate the re-farming of existing spectrum held by operators to provide broadband services without impacting their quality of service delivery.

    “We will open up and assign other spectrum bands in an open and transparent manner,” he said.

    According to Danbatta, the availability of broadband infrastructure will unlock new opportunities and drive a second wave of growth in the telecoms industry and the economy.

    Meanwhile, speaking at ICT Watch Network Award Ceremony held on Friday in Lagos, Danbatta stated that broadband access is an important feature in communications infrastructure policy and should be treated as a key economic indicator.

    According to him, broadband deployment has a strong impact on GDP, employment and productivity in all economic sectors.

    “It can be seen all over the world that there is a higher economic growth in countries with more broadband penetration than countries with less broadband penetration.

    “Hence, governments and regulators worldwide are strongly in support and make every effort in promoting broadband deployment, in order to stimulate the development of the economy and the society.

    “The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) advocates that Broadband should be treated as an essential service like electricity and water, it is difficult to imagine life without water or electricity,” he said.

    Danbatta assured that the commission would continue to drive and support high speed broadband connectivity to end users through various initiatives.

    He said that initiatives such as licensing of InfraCos, on a regional basis, provide metropolitan fibre and wholesale transmission services on a non-discriminatory, open access and price regulated basis.

    The Executive Vice Chairman said the roadmap was to have fibre point of access in every Local Government Area in in the country within four years of the commencement of deployments in each geopolitical zone.

     

  • Broadband coverage: FG to licence new service providers – Osinbajo

    Broadband coverage: FG to licence new service providers – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has announced plans by the Federal Government to expand the broadband coverage of the country through the licensing of private broadband providers soon.

    TheNewsGuru reports Osinbajo made this known in his keynote address while headlining the Google for Nigeria 2018 event that held at the Landmark Centre, Lagos, on Thursday.

    He said the measure would improve the digital space and opportunities for innovation and technological advancement of the country.

    “Next week I will launch a climate innovation centre in partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre at the Lagos Business School, here in Lekki Village.

    “All of these form part of our ICT road map in which the private sector is an important stakeholder.

    “The challenge remains connectivity, extending broadband reach, making data cheaper.

    “Our national broadband policy is the first step we are taking.

    “And so through the Nigerian Communications Commission we are licensing a number of infrastructure companies who will invest in rolling out broad band infrastructure across Nigeria.

    “I believe that we can extend broadband connectivity and reach significantly within a year or two and we will be partnering in whatever way we can with Google, with Nigerian broadband providers like 21 Century Technologies, BCN, to quickly achieve the level of connectivity that is required to march the creative energy that is being released in our country on a daily basis.

    “Our goal is to create a data-driven digital economy, one that would lead to the way not just in Africa but globally as well.’’

    Osinbajo expressed the belief that Nigeria was on the right path as the nation had the people and the talent.

    He added that there existed a government that had seen the potential very clearly and showing the determination to unlock that potential.

    According to him, technology has put great powers in our hands as individuals but more importantly as co-creators and collaborators to positively and dramatically change the course of human existence.

    Osinbajo noted that with technology the country could solve many problems confronting the people.

    He said that in addition, the country could connect people, grow businesses, influence good governance, and create better lives and a better country for the citizens and for the future.

    He said that the country was in many senses at an exciting moment in history because of what the young people were doing in innovation and their sheer energy and talent.

    Accordingly, the Vice President noted that the future the country was looking at, which had already arrived, is bound to be an exciting one for the youth and adults.

    He said that the government would be with the youth in every step of the journey.

    The Vice President thanked Google for democratizing the country’s digital space urging that such innovations should be extended to many of the nation’s markets where a large number of people pride their business.

    He observed that through Artificial Intelligence the country was guaranteed more food and better healthcare.

    He said every step made to make technology available would lead to a quantum leap in the African development story and a major contribution to global stability and growth.

    He described the launch of the Google station in the country as a very exciting event because of the company’s promise to provide access in several public spaces.

    He said the country was happy with the Google’s partnership and had been energizing the country’s markets with solar power, especially in Aba, Kano, Lagos and Ibadan.

    He said access to information, tools of education, business or commerce ensured that a lot of gaps of inequalities and exclusion were bridged.

    Osinbajo recalled that a digital skills training programme was launched in 2016 aimed at training of 400,000 youth on basic digital skills adding that the government had since trained more than one million persons in partnership with Google and local digital firms.

    He added that to scale up the support of private players in the technology space government created the technology and creative industry advisory group as part of the industrial council to support young players in the industry.

    He stated that through the GEM programme of the World Bank, the administration had given a $2 million lifeline to 79 start-ups across the country while the Bank of Industry had set aside a N10 billion technology fund also.

    “We are looking at increasing the availability of the fund and how to use all the development finance banks to extend credit to innovation and technology start-ups.

    He said that government was committed to building an ecosystem to drive innovation adding that government was training 5,000 developers as part of the country’s N-Power tech programme with another 3,000 being trained in animation.

    The VP added that government was supporting the students’ hub innovation challenge across institutions to support student entrepreneurs.

    The Country Director of Google, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, earlier said that the African digital story was evolving and the organization planned to keep building products and programmes to accelerate growth in Nigeria and Africa.

    She recalled that in 2017 the company had brought together Google’s global leadership with over 200 key stakeholder in the industry.

    She said that the organisation remained committed to developing the digital ecosystem and making its products more useful for Africans.

    “Most of Africa’s biggest challenges may not be solved by methods of the past; with machine learning and artificial intelligence these problems can be solved in a radically different way both faster and more cost effectively.

    “For example today with a smart phone and a camera and existing apps it is possible to detect and prevent diseases, predict severe weather conditions, like droughts, and also address financial inclusion for the un-banked.’’ she stated.

    The Google chief said that the country would continue to seek digital growth of Nigeria and Africa as Nigeria currently had over 45 million mobile internet users and future growth would be driven by smart phones currently growing at 14 per cent ever year.

    She recalled that Google had committed to training five million Africans as well as to train the next developers of Africans and giving them Google certification

    Ehimuan-Chiazor said that entrepreneurs in Africa would create the jobs of the future adding that the company was willing to through its Launchpad Accelerator Africa give more than $3 million equity free support to more than 60 early stage start-ups in the continent.

    “Since the launch earlier this year, 12 start-ups have graduated from the programme, working across a range of industry.

    “They have created 132 jobs and raised over $7 million in funding and their products are used by approximately 4.5 million users,’’ she noted.

    She also recalled the $20 million pledged to support non-profits in their jobs.

    In a related development, the Vice President declared open the Co-working Conference 2018 of innovators in Lagos where he stressed the need for collaboration and partnerships among entrepreneurs to boost productivity and economic growth.

     

  • NCC establishes monitoring committee

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has established Broadband Implementation Committee to fast track the deployment of infrastructure to raise broadband penetration in the country.

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC made this disclosure at the commission’s stakeholders’engagement meeting with relevant state agencies in charge of telecommunications matters.

    The meeting’s theme is: “Optimising the Benefits of Telecoms Infrastructure in Nigeria’’.

    Danbatta said that the committee would ensure targeted deployment of infrastructure needed to raise broadband penetration to 30 per cent before the end of 2018 would be met.

    “The license has gone out to the Infrastructure Companies (INFRACOs), and we have a total of six of them in all zones of the country.

    “And each zone has infrastructure company licensed by NCC to deploy infrastructure in that zone and no licensee is allowed to deploy infrastructure in any other zone because it will develop issues.

    “On top of all these efforts, there is a subsidy NCC intends to pay, this subsidy will be paid to INFRACO licensee for attainment of milestone.

    “The monitoring committee will confirm the milestone, verify that it had been attained and this subsidy will be paid,’’ he said.

    Danbatta said that the NCC was eager to support states in driving universal access to citizens in the remotest parts to universal affordability, accessibility and availability of service throughout the country.

    “This is a critical component of NCC’s Strategic Management Plan and 8-point Agenda,’’ he said.

    He said that NCC was keen to enable states maximise the benefits of broadband infrastructure and digital platforms to drive growth, create employment and improve socio-economic interactions.

    “In this regard, we are encouraging our licensees to explore opportunities for bilateral arrangements with your states.

    “We urge you to take advantage of these opportunities and launch your respective states into the digital age,’’ Danbatta said.

    Mr Sunday Dare, the Commissioner, Stakeholders Management of NCC said that over the years as telecoms infrastructure were becoming more ubiquitous, NCC licensees found it more and more difficult to meet prescribed rollout and quality of service benchmarks.

    Dare said that NCC carefully studied the issues and realised that the national network was not functioning at optimal levels due to a number of factors such as frequent interruptions, security of infrastructure, power issues, high cost of approvals and slow permitting processes.

    “We therefore enveloped an engagement template to deal with those factors that were understandably not within the control of the operators.

    “We approached the governors of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT through the National Economic Council for their assistance.

    “And in 2013, they agreed on basic principles to create a more enabling environment for the speedy deployment of new telecoms infrastructure and seamless operation of existing ones.

    “The 2013 framework is now being reviewed to address obvious gaps and to accommodate new developments, especially to achieve deeper broadband penetration and more efficient services.

    “We could just have limited our engagement to the governors. However, NCC strongly believes in applying well-tested approach of consultative regulation to our other endeavours, which is why we consider it critical to discuss with you.

    “This forum is therefore very critical to the development of our dear country and that is why it is centered on the theme of “Optimising the Benefits of Telecoms Infrastructure in Nigeria”.

    The meeting had in attendance representatives from over 26 states of the federation and FCT, amongst other stakeholders.

     

  • ITU conference: Nigeria to deepen broadband penetration – NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says that Nigeria’s participation in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in Durban, South Africa will focus on attracting new investors to deepen broadband penetration.

    The Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Ojobo said this year’s participation would be to particularly attract new investors to the much sought broadband segment of the sector to meet the 30 per cent target by the end of 2018.

    “These investors will deepen Nigeria’s quest for pervasive broadband whose penetration level currently stands at 22 per cent,’’ he said.

    He said that riding on the crest of the successes the country recorded in the South Korea ITU Telecom World 2017, Nigeria’s planning committee for the 2018 edition of ITU Telecom World holding Sept. 10 to Sept. 13, 2018 has been inaugurated.

    Ojobo said that the Nigerian delegation, which will be led by Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, include the Chairman of NCC Board, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye; Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC Prof. Umar Danbatta.

    The theme of the 2018 ITU conference is: “Innovation for Smarter Digital Development”.

     

  • NCC processes infraco licenses for South South, South West

    Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says the Commission is currently processing licenses for four Infrastructure Service Providers (INFRACOs).

    He said the INFRACO licenses are based on NCC’s Open Access Model (OAM) in line with the National Broadband plan, adding that the licenses were being processed for the Infracos to cover for South South, South West and North West zones of the country.

    Danbatta made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the NCC and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    He said the Commission is committed to leading the country to the destination of pervasive broadband services.

    TheNewsGuru reports that by the National Broadband Plan of 2013 to 2018, the country is expected to attain 30 per cent broadband penetration by end of 2018, with Danbatta saying the potential of broadband penetration were enormous, which explained why the entire global community was investing huge resources to exploit, and assimilate broadband.

    “The broadband penetration stands at 22 per cent and the target by the end of this year is 30 per cent and we have made progressed up to 70 per cent and I think that is a positive progress we have made,” he said.

    Danbatta said that a major milestone was achieved recently with the licensing of four Infrastructure Service Providers (INFRACOs).

    He listed the INFRACOs as Zinox Technology Ltd. for broadband infrastructure provisioning for South East Zone, while Brinks Intergrated Solutions was issued license for the North East Zone.

    According to him, a subsidiary of Main One Cable Company Ltd., had earlier been licensed to provide services in Lagos while IHS was issued a license to cover the North-Central zone including Abuja.

    “With a combination of licenses for infrastructure provision and spectrum auctions, and reframing of some of the existing spectrum to make them more efficient, we hope to attain the recommendation of the National Broadband Plan, and possibly surpass it by the end of 2018,” Danbatta said.

     

  • FCC approves SpaceX application for 4,425 broadband satellite network

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved an application by Space Exploration Holdings, doing business as SpaceX, to provide broadband services using satellite technology in the United States and around the world.

    This is as contained in FCC documents, and with this action, the Commission takes another step to increase high-speed broadband availability and competition in the United States.

    This is the first approval of a U.S.-licensed satellite constellation to provide broadband services using a new generation of low-Earth orbit satellite technologies.

    TheNewsGuru reports SpaceX proposed a satellite system comprised of 4,425 satellites and was granted authority to use frequencies in the Ka (20/30 GHz) and Ku (11/14 GHz) bands to provide global Internet connectivity.

    The Memorandum Opinion, Order and Authorization yesterday outlines the conditions under which SpaceX is authorized to provide service using its proposed NGSO FSS satellite constellation.

    Specifically, the Order specifies the conditions to ensure compliance with Commission rules, and to protect other operations in the requested frequency bands.

    Over the past year, the FCC has approved requests by OneWeb, Space Norway, and Telesat to access the United States market to provide broadband services using satellite technology that holds promise to expand Internet access, particularly in remote and rural areas across the country.

    These approvals are the first of their kind for a new generation of large, non-geostationary satellite orbit, fixed-satellite service systems, and the Commission continues to process other, similar requests.

     

  • Delta Govt. partners NIGCOMSAT on broadband connectivity for schools

    The Delta State Government has commenced negotiations with the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) company for possible partnership in the area of broadband connectivity for schools and hospitals across the state.

    TheNewsGuru reports NIGCOMSAT Executive Director of Marketing and Business Development, Mr. Samson Osagie, with some members of his team on Monday met with, Mr. Bright Edejewhro the State Commissioner for Science and Technology in Asaba to fine-tune the details of the partnership.

    The state government is hoping to partner with NIGCOMSAT for the deployment of technologies to enhance teaching and learning in schools across the state.

    In order to deepen broadband penetration in Nigeria, the board of the Nigerian Commissions Commission (NCC) recently approved two additional Infrastructure Company (Infraco) licences for the South Eastern and for the North Eastern regions of the country.

    Also recently, the NCC said it will very soon license more Infracos and also auction additional spectrums in the bid to achieve its broadband penetration target for the country.

    Professor Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC said Nigeria is left with just 8 per cent to attain the 30 per cent broadband target set by the Federal Government by the end of this year.

    “At the moment, Nigeria has moved from 10 per cent to 22 per cent broadband penetration in the pursuit of the 30 per cent target set for December 2018.

    “Effort is ongoing to deepen the penetration as part of this administration’s eight-point agenda.

    “Plans are also ongoing to license Infrastructure Companies, Infracos, auction some frequency licences, while some are being initiated and some being reframed to achieve the broadband penetration target.

    “In broadband, we have moved from 10 per cent to 22 per cent broadband penetration at the moment. All these are going on simultaneously,” Danbatta said.