Samsung’s Galaxy Note II Arrives Nigeria

SAMSUNG Electronics’, the world's largest maker of mobile handsets, has rolled out its highly anticipated Galaxy Note II in Nigeria, adding a new Galaxy device to its range of products in this category.

The device, a mix of smartphone and tablet with an improved digital stylus called the S Pen, was unveiled to the Nigerian public in Lagos. The launch of the device in Nigeria is coming on the heels of its initial introduction at the IFA Trade Show in Berlin and its subsequent arrival on the African continent at a colourful unboxing event in Cape Town, South Africa, in October.

 According to the Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Bravo Kim, the Galaxy Note II will ensure that Samsung maintains its dominance over Apple and other smartphone manufacturers in the global smartphone market, by positioning itself as a niche to meet the demands of consumers desirous of larger screens and more user-friendly display.

"The Galaxy Note II is taking over the fame of its predecessor, the Galaxy Note, which opened a new category of smart mobile devices last year. A great number of innovations were injected into the product towards delivering new value to enhance the lives of our consumers and also provide them with the ultimate communication experience. The device has already gained fame, alongside a solid reputation, among individuals and mobile carriers across the globe and we are very proud of its accomplishments," he said.

Kim reiterated Samsung’s commitment to fulfilling its brand promise of inspiring the world and creating the future through its commitment to bringing new and meaningful innovations to the doorstep of customers.

Powered by the latest version of Google’s Android operating system, Jelly Bean, the Galaxy Note II features a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor and 4G LTE connectivity. Its 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display is ideal for users who want the productivity of a tablet with the portability of a smartphone. 

 Its 8 megapixel rear-facing and 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera allows users to share photos through Share Shot, while S Beam lets users share videos, pictures and more with other Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III devices. The Galaxy Note II is thinner and narrower than the first Galaxy Note, and it improves upon the original with longer battery life, as well as enhancements to the S Pen. It also boasts a microSD slot that allows for expansion by up to an extra 64GB of storage.

 Describing the Samsung Galaxy Note II as the smartphone for on-the-go creativity, Business Head, Hand Held Products at Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas, reiterated Samsung’s commitment to enhancing and expanding its Galaxy Note product experiences.

 “Since the introduction of the first Galaxy Note, we have continued to enhance and expand this category of product towards delivering the ultimate communication experience to our consumers. In May 2012, we introduced ‘Premium Suite,’ a software upgrade which provides enhanced user experience. Also in August, we expanded the category further with the Galaxy Note 10.1, which has a 10.1-inch large screen, a multiscreen feature and enhanced features for users’ productivity, creativity and learning. The Galaxy Note II represents a whole new innovation for the Galaxy Note category and will help users set free their inner creativity by letting them discover information faster, capture ideas, and express them in a more organized and efficient manner,” he said.

L – R: Business Head, Hand Held Products, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas; Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Bravo Kim and Samsung Brand Ambassador, Mr. Olubankole Wellington (Banky W), at the unveiling of Samsung’s Galaxy Note II Smartphone at Westown Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.

 From its inception as a small export business, Samsung has grown to become one of the world’s leading electronics companies, specializing in digital appliances and media, semiconductors, memory and system integration. Today, Samsung’s innovative and top quality products and processes are recognized all over the world. The company has continued to expand its product lines and reach, following its mission of making life better for consumers all over the world.

NIGCOMSAT Parleys Stakeholders on Autonomy Bill

As part of its desire to join the league of nations that are using satellite technology to fast track economic and social development, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, NIGCOMSAT began the second phase of its strategy to secure autonomy for the company by parleying stakeholders in the ICT industry.

The move is the first of its kind by the body since former President Olusegun Obasanjo established it on April 4, 2006.

 The event, which was hosted by NIGCOMSAT in Lagos had in attendance key players in the industry including the president of the Association of Telecommunications Company of Nigeria, ATCON, Mr. Lanre Ajayi who chaired the occasion, managing director Teledom Group, Mr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, managing director, Kemlinks International, Mr. Shola Taylor and a representative from Olisa Agbakoba’s law firm.

NIGCOMSAT  had send a bill to the House of Representatives for an Act to establish the Nigerian Communications Satellite Corporation empowered to engage in, purchase and otherwise acquire or take over the assets, business company, firm or person and Act in further of all and any business associated and or relating to the satellite communication industry.

The bill, which is a House Bill with number HB 208, has already being passed by the lower house of parliament thereby leaving the Senate as the last hurdle for NIGCOMSAT cross in the actualisation of its dream of autonomy for the company that in December 2011 launch of its satellite called NigComSat 1-R.

According to the managing director of NIGCOMSAT, Mr. Ahmed Rufai, the Bill is intended to translate the federal Government’s vision for the communication satellite project into legislation stating, “the legislative process has therefore streamlined the core provision of the company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association to the duties and powers of the corporation.”

L-R:Managing director,Nigerian Communication Satellite Company Limited,Engr. Ahmed Rufai,President Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria,Mr. Lanre Ajayi and President Nigerian Internet Group during a stakeholders forum on the Nigerian Communications Satellite Bill held in Lagos. 

He told the stakeholders that the Bill recognised NIGCOMSAT Limited as a commercial satellite operators mandated by the Federal Government to commercialise satellite resources as well as the procurement or purchase of in-orbit launch of satellite for related business purposes.

He disclosed that the Bill will distinct NIGCOMSAT from the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) adding that it will streamline NIGCOMSAT to reflect the activities of other international satellite companies like INTELSAT in the USA, Russian Satellite Communications Limited and China Satellite Communications Company Limited.

He revealed that contrary assumption, the Bill will not veer into the statutory functions of the National Broadcasting Commission and the Nigerian Communications Commission in the area of frequency allocation saying “frequency management and allocation remains under the purview of the NCC and the National Frequency Management Council.”

Rufai however noted that NIGCOMSAT has established a Direct-to-Home Transmission platform to assist with the national migration from analogue to digital transmission stressing that it should not be confused with the role NBC as a regulator adding, “as a satellite operator, it expected that NIGCOMSAT Limited be guided by the extant laws of the satellite industry in her activities.”

The NIGCOMSAT while informing the stakeholders that the second House has ensured that the Bill does not confer any powers to the contrary on the satellite company said that the autonomous legal status that it is seeking would increase the confidence of the international community willing to do business with it on a Joint Venture or Public Private Partnership basis.

According to him, NIGCOMSAT is worth N50 billion and as such a legislation is needed to ensure its continuity and sustainability noting that it holds strategic intellectual property capable of revolutionalising domestication of technology in Nigeria and Africa.

Further reasons he listed why the stakeholders should galvanise support for the passage of Bill by the senate and signing by the president include the fact that NIGCOMSAT is a national strategic resource, provider of satellite technology backbone to address broadband challenge and the highly competitive and vibrant global communication satellite industry.

But a cross section of the stakeholders express fear over the negative implication of putting such a relevant company in the hand of lawmakers saying that it may go the way of NITEL.

According to them, they said it could make parliament to begin to run NIGCOMSAT from the floor of the national Assembly.

They said that the planned autonomy that NIGCOMSAT is seeking could also result to a gradual killing of the company saying that government is known not to be good managers of business although some of the stakeholders disagree with that position.

Ericsson, at a recent video conferencing involving Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya, displayed the huge potentials that abound in a networked society, in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) education.

Lagos Rakes from N15b Telecoms Operators Yearly

WHILE telecoms operators continue to battle with the challenges of the operating environment, the Lagos State Government is making a fortune from them raking a whopping sum of N15 billion yearly from them.

Gov Babatunde Fashola

Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo disclosed that the amount is part of the money the Lagos State Governments collects for the erection of telecoms sites in the state.

At a press in Lagos, Adebayo told journalist that to erect a new base station, telecoms operators pay N3 million while 15 per cent of that amount is paid annually for the renewal.

He said that is the amount that the state collected from the about 5000 base stations in the state saying operators are daily faced with unending crisis of double taxation and illegal levies.

The ALTON boss who was briefing the media about the state of the industry noted that “we continue to face closures of functional sites by Agencies of Government, and we hereby draw the attention of the Federal Government and the general public to the continuous incessant and unlawful closure of telecommunication facility sites by some individuals, communities and indeed State authorities, in spite of the disasters that we face.”

According to him, across the country, governments and agencies with impunity employ extra-legal means to effect such closures without any regard whatsoever for the inconveniences on telecommunication subscribers and the socio-economic disruptions it presents gives great concern.

While expressing concern over the un-ending illegal closure of sites, he said that the illegal closures do not enable service recovery and maintenance activities on functional sites.

He said that ALTON is oppose to noting that the illegal closure of the sites is follows the objection of the affected Members of ALTON to pay disputed fees levied by the agencies of State or Local Governments in the name of Internally Generated Revenue IGR.

“The said unlawful taxes levied on our members runs into several hundreds of millions of Naira and our members are uncomfortable acceding to these demands as they are unlawful”, he said noting they contravene the provisions of the taxes and levies (Approved list for collection), under the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

The group frown at the extra-legal means to coerce its to submit to the payment of illegal taxes to be most unacceptable saying “we respectfully call on the Federal Government and the general public to intervene to save the situation.”

While commiserate with its subscribers who may have experienced some challenges in service availability in of late, Adebayo traced the cause to issues of man-made and natural disasters that befell some parts of the country in recent times.

“In September 2012, we had significant attacks and destruction of telecommunications Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) and other infrastructure in some parts of Northern Nigeria. 

“The attacks, which occurred in the early hours of the 5th, 6th 7th and 8th of September 2012 and other incidences afterwards, resulted in severe service disruptions in the areas primarily affected and by extension other parts of the country”, he said. 

According to him, the incidents affected over 250 telecom sites that lost connection and many suffered significant damage beyond repairs saying the attacks have since limited the ability of millions of Nigerian subscribers to access telecommunications services.

He disclosed that the flood in some cases destroyed Telecom Transceiver sites (BTS) along its path leading to significant service disruption in the affected areas, with consequential impact on service availability in some other parts that were not affected by the flood. 

He assured subscribers that the operators would continue to do everything possible to provide uninterrupted good quality services across the national network.

NCC to Tackle Ant-competitive Practices

THE Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC has stepped in to prevent the telecoms industry from being heated-up by unfair competitive practices among operators.

The NCC has also pledged to keep a close watch on the activities of the operators particularly as it relates to the issue of competition stressing that it has the mandate to maintain sustainable competition in the industry.

Speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ forum on the current level of competition in the industry in Lagos, the executive vice chairman of the Commission, Mr. Eugene Juwah said the incredible growth in access to telecoms facilities as well as investments in the industry since the liberalization of the industry is ample proof of the gains of a competitive market.

According to Juwah, who was represented by a Commission at the NCC, Mrs. Biodu Olujimi forum was meant to address the issues of transparency among the operators in the practice of competition in the industry.

While pledging to deepen competition in the industry, the Commission disclosed that independent consultant; KPMG Professional Services Limited was commissioned to carry out a study on assessment of the current level of competition in the telecoms industry.

Juwah said that had a one-one interface with licensees in the various segments of the telecoms market in the course of the assignment saying that the forum was a further consultation to gather more facts in the regulatory process that is aimed at determining the current level competition in the industry.

According to him, the consultant is expected to ex-ray the telecoms market with the aim of determining regulatory intervention when necessary.

He said that the information, which will be obtained from the operators will help to develop regulatory initiatives to prevent anti-competitive practices saying that it will help to ensure confidence and certainty in all players in the various markets over unfair practices of their competitors.

While pledging that all contributions of all stakeholders will be given due consideration by the consultant as well as the commission, he said that the forum will not be conclusion of the consultation on the study.

Director, Policy Competition and Economic Analysis at the Commission, Mrs. Lolia Emakpore said that the forum is a proactive strategy of the NCC to prevent anti-competitive behaviour in the industry before it happens.

She said that the market has grown considerably to an extent that will require regulatory intervention that will ensure healthy competition in the industry.

Emakpore disclosed that the NCC has received complain from some persons about what seems to be anti-competitive practices noting that the Commission would investigate such acts.

Ericsson Seeks Education Driven by Technology

FOR Ericsson, one of the world’s global leaders in the forefront of driving the networked society, to unlock the full potentials of learning and education students and progressive teachers must be technologically empowered.

According to the global leader, at a video conference hosted from its headquarters in Sweden for ICT journalist from Nigeria, Kenyan and South Africa empowering individuals and communities can drive change towards completely new ways of governing, doing business, innovating, learning and educating.

The Ericsson team who addressed the journalist said that technology has had an amazing impact on learning and education considering what technology has achieved globally in the last 25 years in connecting five billion people.

For instance, Ericsson said, “85 per cent of the world’s population has access to mobile communications, and by 2020 we expect there to be 50 billion connected devices. This is what we mean when we talk about the network society, a world where everything that can benefit from a connection will have one.”

The duo observed that informal learning and access to education is giving way to changing rapidly as digital natives that is children born after 1985 have grown up in a world of computer, mobile phones and the internet even as experiences in the use of such devices have continued to shape their behaviour.

According to Ericsson, by 2020 they will total 3.5 billion, which about 50 per cent of the global population saying, “today’s young people live in an interactive culture characterised by unlimited access information and content, anytime, anywhere.”

Ericsson stated that in today’s world, a person with smartphone has instantaneous access to millions of articles, books, essays, academic research, instructions and lectures on every subject.

The implication, Ericsson noted is that barriers that used to exist between knowledge and schools and libraries has been broken down adding that with technology lifelong learning  and information education will play an increasingly important role as people strive to develop their knowledge, skills and competence throughout their lives.

Ericsson stated that with more devices in the hands of students, the tools of the trade of learning will change stressing that where students and teachers get laptops or tablets as well as interactive whiteboards learning becomes collaborative.

Infrastructure Dearth May not be Cause of Network Failure

AS mobile telephones continue to flood the telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC over the state of quality of services they get operators, a telecoms expert, Titi Omo-Ettu has said that infrastructure may not be the cause of poor quality services.

Omo-Ettu while doing a review of the telecoms industry at the 9^th anniversary of the Consumer Parliament organised by the NCC said there may be other causes which are not linked to telecoms infrastructures.

Before now telecoms operators have received several knocks from industry analyst over their inability to expand their network capacity thereby blaming the operators for network problems such as drop calls and failed calls.

According Omo-Ettu, a telecoms engineer the quality service issues are largely caused by poor network infrastructure saying however that that is not always the case.

He said that management skills, interplay of quality of services as well as proactive industry supervision are issues that operators should also look at to ensure that subscribers get value for their money.

For quality services to be guaranteed, he said the regulator must take measurements in all its ramifications using the results to diagnose areas of potentials stress while penalising intolerable lapses and managing intolerable performance.

The telecoms experts did not however spare the operators on the penalties for poor quality services adding that the regulator should give timely warning before issuing those warning.

He further said there must be a valid contract between the operator, service providers and every consumer stating that it is a document that must exist in the telecoms industry.

The contract, he said should give the consumer the right to seek enforcement while the NCC must assist in the enforcement adding that relevant laws should be reviewed in this regard.

Omo-Ettu who was firm on his suggestion that operators should be task on the provision of quality service called for a rebate and payment of compensation to consumers stressing that the last resort is outright revocation of license.

While calling for the protection of existing telecoms infrastructures in the country, he said that it is people that owns the infrastructures although they are build by the operators saying that as such the people should protect them.

In his recommendation on how to move the industry forward, he said, “operators should pay attention to the utility of installed infrastructures vis-à-vis quality of service measurement adding regulator must supervise measurements and apply sanctions where necessary.

Earlier in his welcome address, the executive vice chairman of the NCC, Mr. Eugene Juwah said that the consumer parliament is a brain child of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, established in September 2001 to inform, educate and protect consumers saying that the consumer parliament is the highest tier of the commissions outreach programme.

He called for the need to maintain an operating environment that is conducive to attracting investment by avoiding actions that can constitute a disincentive for investment stressing that the telecoms sector is very capital intensive.

While requesting for more investment from the operators he said that network expansion, improved quality of service will ensure national coverage.

Operators to Pay N5m over Failure to Provide Instant Call Bills

HENCEFORTH, mobile telephone operators that did not provide instant SMS service to all phone users at the end of every call risk a fine of N5million.

Mobile operators are expected by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to provide details of each call cost as well as the balance left in the user’s call credit.

However, investigation showed that some operators in their bid to swindle subscribers do not alert subscribers of their call credit as well as the balance left thereby forcing the regulator, NCC issue a new directive that comes with penalty.

According to a statement from the commission, the fresh directive is meant to curb subscriber complaints over billing irregularities stating,“This service is free to all subscribers with the commencement date for all the operators fixed for November 1, 2012.

“Any operator which fails to commence the service to its subscribers  will be liable to fine in the sum of N5,000,000 as sanction and a further sum of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) per day as long as the contravention persists”.

The statement, which was signed by the Head, Media and Public Relation of the NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka said, “All mobile operators shall send, free of charge, a message or an alert to both post-paid and prepaid subscribers after every call, SMS, or system generated charge or tariff, with a proviso that a subscriber can opt out if he or she so wishes”. 

The directive mandated: “the opertors to send messages containing six critical information including: exact duration of the call minutes and seconds, total cost for each call or SMS; customer accounts balance after the last call for prepaid and SMS; customer account balance after a charge or tariff and the reason for the charge or tariff; cumulative call charges up to the last call within the charging period for post-paid customers; cost of services and credit balance upon request by customer for data service”.

The Direction issued to the operators is in line with the provisions of Section 53(1) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003. This direction is a response to one of the major concerns of the subscribers as it relates to the actual amounts deducted from their credit balances by the service providers for each call or SMS sent.  

With this direction, subscribers are empowered to promptly discover any anomaly in their bills, and will be able to prove if they are billed for calls that they did not make.

Why Poor Quality Service May Never Cease

LAST week, Airtel Nigeria invited ICT journalist for an urgent meeting designed to address critical issues in the telecoms industry that bothers on the quality of service.

Director of Regulatory Affairs and Special Projects, at Airtel, Mr. Osondu Nwokoro while giving a blow by blow account of the difficulties that mobile operators encounter in the pursuit of quality service delivery exposed one of the many incidents in the industry that indicated that poor quality service may never be a thing of the past.

EVC  NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah

  Lekki Concession Company,(LCC) the company that got the concession contract for the construction and operation of the Lekki Toll Gate while performing its own social function damaged the optic fibre cable of Airtel Nigerian Limited.

The cable that was damaged carries traffic, which include voice and data from Lagos through the Epe axis of Lagos State to Benin City in Edo State,Abuja and some parts Northern Nigerian. The implication of that act is that subscribers of Airtel as well as those of other network that may need to connect through that route are unable to do that.

A better understanding of that act is appreciated when compared to the blowing up of the Third Mainland Bridge by dynamite. Business, commercial and social activities between the Island and the Mainland is therefore severed. The result is a huge loss of revenue.

According to Osondu, Airtel was expected by LCC to pay a Right of Way fee, which unfortunately had been paid by Airtel to the Lagos State Government before the concession agreement that gave that part of Lagos State road to LCC was signed.

Airtel refused and personnel send to effect repairs on the damaged cables meant armed resistance from LCC.

Airtel, Osondu said has parted with over N100 million to Lagos State Government for Right of Way for the Lekki-Epe axis route for the laying of its fibre optic cable.

This probably was the first that a mobile operator came out to name another organisation that is making it difficult for it to provide quality service to its subscribers.

Airtel is not the only operator that has had its services crippled by damage caused on its telecoms facility in the country.

Mobile Telephone Network(MTN) has suffered similar attack in several parts of the country, with the northern part of the country being the place where they have had the worst attack on its facilities by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

During the presentation of an update report on its ongoing network modernisation and optimization, the company’s Corporate Services Executive, Mr. Wale Goodluck and General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mrs Funmi Omogbenigun, at a press conference in Lagos said that there are consistent bombardments of its facilities in the north by the sect.

The duo noted that beyond the attack from the Boko Haram sect, the current flooding in some parts of the country have grossly affected its base station saying that most of the base stations were submerged in water thereby forcing the company to begin the construction of steel structure for its generating plants.

Before the flood came telecoms infrastructure in the country have been under constant threat from communities, local governments, state government and some government agencies as well as  some private corporate organisations which have the permission of the government to carry out constructions on areas where operators have their cables.

According to Airtel, 85 of its installation sites fell victim to terror attack and flooding thereby affecting operations of 234 sites across the regions where the terror attacks and flooding occurred.

Also 32 sites were damaged by floods, affecting operations of 41 sites across the region, and 53 installation sites were impacted by terror attacks, hitting operations in 193 sites across the Northern part of Nigeria.

The states affected are Adamawa, Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe and Kaduna while those worst hit by the terror attacks are the cities of Lokoja, Asaba, Ughelli- Patani and Patani-Elele.

The disasters resulted in spiralling costs of maintenance in affected locations to thrice the normal rate, consequently leading to colossal financial losses and dipping revenues.

Investigations revealed that those who are involved in the bombing of base stations in the north are experts who know which facilities in the base stations have direct link to service disruption.

According to a source, those involved in the act of bowing down base stations have acquired satellite phones thereby making it difficult for security operatives to track them when they are on the run even as they remain in contact after disrupting telecoms services in the north.

It would be recalled that in September, telecoms services were disrupted in Borno, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe and Kano states following the bombing of telecoms base stations by suspected terrorists.

The base stations, which belonged to MTN, Globacom, Airtel were affected in the multiple attacks that jolted Borno, Bauchi, Yobe and Gombe States.

As a result, the quality of service in the affected states suffered as interconnection of telecoms infrastructure was severely limited.

The bombing occurred few months after the Industry Working Group(IWG) set up by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) held its first public stakeholders to address the challenges that the operators are facing in quality service delivery.

It was also few months before the bombing that the NCC fined four of the operators for their inability to meet up with Keep Performance Indicators (KPI) that were laid down for them by the regulator.

Key focus of the IWG was the need to tackle problem of double taxation, which was prevalent across the country as well as declaring telecoms infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

 However, government was yet to look at the challenges of the sector as reflected in the outcry of the operators and the IWG event as its agency and some state government continued in their clampdown of base stations across the nation.

 The Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo,in interview described the clamped down base stations in the country as attempt to destroy an industry that has contributed immensely to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

Recently, why calling for conceited efforts to protect and ensure further growth of the industry, executive vice chairman of the NCC, Dr, Eugene Juwah said, “We have seen how businesses have thrived with the availability of Information and Communication Technology.

“We are all full of admiration for the huge private sector investments that the industry has witnessed, rising from about $500,000 in 2001 to over $25bn as at present, and how it has transcended to the nation’s economic environment.

“By this, we mean the contributions of telecoms to the economy by way of job opportunities, human capacity development, improved business transactions with associated cost savings and most importantly, its contribution to the nation’s GDP profile where it has taken over from the financial sector.”

He acknowledged that the challenges facing the industry were numerous and enormous, with finance being a major one saying that protecting existing infrastructure is a challenge yet to be adequately achieved.

Investigation showed that despite the challenges, which may put quality of service a bit far away from subscribers, some operators have bent on salvaging the situation.

For instance, MTN is about to complete its network modernization and swap-out exercise that will result to upgrading all electricity power generating sets in its 10,000 base station to hybrid generating set.

About 900 sites in the Enugu and Port Harcourt region of the country have been swapped. The network optimization exercise will affect over 4,000 base stations out of over 10, 000 across the country.

Also Airtel Nigeria said it has taken decisive steps to mitigate the damage done to its facilities by sealing facility-sharing agreements with other telecom operators, engaging the services of highly efficient private security companies to protect its facilities as well as collaborating with security agencies to ensure maximum protection of telecom facilities across the country.

MTN Battles Environmental Challenge, Upgrade Power System

AS part of its commitment towards tackling environmental challenges, which is currently being witnessed by the impact of ravaging flooding in several parts of Nigeria, leading ICT services provider, MTN is upgrading all electricity power generating sets in its 10,000 base station to hybrid generating set.

The initiative is intended to create green neighbourhood in everywhere MTN operates in the country as well as reduce pollution in residential areas.

Upon completion, the new hybrid generators, which are environmentally friendly, will operate using batteries.

The company’s Corporate Services Executive, Mr. Wale Goodluck who drop the hint while giving update on its ongoing network modernization and swap-out exercise in the company of Mrs Funmi Omogbenigun, the General Manager, Corporate Communications of MTN said the generators will only come up when the battery has reached a certain level stressing that the implication of this development is that the complain of noise and air pollution by residents will be a thing of the past.

The network modernisation, which began in June this year, and is expected to last for nine months entail upgrading and replacing key network components with newer versions for enhanced capacity and much improved quality of service.

According to Goodluck, about 900 sites in the Enugu and Port Harcourt region of the country have been swapped and modernised noting that that means that engineers have visited those sites and that those areas should be expecting a better quality of service.

While noting that most of the jobs were done at night and weekends to minimise the effect of service disruption, he called on its customers and other key stakeholders to show understanding stressing that MTN is concern about giving the best quality of service.

He disclosed that the network upgrade, optimisation and modernisation are essential for the delivery of quality service to all subscribers stating that the equipment that are being upgraded have been there since 2001.

He said that the new equipment that MTN is deploying in its 10,000 base stations across the country are the latest in the market stressing that “we cannot allow the legacy equipment remain in our network.”

While lamenting the impact of the current flooding in some parts of the country on the exercise as well as the damage done to telecoms infrastructure he said work has been slowed down in the flood-affected areas adding that efforts are also targeted at solving the problems created by the damaged done to the telecoms infrastructures in the north.

Goodluck while complaining about the damage done to its fibre cable by the flooding said that MTN is currently constructing steel structures to raise its generating sets in the flood-affected areas.

He noted that although the job entails hard work and will take time to complete that he stressed is the only way that MTN can keep its network running.

He added that the flooding has also affected its logistic management chain saying that that has affected its delivery time when transporting equipment from one part of the country to another.

While describing the current flood crisis as a major nightmare for the network modernization and swap-out exercise he assured its customers and other key stakeholders bear with MTN.

 “We regret, however, that the pace of work has been considerably challenged by the spate of insecurity coupled with the unprecedented flooding being experienced in many parts of the country.”

 The network optimization exercise will affect over 4,000 base stations out of over 10, 000 across the country. According to Goodluck, ‘The task that we are undertaking is tantamount to building a new network .We are seeking to replicate what we achieved over a six year period in nine months’.

 Goodluck explained that considerable progress has been recorded with regard to the ongoing network improvement plans. “Several swap-outs have reached very advanced stages of completion,” he disclosed. “The entire network modernization process is a very logistic-intensive one and the problem of insecurity has seriously affected the pace of work in some parts of the country.” In addition, in at least 13 states, Goodluck added, flooding has created additional logistic impediments such that the pace of the ongoing network modernization efforts has slowed down.

 Goodluck acknowledged that MTN’s customers have been experiencing some disruption over the last few weeks. “We sincerely express our thanks to our customers for their patience,” he said, pledging that that as much as possible, MTN would stick to its original plan of carrying out the network procedures only at night, in order to minimize disruptions to services. He also assured that MTN is doing everything possible, including doubling its work teams, to finalize the project as quickly as possible.

 Several communities, Goodluck disclosed, have been very supportive of the current network modernization efforts. “We sincerely appreciate the enthusiastic support which our engineering teams continue to receive from different communities in many parts of the country.” Such support he said was often a much-needed tonic in the face of the enormous logistic-challenges the project regularly encounters.

 MTN’s current network modernization and swap-out exercise which began in July 2012 is expected to cover the entire country and was originally expected to span a period of nine months. Its objectives are to considerably enhance capacity on the MTN Network and improve service quality.

Under the project, which is being implemented by a combined team of MTN engineers and technical partners that include Ericsson, Huawei and ZTE, key network components are being swapped with the latest upgrades in the industry.

“It’s a massive investment we are making,” said Goodluck, “to boost not only the quality of telephone services, but also to enhance the back-end information and communication technology support which we provide for banking and financial services, the oil industry and several other industries across Nigeria.”

He expressed MTN’s thanks and appreciation to all of the company’s stakeholders “especially our customers and we pledge to do all we can, despite the mitigating circumstances, to finalize the network modernization project as quickly as possible.”