Spectrum management authorities across the world are facing a unique challenge of how to cater for the dramatic increase in demands for radio spectrum that affects industry segments as broadcasting, wireless communications, satellite provision and emerging unlicensed services as well as concerns for public safety and national security.

In a bid to address some of these issues, experts and other stakeholders in Nigeria are to converge in Lagos to discuss the challenges faced by spectrum managers and proffer solutions and way forward for spectrum management.

The workshop, put together by Kemilinks International, a renowned telecoms consultancy firm, is a follow-up to the resolutions of the sixth African Spectrum Management workshop held last year in South Africa.

It will take place between September 6 and 8 at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.

Pertinent issues to be addressed will include: future of the international spectrum management framework and its implications for policies in Africa; making the national spectrum management framework work better for the ICT industry; requirements for the integration of fixed and wireless broadband services and the transition to 4G networks; implications of digital switchover for spectrum allocation and infrastructure provisioning for broadcasting and mobile services, among other pressing issues.

The workshop will also include an executive roundtable which will answer these critical questions: Can spectrum be regarded as property to be bought and sold, or as a public resource that can only be leased for specific purpose? Can Nigeria make the 2012 national target date for the transition to digital broadcasting? How do you ensure a harmonised approach to spectrum management at a regional level to minimise interference? How should spectrum be managed in an era of convergence?

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Kemilinks International, Mr. Shola Taylor, “It is an opportune time for stakeholders to share their vision on the way forward for spectrum management in Nigeria.”

Taylor, a former chair of the International Telecommunications Union, Radio Regulations Board, said that given the increased demand for high quality ICT services in Nigeria, there was the need to address the challenges, more so that a new communications policy was being elaborated.

Source:  www.thenationonlineng.net

He said the company would use the infrastructure to offer Tier 1 service to mobile network operators and Tier 2 to business enterprises.

Teniola said Phase 3 Telecom in Dakar would be the first among infrastructural providers to sell large transmission capacity and lease various bandwidth for internet protocol, carrier grade international voice service to PSTN, GSM and host of other services, telemedecine and telehousing.

He said, the company has linked its network to 52 local governement councils in Nigeria, for its typological plan of extending network to underserved communities and more connection would be done before the end of next year.

The chief operating officer  added that the linkage were done faster through the virtual private network service enabled by multi-protocol label switching technology (MPLS) that makes easy connectivity to customers at different location even across the globe.

He explained that financial constraint is one obstacle hindering the company from handling big projects especially with the current reform in the financial market. He stated that the situation has made it difficult to get funds to finance large scale infrastructural projects. Phase 3 is already in Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Niger.

Source: Communications week

Speaking recently in Lagos during the signing ceremony, ITAN President, Dr Jimson Olufuye told newsmen that the general goal of the alliancewas to forge a seamless focus as advocacy groups to influence critical government policies at all levels with regards to the ICT industry with minimal discordance.

Part of the objective of the alliance, according to Olufuye was to facilitate the need for governments to receive a common voice from advocates of the emerging ICT industry in Nigeria.

Improved industry base for the ICT industry, fast-tracked public articulation and effectiveness, accelerated development of the sector due to synergy and coordination of efforts towards one goal capable of leading to development and creation ofd of business for members, promotion of critical industry confidence desirous for accelerated attainment of MDGs and the vision 20-2020, according to Olufuye are the objectives of the alliance.

“What this MUO means is that each of the parties in the alliance will forward a copy of an input it has already made to government to the other parties for information only. The purpose is to enhance understanding and minimize discordance in the different input from which government base their decisions.

“That is saying the independence and the right of content of opinion on input to governance are retained for every party involved in the alliance is so agreeable. The alliance is limited to ITAN and ATCON at take off in order to allow for any other willing association to know the scope before opting to be part of it,” he said.

Speaking on the scope and benefits of the alliance, the President of Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, Engr. Titi Omo-Etu said that the scope of the alliance is limited to each partner in the alliance sending a copy of any input it makes to any government on issues relating to the ICT industry development to send one copy to the other members of the alliance.

“That is, any of the partners in the alliance is free to make its inputs any where and to any government and does not need to consult any other association before doing so.. It will normally be expected that the spirit in which this alliance is forged requires that in certain circumstances the association may just compare notes before the inputs are made. It will not be anything untoward if any association does not do so,” he added.

Source: Vanguard

He stated that with the current challenges facing the deployment and use of underground optic fiber cables especially Right of Way issues, persistent vandalism and ecological problems, aerial optic fiber systems offer some form of immunity against these problems.

“We all know that putting cables underground is one of the most difficult challenges that telecom firms face today especially with companies often being held to ransom by communities and other people over right of way. Besides erosion that sometimes leaves underground cables exposed, there has been persistent vandalism and theft of underground cables all over the country, which often cuts off communications and could take a bit of time to identify and repair. These are some problems that aerial system quickly helps operators to overcome” he said.

Jegede, whose firm runs the region’s few aerial optic fiber network, added that given the country and indeed the West African region was still a developing one, road construction and building of other infrastructure would be very frequent, leading to underground cables often being cut. The situation, according to him, highlights the need for a backup network, adding that this is where the Phase3 aerial optic fiber network comes in especially as high-tension networks power often have dedicated routes by law.

He said, “In Nigeria today all the operators including those that have their own transmission networks have embraced Phase3’s aerial optic services especially after they have seen the advantages that it offers them. We believe that even for those that may already have excess capacity, aerial optic fibre provides a very reliable backup and alternative. This is also in addition to the fact that there are certain areas of coverage of the Phase3 aerial optic fibre system which other terrestrial network are not designed to reach currently due to the countries road and highway network”.

Besides, Jegede noted that most optic fiber cables follow the same predictable route, meaning that they are all likely to be affected at the same time in the event of anything catastrophic happening; such as fire, road construction and vandalism. This, he added, clearly defines an obvious need for a reliable alternative to the underground fiber that is used by operators.

He noted further that besides providing the best quality, aerial optic fiber provides many advantages over underground cables in the transmission business. Among them, he said, were the ease and speed of deployment, stating that aerial optic fiber is one backhaul means that can be quickly expanded to un-served and undeserved locations unlike underground optic fibre.

source: Daily Independent

The event, which is being packaged by industry bigwigs is part of Nigeria ’s Golden Jubilee celebration, which comes to a climax on October 1, 2010.

The event will also witness the launch of publication that will celebrate the remarkable roles played by key actors  in  the sector in the past 50 years. It is titled ICONs of ICT: 50 years  AnniversaryEdition……

For more info: www.itnewsafrica.com

MainOne Cable Ltd which launched a cross-Atlantic submarine cable in Lagos recently and Phase 3 Telecom Ltd, a backbone infrastructure provider, which recently deployed Internet Protocol service in Abuja, there are others such as Raeanna Nigeria Ltd, Flory Struct-Tech Ltd, Jibson Dynamics Ltd which are involved in major infrastructure construction business in the Nigerian market.

Executive Secretary of ATCON, Mr. Ajibola Olude, explained that the membership of such strategic companies are important to the Association because of its vision of forming a broadchurch and using the strategic expertise of many executives of the member firms in the propagation of ideas, the provision of advice to governments and implementation of policy initiatives in order to take the industry to higher levels.

Mr. Olude said one of the input of his Association to the recent BB4NG Stakeholders Forum was its insistence that the private sector be made to play very strategic role in promoting the agenda yielded results as representation of those who would move the implementation very fast once government has shown a direction was very strong on the attendance list. In fact the chairman of the Stakeholders forum Mr. Olusola Teniola, a Chief Operating Officer of Phase 3 telecom was adjudged the best superintendent of such wide gathering in recent times.

Ajibola said proudly that “ We chose him and sent his name to the planners of the Forum”.

Source: www.cyberschuulnews.com

Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili announced this at the inauguration of the new board members of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Akunyili noted that in spite of the challenges of infrastructure, Africa deserved one of the lowest tariffs and that sharing of infrastructure could definitely reduce operational cost and drive down tariff.

“There is no way we can be talking about new inter-continental fibre optic cables without a reduction in the cost of broadband access.There is no reason why the new board should not be gearing up with excitement for increased activities in the broadband segment of the market…..

Source: www.thisdayonline.com

For more info: www.capacitymedia.com

Phase3 Telecom has a new corporate headquarters situated in a serene and exclusive neighborhood at:

4 Yedseram Crescent,
Maitama, Abuja FCT.