Despite claims by Starcomms plc to have reached 3.2 million
customers, the acclaimed leading Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operator,
may be facing some hard times, the latest of which was the news last weekend that
its activities at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) have been fully suspended.
Information reaching DigitalSENSE News shows that NSE may
have taken the decision to suspend Starcomms activities fully due to its
inability to prove the existence of the telecom operator’s presence at the
Exchange beyond mere listing. It is also speculated that the full harmer of
suspension by NSE was due to plans by Starcomms to merge with operations with
some two other ailing CDMA operators, namely MultiLinks and MTS 1st Wireless.
It was further gathered that following the suspension,
Starcomms shares at the Exchange will not be accessible via trading pending the
completion of the current merger deal likely to give birth to a new consortium
to be known as CAPCOM with anticipated new investment of $200 million, about N315,400,000,00.
Industry observers blamed the near collapse of CDMA
operators in Nigeria to overwhelming acceptance of the Global System for Mobile
(GSM) communication technology, despite the fact that CDMA first arrived
Nigeria’s shores, but was slow in deployment and suitability for Nigerian
market.
DigitalSENSE News recalls that Starcomms, commercially
launched in 1999, it is the first telecom operator in Nigeria to be listed on
the domestic Exchange on July 14, 2008.
Currently, Starcomms customers-base is 3,200,000
from Lagos, Ibadan, Port-Harcourt,
Maiduguri, Kano, Aba, Onitsha, Abuja, Asaba, Zaria, Benin, Kaduna, Abeokuta,
Calabar, Warri, Owerri, Uyo, Ilorin, Shagamu, Ijebu Ode, Calabar, Sapele,
Umuahia, Awka, Nnewi, Rano, Ogbomosho,
Katsina, Jos, Bauchi, Enugu,
Agbor, Suleja, Jaji, Gwagwalada, Ikot ekpene, Oron and Eket - a subscriber base
that continues to grow in leaps.
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!
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