ALTON reiterates calls to classify telecom, critical national infrastructure

Gbenga Adebayo, ALTON chairman

*Task FG, NAS on security

Arising from an emergency meeting over the weekend, concerning the unprecedented attacks on some telecommunications Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) and other infrastructure in Northern part of the country, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has reiterated its calls to classify telecom infrastructure as critical and deserves national protection.

Chairman, ALTON, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, regretted the attack which paralysed telecommunications services in the early hours of the September 5 through 8, 2012, resulting in severe service disruptions in the areas primarily affected.   

Stressing, the impacts of the attacks have been felt in other parts of the country particularly in areas of the North and have limited the ability of millions of Nigerian subscribers to access telecommunications services.

ALTON also noted that these unfortunate incidents were against the common good of all citizens of Nigeria, as its members and millions of Nigerians affected, have suffered severe difficulties with communication, financial and other losses as a result of the attacks.

ALTON made up of major telecommunication companies, resolved after the meeting to ensure that they deliver and sustain the best quality of service under the present circumstances to their subscribers nationwide.

He, however, re-iterated the association’s call on the Federal Government to declare, all Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), telecommunications facilities and infrastructure as a critical national security infrastructure, with immediate effect.

“It is imperative for the Federal Government to provide the necessary protection to such facilities in the national interest. The infrastructure built and owned by the telecommunications industry is the springboard to an ICT revolution in Nigeria and they are essential for Nigeria’s socio-economic advancement” he declared.

Explicitly, ALTON called on the National Assembly to pass into law relevant Legislation to assure the protection of ICT and telecommunications infrastructure across the country as a matter of urgency.   

Adebayo noted that ‘This will ensure the appropriate legal framework for infrastructure protection and thereby ensure that growth and development objectives which leverage on the seamless availability of telecommunications infrastructure are more efficiently achieved’. 

Adebayo, on behalf of the association thanked the Inspector General of Police, the security and intelligence, Nigerian Communications Commission and other stakeholders for the support received since the attacks commenced.

Further, he expressed thanks to the host communities whose vigilance and support have prevented further attacks to infrastructure within their communities.

“We assure all telecom subscribers that our members will continue to do all within their means to restore services to the affected areas at the earliest possible time, and we thank our subscribers for their understanding,” he said.

 

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Triple prizes for Airtel @ Telecoms Awards'12

Former Minister of Defence and Communications, Dr. Bello Mohammed Halilu

and Customer Service Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Ajay Bakshi at the award night.

One of the mobile network operators in the country, Airtel Nigeria last Saturday cruised home with three prizes from the prestigious 8^th edition of the Nigerian Telecoms Awards.

Airtel awards emerged from being the Most Innovative Telecom Company of the Year, Telecom Brand of the year and Customer Friendly Operator of the year. 

According to awards’ citations, Airtel emerged overall best in the three categories following its enviable strides in charting new paths in meeting the demands and needs of its esteemed stakeholders through superior brand experience, a rich portfolio of innovative products and services ranging from exciting voice solutions to inventive data packages and mobile broadband.

On the Customer Friendly Operator Award, the organizers said, “this is the third time Airtel Nigeria is coming tops in the Customer Service category in the history of the Nigerian Telecoms Awards, and this clearly demonstrates the commitment of the management to treat their customers as more than just a connection.”

The organizers further said Airtel right from exception when the brand was launched in Nigeria in November 2010, has maintained a singular focus of exciting and delighting telecommunications consumers across the country with relevant solutions to enable them fulfill their dreams and realize their full potentials.

“Aside rolling out exciting telecoms offerings such as 2Good Time, Quick Talk, 3.75G, Airtel 5X and Special RCVs for Data/Internet consumers among several others, the company has also ensured that customers get the very best experience on its network,” part of the citation read.

Specifically, Airtel was commended for delighting “telecoms consumers in Nigeria with pocket-friendly and innovative offerings, bonuses, and exceptional customer relations policy.”

Mr. Rajan Swaroop, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, described the awards as an eloquent testimony to the enterprising and resilient spirit of staff of the company, saying everyone at Airtel Nigeria is passionate about creating value for telecoms consumers as well as exceeding their expectations.

He dedicated the award to all employees of the company just as he assured that Airtel will continue to pursue its brand vision of being the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians.

 
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NCC, NBC merger; stakeholders express views

Stakeholders in the Information Communications Technology sector said the merger of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) should have been done years back.

Mr. Ajaji, ATCON President

The approval came following an issue raised recently by the Communications Technology Minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnson which paved way for the approval of the merger of the two regulatory bodies by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

DigitalSENSE News recalls that stakeholders have been calling for the merger of the two bodies, even before the creation of the Communications Technology Ministry over a year ago, since the two bodies control technologies.

Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) President, Mr. Lanre Ajayi affirmed that the merger is long overdue and that it would help the ICT industry to grow rapidly since technologies are converging which necessitate the coming together of the regulators of such technologies.

"With a single technology device, people could listen to radio, watch television, make calls, watch and stream videos online among others,” Mr. Ajayi said that it is appropriate that NCC and NBC merge to form a single large regulator in a bid to move the country forward.

The ATCON president also said there is nothing special about the name change of the new body to be formed that the body and its regulatory obligations are what matters.

Engr. Adebayo, ALTON President

Also commenting on the merger, president of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo advised the government to be cautious of the approved merger so as not to scatter the structures and frameworks of the two agencies which have recorded successes over the years.

Attributing the successes of the two bodies to their individual philosophies and agendas as regulators, Engr. Adebayo warns that any move by government to merge the two would disrupt their structures and ideologies.

“It is true that technologies are converging and that technology regulatory bodies should also converge, but my worry is about how government will address the issue without bringing in sentiments and politics, because there had never been any known successful merger carried out by government in the past,” Adebayo said.

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Etisalat offers 30MB monthly free data on new Easylife 3.0

Acclaimed fastest growing telecommunications company in Nigeria, Etisalat, is offering its customers value added Easylife3.0 worth 30 mega bytes by dialling *420 * 1#.

The Chief Commercial Officer at Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Wael Ammar, said that since last September 3, this offer avails new and existing customers free 1MB data daily when they opt-in to the package and they could make calls at 20 kobo per second to all networks across the country, United States, United Kingdom landlines, Canada, India and China, for a N5 daily access fee.

In total, an easy life 3.0 subscriber, he said, would get 30 Mb free data in a month to browse from their mobile phones.

He explained that the Easylife 3.0 is introduced to encourage increased mobile data usage by customers.

“Etisalat is passionate about the growth of broadband in Nigeria. We have noticed an increase in mobile data usage on the network, so we decided to offer our new and existing customers who opt-in to the package free MB to browse daily and cheaper call rates to Etisalat and other networks. This additional data will enable subscribers enjoy more browsing time on our super-fast 3.75G HSPA+ broadband network,” he said.

Additionally, he said new and existing Etisalat customers could opt-in to Easylife 3.0 by dialing *420*1#.

According to him, Etisalat has also dropped the access fee on Homezone 2.0 from N10 to N5 daily, giving customers 1MB free data and calls at 20kobo per second to all networks and 5 international countries.

“1MB free data and access to 20kobo per second calls to 5 international countries has also been extended to Easycliq subscribers when they opt-in to Cliq for the day. In addition to these benefits, new subscribers to the Etisalat network will get 30% of all their recharges back after their first 30 days on the network when they register their SIMs,” he said.

DigitalSENSE News recalls that Etisalat launched Easylife in 2010 reducing its tariffs to 25kobo per second for a daily opt-in fee of N20. The introduction of Easylife paved way for affordable GSM tariffs in Nigeria alongside its many other firsts.

 

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JACITAD applauds FG, CommTech on new ICT policy

JACITAD, with membership across all newspapers, magazine, online and key ICT media institutions, also expressed its willingness to partner stakeholders towards actualize the vision of the new policy.

 
Umbrella body of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) journalism in Nigeria the Joint Action Committee on Information and Communications Technology and Development (JACITAD) has commended the Federal Government for the approval of the new National ICT Policy, saying it will go together with the national economic growth aspirations of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Disclosing its disposition on the national issue, the President, JACITAD, Mr. Shina Badaru, described the news of the approval of new ICT policy as ‘encouraging’ and represents the administration's commitments to leverage ICTs for overall national growth and economic development.

As said by him, key highlight of the new policy thrust is the pursuit of true convergence based on the proposed merger of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the industry regulator for telecommunications and its counterpart in the broadcasting industry, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

He said, JACITAD is very encouraged by the plan to merge the NCC and NBC as it reflected increasing industry advocacy for Nigeria to pursue strategic policy thrust on convergence of regulatory functions, roles and responsibilities.

Under the plan, the infrastructure and frequency held by NBC will now be merged with that available to NCC, which is envisioned to become a converged regulator for the sector, whereas NBC will subsequently be saddled with the responsibility of regulating broadcast content.

With the new National ICT Policy, the group said, Nigeria has defined a new roadmap for its aspiration to be a key player in a connected global economy and fast-paced globalisation, while also showing that government has heeded industry advocacy that promotes true convergence running the entire gamut of her policies and across regulatory institutions.

He recalled that the Ministry of Communication Technology had hinted that the National ICT Policy was developed to complement the development goals of Nigeria's Vision 20:2020, centred on making Nigeria, a knowledge-based and globally competitive society.

"Our commendation also goes to Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, for painstakingly pursuing the formulation of the new National ICT Policy within record time following her appointment by President Goodluck Jonathan on July 17, 2011," Badaru said.

The Minister had on August 25, 2011 set up an Ad-hoc Committee to harmonise all existing Policies for the different sectors in ICT including Telecommunications, Information Technology, Broadcasting and Postal Services.

The Committee reviewed the National Telecommunication Policy 2000, Draft Communications Policy 2011, Nigerian Postal Service Act 2004, National Broadcasting Commission Act 1992 (as amended), National Information Technology Development Agency Act 2007, National Outsourcing and Institutional Framework for Nigeria (Jan. 2007), National Policy for Information Technology, Report of Presidential Committee on Master Plan and Roadmap for the Implementation of Information and Communication Technology for National Development (Sept. 2010) and Nigerian Communications Act 2003, among other documents.

The new National Executive of JACITAD which was elected into office in February 2012 reiterated commitment to promoting developmental journalism under which it will partner with diverse industry stakeholders to promote growth and development in the Nigerian ICT sector. 

 
The national executive board of JACITAD includes President, Mr Shina Badaru; Vice President, Mr Remmy Nweke; Secretary-General, Miss Francisca Nnanna and Assistant Secretary-General, Mr Kunle Azeez. Others include Welfare Officer, Mrs. Florence Onuegbu; Financial Secretary, Mr Lucas Ajanaku; Chief Whip, Mr Emma Elebeke; Treasurer, Miss Bukola Afolabi and Assistant Treasurer, Miss Adline Atili.
 
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