2013: A year of broadband projections

Despite these problems which affected all sphere of the industry from the subscribers, service providers and to even the regulator, the 2013 saw concerted efforts by all the stakeholders in solving the problems in order to move the sector to the next level.Broadband deployment received a boost in June last year with the presidential approval […]

Despite these problems which affected all sphere of the industry from the subscribers, service providers and to even the regulator, the 2013 saw concerted efforts by all the stakeholders in solving the problems in order to move the sector to the next level.
Broadband deployment received a boost in June last year with the presidential approval of Nigeria’s Broadband Plan 2013 -2018 to accelerate the potential of ICT in transforming the nation’s economy and making life better for people.
Globally, African countries are falling behind in broadband penetration and this is why stakeholders have stressed the need for governments to expand broadband connectivity based on universal affordability and accessibility.
Experts have said that availability and affordability of broadband plays a critical role in transforming a country’s economic potentials. Today, broadband is becoming more affordable and accessible around the world but the situation is on the reverse in Nigeria and this was why 2013 marked the difference with series of efforts put in place at pushing for realisation of broadband internet in the country.
Research has shown that children with internet access at home perform better in school and this is why the broadband penetration is key to our today’s survival as well as our future.
Also,  a report from GSM Association (GSMA) found that allocation of more spectrum for mobile broadband over a period of 10years in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2015 would result in 235billion addition GDP and could create up 27million new jobs.
Meanwhile, apart from the presidential approval of the national broadband policy plan 2013-2018, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) commenced the process of implementing the framework to meet up with set targets and projections in the plan.
The Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson had said that the paradigm shift in the national broadband policy is aimed at creating and maintaining an environment where supply can meet the demand to strengthen the emergence of a new economy.
She affirmed that “The more prosperous the society becomes, the more it will demand for infrastructure, connectivity and the cycle continues.”
The minister had confirmed the existence of infrastructure plan in Nigeria and how to fill it with the implementation and actualisation of national broadband plan as the most pressing priority in 2013.
Johnson led a team of telecom operators with NCC as regulator to the Lagos statement government as part of efforts to resolve some industry challenges coming at the state level and the meeting yielded positive effort with reduction in the charges of RoW from N3000 to N500per kilometre in the state.  
Meanwhile, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah rounded up the year with the official announcement of Open Access Model for operators to participate in the broadband implementation, the creation of infrastructure companies and the plans to auction available band on the 2.3GHz.
The open access model according to the EVC is to give equal opportunity to service providers who wish to participate in the wholesale, auction 2.3GHz to make spectrum available as well as licensing infrastructure companies that will leverage on existing backborne to deliver broadband services in the country in 2014.
However, stakeholders have expressed concerns over the InfraCos not becoming a monopoly of the being the only licenced firms authorised to man telecoms equipment in the country in view of the level of investments already put in place by the existing operators.
The President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Engr. Lanre Ajayi cautioned NCC to critically look into aftermath of licensing the infrastructure companies.
According to him, unintended effect of government policies sometimes could be negative to the people or the industry.
Ajayi cited the case of how NCC policy has crippled the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators and Internet Service Providers in Nigeria.