The Nation Newspaper

Category: Infotech

  • Govt resolves NCC/NESREA rift over base station

    Govt resolves NCC/NESREA rift over base station

    The Federal Government has resolved the rift between the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over base transmission stations (BTS).

    While NESREA was established as a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development and charged with enforcing environmental laws, guidelines, policies, standards and regulations, the NCC was created in 2003 as an independent body to regulate the telecoms sector.

    In the past, NESREA shut some BTS, which NCC re-opened, raising questions about the co-existence of both agencies.

    Minister of Communications Technology Mrs Omobola Johnson said at the weekend during the National Council on Communication Technology meeting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, that her ministry and the Ministry of Environment had aligned NESREA and NCC regulations on BTS.

    “Working with the Ministry of Environment, we have finally been able to align the NESREA and NCC regulations on base stations. We are working to remove any bottlenecks to the speedy rollout of infrastructure. We have collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Works to streamline and standardise the processes and pricing of Right-of-Way (RoW) on Federal Highways across the country.

    This has been adopted by the National Council of Works and is now applicable to state highways as well. The National Economic Council last month formally endorsed these guidelines and have also committed to streamlining and standardising the levies that are charged on telecoms infra-structure,” she said.

    According to her, “These are extremely significant achievements and milsetones as they have established the predictability of the cost of infrastructure development in the ICT sector, reduced the cost of network deployment by ensuring that for every naira that is spent on infrastructure more is spent on actual infrastructure and less on administration and taxes, as well as shortened the period for application processing.”

    The minister said it is the mandate of the ministry to ‘Connect Nigeria’ with a ubiquitous physical fibre, satellite and microwave telecommunications network that reaches the nooks and crannies of the country. She added that Nigerians also have to be connected through the wide ownership of cost-effective devices or access to devices where people can still not afford them while government will aggressively drive the participation of the citizens in ICT businesses and improve local and domestic value add in the sector.

    She said: “Under the Connect Nigeria Programme, a national broadband strategy and roadmap has been developed by a Presidential Committee to facilitate the achievement of fivefold increase in broadband penetration by 2017.

    ‘’The Committee comprised network operators, ICT infrastructure providers and ofcourse representations from the states—an inclusiveness that has more or less guaranteed that the plan will be implemented successfully. This plan was approved and endorsed by Mr President in May and a Broadband Council chaired by myself has already been inaugurated to oversee the expeditious implementaiton of this plan.”

    According to her, under the programme, the Federal Government is promoting the student computer ownership scheme for students in tertiary institutions, continuing with various initiatives to connect schools to the Internet. It will also ensure that universities and research institutions are connected to the Internet through fibre optic cable while the deployment of additional public access venues, the financial and digital inclusion programme that leverages the extensive assets of NIPOST will also be pursued with vigour.

    She assured that the ministry will collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture to provide connectivity in the rural areas to facilitate the rollout e-wallet programme and extend it beyond fertiliser subsidy to market and other information farmers need to improve productivity. Rural dwellers, she added, will be included in the Save One Million Lives (of mothers and children) programme of the Federal Ministry of Health. – including Public Assets Venues, financial inclusion and ‘ICT for farmers’ projects.

  • Samsung, Union Bank partner on solution

    The Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa Mr Bravo Kim has said it partnered with Union Bank to make the bank different from others in offering customers technology-driven services that redefines their banking experience.

    The managing director, who spoke over the weekend in Lagos at the unveiling of ‘’Bank of Future (BoF)’’ solutions designed by the electronics company for the money deposit bank (MDB), said the solution is an interactive self-service solution that focuses on gaining an in-depth knowledge of the individual customers of the bank to meet their unique needs.

    He added that BoF will ensure that customers are well informed and better engaged whenever they come into the banking halls and are attended to, leaving them with a unique customer experience that is deeplysatisfying.

    “Samsung’s Bank of the Future Solution will differentiate Union Bank from the rest and create a niche for the bank. Customers coming into the banking hall will be well informed about operations, and various products offerings in a way they will not easily forget,” he said at the Silverbird Galleria branch of the bank, venue of the event in Lagos.

    According to him, the BoF revolves around three core principles which are that the banking space is designed to allow personnel opportunity to converse with customers readily in a variety of ways; facilitate relationship and enhance connection to the wider and significant network of the bank, and to enhance the ease and efficiency of the banking process.

  • 35 firms for GITEX in Dubai

    More than 35 local ICT firms have indicated interest to participate in the first Nigerian Pavilion at GITEX Technology Week inside the Dubai World Trade Centre, United Arab Emirate (UAE).

    The Nigerian Pavilion is being promoted by Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN) and Pinnacle International Consulting with the support of the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology.

    In a statement by the organisers noted that the technology fair will hold between October 20 and 24 and will be led by a mix of the big, oldest and innovative players like Omatek Computer Ventures Plc, Programmos Solutions Ltd and Data Sciences Nigeria Ltd.

    ITAN Secretariat disclosed that several countries are already billed to have their pavilions on ground at the event to promote their local capacities. They include the USA, Germany, India, Brazil, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Others are Kenya and Morocco from Africa.

    GITEX Technology is the premier Technology event in the Middle East and South East Asia (MEASA), which now occupies over 78,000 sqm of space, and saw Infocomm and ITU (International Telecommunication Union) collocate with it in 2012. More than 150, 000 trade visitors and exhibitors from 144 countries attended Gitex 2012 which recorded over 25,000 visitors from Africa. Over 20,000 C-Level visitors at the event last year; $1.2 million was the average value per order placed during the event and 92 per cent of the exhibitors met their return on investment (RoI) expectations.

  • NITDA wants HP, others to fund local content, R&D

    The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called on foreign original equipement manufacturers (OEMs) to invest in information communication technology (ICT) research and development (R&D) initiatives.

    Specifically, NITDA wants Microsoft, Delll HP, Dell, Intel, Samsung and others to assist in developing the local component of indigenous hardwares to make them compete favourably with the foreign ones.

    Acting Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Ashiru Daura, who made the call over the weekend, said a well developed local computer industry will create employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled manpower in the country and boost gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

    Indigenous OEMs are Zinox, Omatek, Beta and Veda Technologies Limited. Despite Federal Government’s directive to all its ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and tertiary institutions it owns, to patronise indigenous OEMs, the preferred brands by these institions are foreign brands.

    With statistics indicating that almost 60 per cent of the 743,000 computer units sold in the country last year came from the stables of HP and Dell brands alone, experts are calling for a change of focus.

    Daura said a well-developed ICT industry could provide the springboard for wealth creation and rally the support of government to confer the status of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) on citizens who carry out outsourcing business operations and ICT procurements for state governments.

    He argued that though the number of homes with computers and Internet access has grown dramatically, not much has been achieved in the area of exported software and hardware as the country continues to be a net importer of PCs, switches, network access devices and softwares.

  • IBM chief urges Fed Govt to fix power

    American multinational technology and consulting firm, International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation, has urged the Federal Government to attend to the power needs of the country so that application of technological solutions to solve problems could easily fall in line.

    The General Manager, IBM West Africa, Taiwo Otiti, said if the Federal Government focuses on fixing the power deficit, so many other things will be alright.

    He said stability in the services offered by telecoms operators is vital because it is on their networks that services like e-transaction, mobile money and other forms of electronic payments ride. He added that seamless transaction may be wishful thinking if there is no constant power supply.

    “I think the main issue in telecoms is not just stability, majority of the cell sites are running on generators. So if the Federal Government can fix the power (sector), you will see a big transformation because if a generator goes down, the cell site also goes down and therefore, the nearest cell site which might be congested at that particular moment, your PoS (Point of Sale) is diverted to that one. So there are many issues. The major issue around it is power. If you fix power (the success of the initiative would be assured). It (power) has a big role to play in ensuring the success of the initiative,” he said in an interview.

    According to him, operators run cell cites on generators. This situation implies that once in a while, there will be hitches in services as the generators will need to be refuelled and serviced at a particular point in time.

  • Lagos to host mobile apps summit

    LAGOS State may soon host mobile application summit, expected to draw key players in the industry together.

    With Unleasing the power of mobile application as its theme, the event is being backed by 70th Precinct and E2 Marketing.

    The firm’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Osamede Umweni, said: “The summit will bring together the brightest minds in mobile technology. We are gathering over 300 of the most interesting mobile app developers, investors, company executives, entrepreneurs, brand managers, policy-makers, marketers, carriers, content developers and aggregators, advertisers, mobile devices manufactures and the press for a day of in-depth discussion, and powerful networking on the future of mobile applications in Nigeria.”

    He frowned at a situation where local content in the mobile phone industry is less than one per cent 12 years after the revolution.

    He said Gatner (a market research firm) estimates that mobile phone users will pay more than $25billion to buy ‘mobile applications’- games, social networking tools, productivity and entertainment – based mini programmes for mobile phones despite the fact that 80 per cent of these will be free downloads this year.

  • Asian tech firm unveils new products

    An Asia IT firm, Gionee Communication Equipment Company Limited, has unveiled its flagship smartphone in Nigeria christened Elife E6.

    Speaking at the launch of the product in Lagos, the firm’s officials in Nigeria led by the Managing Partner, Gabriel Nwabueze, said the device is a tool for work and play.

    According to him, the device has a non-removable back and uses a one glass (OGS) solution for the display where the touchscreen and protective glass are fused into one layer that makes the assembly thinner and elements on the screen also appear to be closer.

    He said the smartphone is an anti-scratch 5-inch OGS HD display of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 441 ppi density and running the latest Android 4.2 Jelly bean OS with a heavily customized ROM called Amigo. It weighs only 128g.

    “It is powered with 1.5 GHz quad core Mediatek processor and 2 GB RAM, which is a good combination of speed to get the better experience of speed while using multiple applications at same time,” he said.

    He added that the device comes with 13mega pixel (MP) rear camera with autofocus, LED flash, and BSI sensor and a front facing 5MP shooter. It has 31 GB internal (onboard) memory expandable to 64GB via microSD card. With a 2020 mAh battery, it is another best in talk time. DTS 3D stereo surround sound speaker is one of its major features.

  • Etisalat introduces Easyblaze multi-device plan

    Etisalat has introduced a Multi-Device Plan to complement the Easyblaze mobile internet service.

    It allows users to access the same data bundle from various devices by duplicating a primary (parent) SIM card into up to four other SIMs. These duplicate SIMs can be inserted into data-only devices such as tablets, USB modems and 3G cameras.

    In a statement, Director, Business Segments at Etisalat Nigeria, Lucas Dada, explained that the plan is a solution which gives customers better control over their data, by managing their data use on multiple devices from a single source, usually their Smartphone.

    “Many of our premium customers own more than one data-enabled device, and for them convenience is a priority as they go about their busy lifestyles. The idea behind this service is to ensure that they have uninterrupted access to data on all their devices irrespective of where they are,” he said.

    He said to create a duplicate SIM to be used in other devices, customers should dial *215*PIN*1*new Number*newPUK# from their main line.

    Alternatively, they should send the following via SMS to 215: Add new Number, 1,PIN,new PUK. For subsequent child SIMs, replace ‘1’ with ‘2’, ‘3’ or ‘4’.

  • Airtel, Nokia partner over Asha series

    Airtel is partnering Nokia on the new Asha Series 501 and 210 which were recently introduced into the market to enhance the quality of products and better service delivery.

    Nokia Operator Account Manager Beatrice Olumhense said the belief is that the devices are modelled to change the way consumers experience the internet as well as being able to keep in touch with what is going around.

    She spoke while unraveling the qualities embedded in the new Asha series in Lagos, adding that the Asha 501 device is made of a monobody able to resist scratches as usually experienced by mobile phone users. The device provides consumers with ranges of bright luring colours.

    “Today, we are introducing the 501 series with stunning that actually takes turn from the successful app. We know that our youths drop their phones, scratch their phones when using them for different things. Now we have made sure that these colours are scratch proof and even when you scratch, the back has a capacity torch. We have also ensured that our consumers have a choice of what colour to pick from,” she added.

  • Subscribers decry Visafone’s poor data service

    Subscribers decry Visafone’s poor data service

    Subscribers to the data service of leading code division multpile access (CDMA) operator Visafone are angry.

    They said the services offered by the telco were below standard.

    Some of the subscribers who gave their dongle subscriber identity module (SIM) numbers as 07046935910, 07046915503, 07026627997, 07046915504, 07046837132 complained that they have issue with speed and connection.

    They complained that since they chose the operator for data services, they have been paying for services not rendered.

    “I bought the modem to ease my work. Unfortunately, I have not got the ease I was looking for when I decided to buy the modem. I am very disappointed that nothing is being done to check the execesses of the operators that promise to do one thing or the other without keeping their promises,” Chukwu, a subscriber lamented.

    Another female subscriber said when she initially bought the modem, she was enjoying the services, adding that in the last seven months, the story has changed.

    “I do not know what to do. I am on the N6000 bundle plan but I rarely enjoy services that are valued at N1000. The frustration is immense. In the morning, the speed does not go beyond endurance threshold but as soon as it is approaching mid day, the speeed begins to go down and finally crashes,” she said.

    Others have started ditching the operator for global system for mobile (GSM) service providers. One of them, who simply identified himself as Emmanuel, said he has bought a new modem from one of the GSM operators. “Before this operator sacks me, I have gone to buy the modem of GSM operator. Each time I have issues with the CDMA modem, I try fruitlessly to call 400. That number scarcely works. Then, I resort to the customer care line which is 200 where I will be subjected to long conversation and music. My job does not wait on such frivolities, so the only option available for me is to opt out,” he said.

    Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, said subscribers should not be made to pay for data services not rendered. ALTON is the umbrella body to which all the telecoms operators belong. He insisted that charges should be based on actual consumption but not on expiry dates as is the common practice now.

    Efforts to get the management of the telco to react proved abortive as the email sent to its Chief Executive Officer, K. V. Srinivasa, was not replied. The only acknowledgement that was received came in form of a call from one Mr Lukman who wanted the identities of the modem owners listed above. Prodded to explain why it has been so, he argued that as a technical person, it was not within his mandate to speak to the press.