The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Communications

  • Upholding quality of service in communications sector

    Upholding quality of service in communications sector

    Sir: The Nigerian telecommunications sector has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from a modest network of fewer than 500,000 connected lines to a staggering 200 million over two decades. This growth serves as a testament to the country’s progress in the realm of connectivity and economic development.

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) continues to play a pivotal role as the regulator, placing paramount importance on ensuring the Quality of Service (QoS). It is sad to note that QoS was an issue at the beginning. By beginning, we are talking of the licensing of GSM operators and commencement of service in 2001 (for convenience we’ll ignore the NITEL years). QoS is still an issue today.

    QoS, in essence, encapsulates a comprehensive set of measures and standards aimed at delivering consistent and top-notch telecommunications services to end-users. It’s not just about providing connectivity; it’s about ensuring reliability, network performance, data speed, and an overall seamless user experience.

    The significance of QoS cannot be overstated. For consumers, it means experiencing uninterrupted connectivity, swift access to information, and seamless communication. Meeting these expectations directly influences customer satisfaction and loyalty. Beyond consumers, businesses benefit immensely from superior QoS, gaining a competitive edge, retaining customers, and building a positive brand reputation. Conversely, subpar QoS can lead to customer dissatisfaction and loss, affecting both consumers and businesses alike.

    Achieving superior QoS hinges on several key strategies. Continuous investment in robust infrastructure forms the backbone, ensuring reliable connections and network expansion. So far, over $76 billion has been invested in the sector in over 20 years. With the country’s landmass and huge population, it is crystal that much more investment is required to boost QoS. 

    In addition, embracing cutting-edge technologies like 5G, AI, and IoT can further enhance speed, capacity, and network efficiency. The regulator, NCC has a critical role to play in setting and enforcing QoS standards, ensuring service providers maintain a certain quality level. Experts concede that the regulator is doing what it can. It evidently is not enough. 

     So today, despite best efforts, challenges persist. Take network congestion. Network congestion during peak times poses a significant hurdle, necessitating innovative solutions like load balancing and network optimization.

    Moreover, stringent security measures are essential to protect against cyber threats and safeguard user privacy, both integral components of reliable services.

     There is also an urgent need for the protection of physical infrastructure and equipment. It is time to heed calls to classify telecommunications infrastructure across the country, as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). Telecommunications today are an indispensable asset in the quest for national development and economic growth, infrastructure that supports the provision of service must be kept safe.

    Read Also: NITDA, Communications Ministry urgedto extend AfDB project across 774 LGAs

    Moving forward, collaboration among telcos, regulators, and tech providers is vital to setting and achieving QoS benchmarks while fostering innovation. Continuous evaluation, feedback mechanisms, and adaptation to emerging technologies are crucial in meeting evolving consumer needs.

    In addition, establishing transparent reporting mechanisms and holding stakeholders accountable further enhances trust among consumers and regulators.

     It is equally important to make it easier for operators to lay cables and connect our communities. The era of unbridled quest to rip off telcos in the name of “right of way” fees by state governors must stop. Telecommunications infrastructure benefits all of us, providing connections that enable socio-economic transformation. It improves the quality of life of citizens.

     To the NCC, the commitment to QoS should be more than a mere directive; it should be viewed for what it is – a fundamental necessity. The new Executive Vice Chairman, (EVC), of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, must take this to heart.

     Undoubtedly, upholding high standards in telecommunications benefits consumers, businesses, and the industry at large. As technology advances and demands evolve, the pursuit of superior QoS remains crucial. It’s imperative to prioritize and elevate the quality of telecommunications services, and this endeavour requires a collective effort from all stakeholders.

    After all, the purpose of a product or service is utility – the satisfaction it brings to the consumer.

    • Elvis Eromosele, Lagos.

  • Research shows hurricanes severely damaged Texas, Florida communications

    A research conducted by a firm, UrgentLink Disaster Communications System, has shown that hurricanes Harvey and Irma severely disrupted communications infrastructure on the Southern coast of Texas and South Florida.

    According to the company, the research relied primarily on daily tracking reports from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and discovered that counties on Texas Gulf Coast, South of Houston, faced widespread cell tower outages due to Hurricane Harvey.

    It said: “In Aransas County (where the City of Rockport is located), 95 per cent of the county’s cellular towers was down for three days. Harvey knocked out 283,000 landlines in Texas and Louisiana, even though the impact was far less severe than Irma had on landlines in Florida.

    “Ninety-one per cent of Florida power and light customers lost power during Hurricane Irma.

    “Irma completely disabled 15 Emergency 911 call centres, knocked out 50 per cent of cellular towers in the Greater Miami area and 8.25 million landlines in Florida, Alabama and Georgia.”

    According to the President of MB Public Affairs, Mark Bogetich, the people knew “these mega-storms had a devastating impact on lives and property but were surprised by the degree of destruction they caused to communications networks”.

    The findings of the research, which was last week availed members of InfraGard, a council of the American Society for Industrial Security’s (ASIS) International, would be made public for use in emergency operations planning.

  • Reps reject N6b Communications ministry’s budget

    The House of Representatives Committee on Communications has rejected the N6.97billion  budget of  the Ministry of Communications for failing to provide satisfactory details of its 2016 budget spendings.

    For capital projects, the Ministry is proposing to spend N5.964billion, N742.880million  for personnel while N216, 880 million was proposed for overhead cost.

    For emphasis, the Saheed Fijabi-led Committee asked the Minister, Adebayo Shittu to provide a number of documents on projects, project locations, third party contracts, receipt vouchers for conferences,  trainings as well as nominal roll for the Ministry among others.

    The Committee said it will not consider the 2017 budget estimates of the Ministry until it embarked on an on-the-spot accessment of the projects contained in the 2016 budget document.

    The budget session began on a tense note when the Minister refused to explain the details of the budget saying the Permanent Secretary, Sunday Echono, who is the Accounting Officer of the Ministry was in the best position to respond to the specifics of the 2016 document.

    In his presentation, the Minister said contrary to what was on record, the Ministry actually received N3,095,437billion as against N4,912,735, 231billion that was recorded for it on Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) platform for its 2016 capital expenditure.

    The breakdown showed that of the 48 new and one on-going projects, the Ministry recorded 100 per cent performance on capital budget release of N3,095,437billion that was fully accessed.

    For the year under review, N216, 791,496million was appropriated for overhead while N138,905,138million was released leaving a balance of N77.9million; N600,239,582million was also appropriated for personnel cost out of which N695, 877, 059 was released.

    Totally shocked about the finances of the Ministry, the lawmakers requested for explanations why money  released for personnel was greater than money appropriated.

    The Committee asked why N8million was spent on presentation at Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, while seeking  explanation on the procurement of computers for N12million.

    In addition, the Committee expreseed doubt over the  Ccapital expenditure item whereby N4. 9million was spent on  supervision of the an unspecified work.

    Construction of Information Communications Technology (ICT) centers in some parts of the country also came under scrutiny as the Ministry failed to execute any of the projects, claiming lack of funds.

    The Committee wondered why projects that benefit Nigerians directly were not prosecuted by the Ministry.

    Fijabi said: “With the document before us, there is a need for this Committee to oversight these projects because Nigerians have been  blaming the  legislature for not doing its job well.

    “Going forward, we have to look at the procurement process and on-the-spot accessment of these projects has become inevitanle.

    “In addition, the Ministry should furnish the Committee with its nominal roll, indicating old and new workers.

    “The provision of the details requested will determine how soon we will embark on the oversight visit and the consideration of the Ministry’s 2017 budget estimates.”

  • Buhari deserves prayers for sound health, says Communications Minister

    Buhari deserves prayers for sound health, says Communications Minister

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, on Friday dismissed speculations on that President Muhammadu Buhari is dead.

    Shittu, who represented Buhari in Ilorin, at the formal opening of the 31st National Qur’anic Recitation Competition, said: “President Buhari is not dead.’’

    The minister advised Nigerians to continue to continue to pray for the president.

    “There is need to pray fervently for economic recovery. President Muhammadu Buhari is not dead, he deserves prayers for sound health as well as for the entire growth of the nation,” Shittu said.

    The minister commended Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, for organising the event nationwide in the last 31 years.

    He noted that the competition would further boost the spiritual inclination of the entire Muslim Ummah.

    Shittu also lauded the Kwara governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, for accepting the hosting responsibilities for the 2017 edition of the competition.

    In his address, the governor commended the organisers for granting the hosting right of the event to the state.

    According to Ahmed, “It is pleasing to note that this year’s National Qur’anic Recitation Competition has brought together Muslim Ummah from far and wide to demonstrate our reverence to the Almighty.’’

    The Vice Chancellor of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, enumerated some of the objectives of the competition to be “contribution to the sustenance of the tried and trusted mechanism of preservation of the glorious Qur’an.

    “To select gifted and talented youths who will represent Nigeria at international Qur’anic recitation competition in 2017 as well as also discover brilliant Muslim youths for possible scholarship awards by governments and philanthropists’’.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the opening ceremony of the competition was attended by the Emir of llorin, Alhaji lbrahim Sulu-Gambari, some first class traditional rulers in the state and people from all walks of life. (NAN)

  • LCCI gets corporate communications manager

    LCCI gets corporate communications manager

    The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has appointed  Segun Alabi its new Corporate Communications Manager.

    LCCI Director- General Mr. Muda Yusuf, in a statement last Monday, said Alabi is a talented corporate communications professional, who has gained diverse experiences in the Pay T.V, manufacturing, financial and real estate sectors.

    He said Alabi would  be an added value and a real asset to the Chamber. “As we continue to support, promote and represent the opinion of the business community, as well as contributing to the growth of our economy.”

    Before his appointment, Alabi served as Head of Corporate Affairs at Forthright Group of Companies, overseeing public relations and communications functions of the organisation. He has focused on media relations, image architecture, internal communication, perception management and social media management at various levels. He is also a consummate corporate communications professional, who possesses the qualities of a communication connoisseur, with a canny ability to manage and disseminate information to a competitive advantage.

    Upon starting, Alabi said: “I am excited about joining the LCCI during this crucial period of entrenching positive change in all facets of our economy. The task ahead is not only to make the image, but also to sustain the already made image of the chamber, as well as improving on it.”

    Alabi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria and a Master’s degree in English from the University of Lagos, specialising in Language Use and Communication.

  • LCCI appoints Segun Alabi as corporate communications manager

    LCCI appoints Segun Alabi as corporate communications manager

    The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has appointed  Segun Alabi as its new Corporate Communications Manager.

    LCCI Director- General Mr. Muda Yusuf, in a statement on Monday, said Alabi is a talented corporate communications professional, who has gained diverse experience in the Pay T.V, manufacturing, financial and real estate sectors.

    He said Alabi will be an added value and a real asset to the Chamber, “As we continue to support, promote and represent the opinion of the business community, as well as contributing to the growth of our economy.”

    Before his new appointment, Alabi served as Head of Corporate Affairs at Forthright Group of Companies, overseeing all public relations and communications functions of the organisation. He has focused on media relations, image architecture, internal communication, perception management and social media management at various levels. He is also a consummate corporate communications professional, who possesses the qualities of a communication connoisseur, with a canny ability to manage and disseminate information to a competitive advantage.

    Upon starting, Alabi said, “I am excited about joining the LCCI during this crucial period of entrenching positive change in all facets of our economy. The task ahead is not only to make the image but also to sustain the already made image of the chamber, as well as improving on it.”

    Alabi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria and a Master’s degree in English from the University of Lagos, specialising in Language Use and Communication.

  • ‘Unified communications ‘ll drive SMEs’ growth’

    Vodacom Business Nigeria has said one of the most important benefits of unified communication for small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) is that customers can access the network from multiple devices at the same time.

    Speaking in Lagos during the NigeriaCom, CIO Forum, Wale Odeyemi, Vodacom’s Executive Head of Products and Services, it is easy to manage contacts, send and receive voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls and carry out multiple communications at the same time.

    This, according to him, enables video conferencing to take place on a laptop while a voice call takes place on a worker’s mobile phone, adding that it allows enterprises to adapt to market changes, increase productivity, and improve competitive advantage.

    Odeyemi said 75 per cent of small business employees say that flexible working has made them more productive.

    According to Odeyemi, productivity gains are one of the many reasons for SMEs to take advantage of unified communications.

    Other gains include cost reduction, increased customer service and improved competitive advantage.

    He explained that from instant messaging features to using the internet for voice calls   unified communications improves profit margins by boosting overall operational efficiency; this is especially true for businesses that have mobile employees.\

    With unified communications employees don’t have to be in the office to perform their duties. They can access the system from anywhere with an Internet connection. This means employees can work from home, log on to the system, contact and provide services to customers even after close of business.

     

     

     

  • Bluebird Communications celebrates 20th anniversary

    Bluebird Communications celebrates 20th anniversary

    Leading advertising firm Bluebird Communications Limited (BCL) is 20. It celebrated the milestone with pomp and ceremony in Lagos.

    A play titled: “Eniyan”was staged at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos. The play literally translated “Human Being”, directed by celebrated a playwright, Wale Oguntokun, was rendered in an exciting style, syntax and substance, laced with a pulsating dance, music and well-rehearsed flow fit for a distinguished audience of corporate big wigs in businesses.

    Present at the event were the Managing Directors of Richardson Oil and Gas, Mr Akin Osuntokun; his Skye Bank counterpart, Mr Timothy Oguntayo; Wema Bank MD, Mr Seun Oloketuyi; Toyota Nigeria Chief Executive, Mr Kunle Ade-Ojo, First City Monument bank (FCMB) MD, Mr Ladi Balogun, among others.

    The Director, Convention on Business Integrity, Soji Apampa, spoke on issues affecting businesses in Nigeria. Fusing character and core values, Apampa said: “It is profit plus social impact that translate to sustainability, and palliatives only bring temporary relieves,” urging individuals and corporate organisations to invest in corporate social responsiblities (CSRs).

    Although Apampa was not specific, he urged the rich to learn from the allegorical characters of Eniyan – strength, beauty, wealth, and character, among others.

    A Media Executive of the firm, Saheed Lawal, said the BlueBird’s letter is from Hannah, a narrative that made some guests to shed tears. They lauded BlueBird’s Communication’s Group Executive Vice President, Mr. Kunle Ogunmefun, for his heart of gold.

    Hannah, a beneficiary of Ogunmefun’s large heart, praised him for the gesture. Her emotional letter of appreciation, read by Mrs Dele George, the care merchant and daughter of Dr Ogbemudia, former governor of old Bendel State and Proprietress of Little Saints Orphanage, was an icing on a ‘good’ cake that flowed with artistic excellence, treatise of good corporate practice and commitment to a larger community.

    Hannah, one of the two daughters of a highly placed society personality along with her sister, were driven out of their homes late at night. To cut the long story short, the two siblings became inmates of the Little Saints Orphanage. The elder of the two girls were adopted by Mr. and Mrs Ogunmefun, who saw her through high school and university with flying colours and by this September, the young girl will obtain her master’s in the United Kingdom.

    The young girl painted pictures of what their life could have been, the several denials that the families of the Ogunmefuns have suffered and the solid foundation that was laid for her future, future families and the larger society and said, “Thank you for providing us a home and a future,” the girl said.

    Testimonials for Ogunmefun and his team on partnership beyond business flowed; his focus, and his tenacity (and the nickname, Panaki). Among the testimonies were that of the Group Managing Director, FCMB Group, Balogun, and that of Bluebird Communication’s first client, Leadway Assurance and others.

    So far, BlueBird Communications has recorded some successes. It has established four subsidiaries – Intenciti Media, the media planning and buying arm; DigiEngage, a digital marketing and online business; Ribbons – perception managers; and Pro-Vision Media.

     

  • Dell software releases unified communications command

    Dell Software has announced the newest release of its Unified Communications Command Suite, which adds analytics reporting for Office 365 for Exchange Online and Cisco Unified Communications Manager to Dell’s cross-platform analytics and diagnostics solution.

    A statement explained that the Unified Communications Command Suite 8.1, the market’s only solution to offer analytics and diagnostics across both Microsoft Exchange and Lync, now expands an organisation’s capability to harness the valuable intelligence in its unified communications systems to increase user productivity, encourage adoption, protect sensitive information, increase ROI, and plan for future growth and migrations.

    Today’s organisations invest heavily in unified communications and typically have a variety of systems in place across the organisation, yet lack accurate insight into who is using which platform, or how it’s being used. The result is lost productivity, increased support man-hours and millions of dollars in software platform costs and renewals.

    With the looming end of support for Windows Server 2003, increased adoption of Office 365, and Exchange 2016 on the horizon, organisations are considering multi-UC platform migration paths that will support evolving business needs and better prepare for future growth. UC Command Suite delivers accurate insights into the already deployed various UC communication platforms – including which offices, departments, and cities are using specific platform features – to help businesses determine where to increase investment and where to eliminate platforms not being used.

    These insights help organisations better prioritise, anticipate capacity planning for the future environment, and enforce better communications and data loss prevention policies as they plan for their next migration path. Additionally, these UC insights help drive the cross-platform adoption and usage to realise the maximum return on investment.

    Dell’s UC Command Suite 8.1 is a future-ready solution that delivers a truly cross-platform unified communications analytics solution that provides significant insights and comparisons of usage trends and charge backs across Office 365 Exchange Online, Exchange on-premises, Lync/Skype for Business, and even Cisco Unified Communications Manager. This single solution helps organisations make informed decisions about their evolving unified communications strategy, and better plan for business growth.

    Commenting on the Suite, Senior Product Architect and Microsoft Lync MVP, Dell Software, Curtis Johnstone, said: “Organisations are looking to Office 365 and Cisco UC, along with Microsoft Exchange and Lync/Skype for Business, to make life easier and enable better communication and collaboration among employees. To understand the true value and impact of all of these unified communications systems within the organisation, it is critical to have a single source of truth that aggregates usage, trends and adoption data to enable better business decisions, enforce communication policies and rationalise and standardise the organisation’s UC investment.

    ”With the addition of support for Office 365 and Cisco UC Manager, Dell’s Unified Communications Command Suite 8.1 provides that single cross-platform analytics and diagnostics solution, and continues Dell’s expansion of this unique cross-platform offering.”

    As more organisations look to migrate to Office 365 and Exchange 2016, UC Command Suite enables them to plan for a successful migration with reduced risk by assessing their Exchange environment today, and providing ongoing analytics on communication consumption, security policy adherence and workforce activity in the new environment tomorrow.

    UC Command Suite’s newest features include Office 365 native support whichEnhances understanding and insights into Office 365 Exchange online environment. UC Command Suite picks up where native reports leave off, providing insights into email usage and trends to help enforce communication policies, ensures SLAs for responsive departments, and unlocks the data trapped in the most common form of communication – email.

    Cisco Unified Communications Manager Support enables organisations to monitor usage and trends within their Cisco Unified Communications Manager, and build chargebacks based on call types, users and departments. It also provides an overview and inventory of the environment, conferences and peer-to-peer sessions, and compares usage to Microsoft Lync/Skype for Business to help make informed decisions on the rationalisation of UC environments.He said the path of genuine industrialization and job creation in the country would not be guaranteed with the unbanning of importation of textile products outside the shores of Nigeria.

     

  • Senate Communications Committee takes stock

    Senate Communications Committee takes stock

    The Senate Committee on Communications has taken stock of its impact on the telecoms sector in the last two years.

    The committee led by Senator Gilbert Nnaji said it had met the expectations of players in the sector.

    The committee, in a statement by a Legislative Assistant (Public Relations), Egbo Mon-Charles, said the committee had distinguished itself as an instrument driving the Transformation Agenda of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    Inaugurated about the same time the Communications Technology Ministry was created, the committee had worked to ensure that the telecoms sector improved tremendously, it said.

    The statement reads: “While the ministry was created in July 2011, the committee was set up in September of the same year. As expected however, there were series of adjustments and readjustments within the ministry towards self-identity. In other words, there were various parastatal that needed to move from ministries of Information and Science and Technology into the new Communication Technology Ministry in order to become full-fledged.”

    Mon-Charles said the committee was faced with the challenges arising from the Steve Orosanye Report, which recommended the absorption of some parastatals into the ministry as mere departments, in addition to public concerns generated by the conflict between the National Environmental Standards Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the regulation of the telecoms industry.

    The committee said it swung into action after the challenges were overcome.

    The committee added:” It set some target areas for immediate legislative interventions. They included the review of Nigerian Communications Acts 2003, facilitation of SIM Card Registration Bill passage, prevailing on the service providers and relevant stakeholders for call tariff reduction, improvement in quality of service, elimination of multiple taxation and other sensitive issues in the telecoms industry. It also proposed to seek to find out the cause of the unnecessary delay in take off of Rural Telephony operations in the country, in addition to initiating relevant legislative actions on the Nigerian Postal Sector Bill.

    “Although work is still earnestly in progress, the Ministry of Communication Technology and subsidiary ministerial departments and agencies have in all ramifications proven very strategic to national economic development and stability.”

    It said its colaboration with the ministry has seen the country harmonising the ICT policy.

    Mon-Charles said: “Nigeria today has a harmonised Information Communication Technology (ICT) Policy in place which is fast-tracking overall economic development and has made ICT the fastest-growing sub-sector in the country and has reduced to the barest minimum, all the losses usually associated with duplication of duties by all the ICT-related agencies. NESREA and NCC can now work harmoniously towards national development especially in the area of telecommunications.

    “The telecommunications regulatory agency, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, is today living up to public expectations. The Commission has continued to demonstrate sufficient interest and determination to meeting the yearnings of the Nigerian telecom masses. The country never had it so good. At least there is in place today key performance indicator (KPI) and strict penalty in place for erring GSM service providers. This is in addition to fully liberalising the markets for both mobile and fixed operators which in turn engendered an improved healthy in the industry.”