Access to internet has defining impact on countries’ gross domestic product (GDP). This is because it destroys fetters, such as distance, race, colour and others. Though the mobile network operators (MNOs) have tried to close
Three Nigerian journalists travelled to Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa for a three-day international conference. During the conference, they had no problems sending their stories and pictures from the venue of the event to their media houses in Lagos.
“As soon as I finished doing my story and click the attach icon on my gmail address book, it pops up and gives me options from where to attach pictures. I click my desktop and press attach. It attaches in the speed of electricity, regardless of the size. As soon as I click on the send icon, it disappears too and show ‘message sent’ immediately,” one of them said.
Back home, at a forum held at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, reporters made futile efforts to file their stories to their offices located within the metropolis. Virtually all the modems of the MNOs were used but to no avail. Instead of displaying 3G which most of them claim is the technology on which their services are being rolled out, it is either WCDMA, EDGE or HSPA that was displayed. Then will come several hours of waiting just for the page to load.
If internet experience in an urban area such as Lagos could leave such a sour taste, it could only be imagined what it is going to be like in the rural areas of the country where there are 447 local government areas. After more than a decade after the telecoms sector liberalisation that ushered in the telecoms revolution, a lot of rural communities are still largely “disenfranchised”.
The story everywhere, from Calabar to Kano, Bauchi to Bayelsa, Abakaliki to Bornu, is the same. Not even in cities such as Abuja and Port Harcourt is the story different. Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa with a population of over 168 million people as at 2012 according to the World Bank. Population has grown at a rate of 2.3 per cent for each year from 2000 to 2013. Nigeria is a country with a largely youthful population with 60 per cent approximately under age of 22.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said in line with these demographic changes, internet penetration has increased from less than 0.1 per cent in 2001 to about 32 per cent in 2012. The 2012 National ICT policy placed broadband internet penetration for both mobile and fixed broadband at about 6.1 per cent.
The Federal Government launched the National Broadband Plan (NBP) which set very ambitious targets to be met within specific time-lines. Under the plan, fixed broadband targets for cities (which is currently standing at 1.5per cent) expected to go up to 10 per cent in 2015 in the short term, 16 per cent medium term of 2018 and long term target of 25 per cent by 2020. Penetration level which stands at 0.5per cent, will move up gradually to 3.3 per cent, 5.3 per cent and 8.3 per cent respectively
For national broadband targets, current level is 35 per cent while short term target is 60 per cent (2015). For medium term (2018), 80 per cent is targeted while 95 per cent is targeted by 2020 as long term target.
Penetration currently is six per cent. It is expected to go up steeply to 21 per cent, 42 per cent and 48 per cent respectively.
But the road to achieving this target is laced with thorns as frequencies that are supposed to be freed to boost internet penetration are not available yet.
Director, Regulatory Affairs and Special Projects, Airtel Nigeria Osondu Nwokoro who spoke at an ICT forum in Lagos, said the launch of the National Broadband Plan (NPB), 2013-2018 by the Federal Government is consistent with developments in other parts of the world, adding that it is a step in the right direction and showed government’s commitment to pursue a broadband agenda for the country.
Nwokoro defined broadband as the easier, faster, and high speed internet access for data transmission and download, compared to traditional telephone and modem. Broadband supports real time internet radio, music, video, gaming, interactive services and others.
He said with six per cent broadband penetration in the country, there is both a challenge and an opportunity to meet the goal of realising a five-fold increase in broadband penetration by 2017.
According to him, the Broadband Commission for Digital Development charges that “access to broadband infrastructure and services must therefore be a top policy priority for countries around the globe, developed and developing alike as well as least developed countries,” adding that commission urges “governments and business to work together to develop innovative policy frameworks, business models and financing arrangements needed to facilitate growth in access to broadband worldwide
Speaking on impact on the economy, he said wireless broadband is expected to contribute an additional N190billion to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015 while wireless broadband will have a direct revenue impact (spend on usage and devices) of N598billon or 0.7 per cent of GDP this year.
He added that its ecosystem value will be N124billion comprising consumer retail (m-commerce; m-Entertainment), financial services (m-banking), social services (m-learning, m-health, and m-governance) and corporate verticals (m-farming, m-enterprises, m-utilities).
Head, Core Network Services, Cyberspace Network Limited, Osuere Peter said broadband is the totality that forms the entity for faster information delivery across a network. This network could either be digital subscriber line (DSL), fiber-optic, cable modem, satellite, wireless and broadband over power lines (BPL).
He said internet and mobile banking: customers could now carry on banking transaction activities via their fixed and mobile devices while e-commerce sites such as Konga, Jumia, Olx have also emerged.
It has also led to the provision of public services like driver-license application, international passport, national ID card registration and the general e-government solutions, adding that the implementation of regulatory framework and policies to promote electronic transaction such as the Cashless Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Daunting hurdles
The Nigerian Broadband technology infrastructure has grown up to an appreciable level in some very specific places and at different degrees.
Nwokoro said fixed infrastructure is not available in Nigeria and the cost and burden to put same in place is daunting. Wireless is the only viable option for broadband penetration.
Another challenge is paucity of spectrum. According to him, NBP acknowledges the need for spectrum for mobile broadband and proposes to publish plan for freeing up spectrum for LTE rollout this year, conduct licensing of 2.5/2.6GHz spectrum in 2014 and facilitate accelerated wireless infrastructure expansion and upgrade with operators.
Another issue is that of right of way (RoW) permits and other planning approval processes and associated charges between different ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) at federal, state & local levels remain a strong disincentive for infrastructure development.
Though NBP proposes to secure RoW waivers with states and also pursue expedited RoWs. achieving this goal between the three tiers of government remains a daunting challenge.
Device ownership and access points which are key to adoption and utilisation are also key challenges.
“NBP proposes to challenge original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to produce sub $30 access devices to reduce cost of ownership and thus facilitate uptake by the broader subscriber base.
“NBP also proposes to deploy local access points (in NIPOST premises and local government, headquarters to facilitate access within 2km for people who cannot afford own access devices,” Nwokoro said, adding that in spite of all the promises of the market size in the country, major OEMs are unwilling to site assembly plants for device manufacture, on account of unstable electricity supply, intellectual property rights issues and challenges in the business environment.
Solutions
Mandate should be given to the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) to articulate a spectrum roadmap to address timely availability, cost-effective pricing and licensing of the 700/800 MHz Digital Dividend spectrum band to support mobile broadband penetration.
Another is resuscitation of the NFMC and expansion of its membership to incorporate private sector representation.
Nwokoro said consideration should be given to the 900 MHz and 2.5/2.6 GHz spectrum re-farming to support mobile broadband on LTE while spectrum policy and regulation to support flexibility while supporting regional integration.
the gap, there is still a long way to go as access cost remains punitive while service quality is patchy, reports LUCAS AJANAKU.
