Business
THE Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, is strategising with Viasat to deepening digital culture in the country. Viasat, a commercial satellite operator has expressed its readiness to deploy satellite broadband services in Nigeria.
During the company’s courtesy visit to NCC on Monday, February 10, Augustine Nwalunne, director, spectrum administration, NCC, who received the Viasat team on behalf of Umar Danbatta, executive vice-chairman, NCC, said the meeting with Viasat team was a follow-up to an earlier meeting with Danbatta on March 4, 2019.
Viasat came to discuss its plans to get regulatory supports for entry into the commercial satellite communications market in Nigeria, he said.
Realnews reports that Viasat is seeking the commission’s approval to reserve and use the 28 GHz KA frequency band in the country to provide cost-effective internet connectivity and high throughput satellite connectivity through its incorporated Nigerian subsidiary, Viasat Nigeria.
The company during the meeting also informed the commission of its plan to conduct a Proof of Concept, PoC, test in Abuja in 2020. “Thereafter, Viasat plans to roll out in a community, and subsequently extend the services across a state and then proceed to extend its broadband satellite services nationwide by 2022.
“The Viasat’s GTH satellite services are targeting homes, governments, schools as well as micro, small and medium enterprises, MSMEs, among others. The company expressed confidence that its services will be really beneficial to unserved and underserved areas of Nigeria,” he said.
Realnews reports that Viasat has, over the years, invested more than $2.2 billion globally on geostationary satellite services, with a footprint in the Nigerian space towards bridging the extant digital divide in the country.
– Feb. 12, 2020 @ 12:15 GMT |
Tags: NCC Viasat to deepen digital culture in Nigeria
