Business
AS part of its effort to improve Quality of Service in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, is promoting the availability of reliable, interoperable and rapidly restorable critical ICT infrastructure that are supportive of all required services. The commission, in 2019 reviewed 2G Key Performance Indicators, KPIs, and development and definition of 3G/4G QoS KPIs for collocation service providers as well as Internet Service providers, ISP.
In 2019, the NCC developed the New National Numbering Plan, NNP. The new numbering plan is based on recent developments in the global telecommunications industry such as machine to machine, M2M, communications, the Internet of Things, IoT, Over-the-Top, OTT, and others. The commission is also working to develop other services made possible by fourth-generation networks and the futuristic 5G/6G technologies.
Based on these, the NCC has considered it imperative for the numbering plan in the country to be reviewed. The development of the new NNP, therefore, will help to provide numbers that will satisfy the needs of the projected 500 million Nigerians to be connected and about one billion globally-interconnected machines and devices by 2050.
“This development will promote efficiency in the allocation of this scarce national resource; promote competition among service providers; eliminate the risk of running short of all categories of numbers; facilitate the introduction and development of new and innovative services and above all, encourage growth of the telecommunications sector and the attendant job creation and contribution to National Gross Domestic Product, GDP, among others.
“The commission ensured type Approval of End User Devices to certify that Quality of Service and Quality of Experience, QoE, experienced by the user is not negatively impacted. This is to prevent counterfeit devices in the Nigerian market through equipment authorization. The Commission has also continued to monitor point interconnection performance among operators and ensure resolution of interconnect disrupted among operators to prevent serious impact on quality of service received by the consumers.
“The commission also ensured Quality of Service Performance Monitoring through continuous monitoring of service delivery by the operators to ensure compliance. The commission also intensified collaboration with necessary stakeholders and government agencies at federal and state levels towards resolving critical industry challenges affecting faster deployment of telecoms infrastructure in the country. These include right of way issue, multiple taxation and regulations, vandalism, indiscriminate closure of base stations, fibre cuts, among other,” it said.
Meanwhile, the NCC has succeeded in issuing six InfraCos to drive the deployment of broadband infrastructure across the country as part of efforts at advancing broadband penetration. The licensees are Raeana Nigeria Limited for the South-South Zone; O’dua Infraco Resources Limited for South-West Zone; Fleek Networks Limited for North-West Zone; Brinks Integrated Solutions for North-East Zone; MainOne Limited for Lagos Zone and Zinox Technologies Limited for the South-East Zone.
The commission said the remaining license for North Central Zone was being processed. The NCC noted that increased regulatory is already being made and that the commission would seek federal government’s approval of the counterpart funding to be disbursed to the InfraCo to facilitate their deployment. The funding will, however, be given to them upon attainment of deployment milestones, according to Prof., Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the NCC.
“The InfraCos, which is based on the Open Access Model, OAM, initiative of the Commission will ensure there is, at least, one fibre Access Point for digital services across the 774 local government councils in the country. Increased commitment was given to this by the Commission,” it said.
In this regard and with respect to spectrum that will support broadband deployment, NCC in 2019 approved the 5G trial on 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz to MTN; developed guidelines on the use of Television White Space, TVWS, to facilitate broadband penetration to underserved and unserved areas; opened up of 60 GHz band for unlicensed applications and broadband services; approved the use of 18 and 23 GHz Microwave Frequency bands for point to multi point deployments.
The commission has also licensed some portions of 5.4 GHz bands; replanted the 800 MHz band for LTE; assigned 2×10 MHz Spectrum to Glomobile for trial in the 700 MHz; approval of Globacom trial on the 2×10 MHz assigned to it. It expired in February, 2019 and the company has been offered right of first refusal on the slot. The NCC has also reegularized 2×10 MHz Spectrum in the 700 MHz band previously assigned to MTN by NBC for the frequency to be used for the purpose of providing LTE services.
According to the NCC, another regulatory efforts carried otut in 2019 in this regard was the creation of Space Services Unit within the department to enable the commission regulate satellite and space services in facilitating broadband penetration; regularisation of the activities of all satellite operators including Space station operators as well as Earth Station operators; as well as issuance of Landing permits to Space Stations beaming signals over Nigerian territory.
– Jan. 1, 2020 @ 12:25 GMT |
Tags: Quality of Service on Networks improved in 2019 - NCC
