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Editions 151 - 170

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 170

ATCON PARTNERS WITH BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION TO EASE VISA FOR MEMBERS

There is indication that the Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, is taking advantage of the British Deputy High Commission’s Business Express Programme to ease visa processing for employees of its members. Executive Secretary, Godwin Morgan, confirms that indeed the programme is designed to make the Association’s members who travel to the UK for business process their visas without any fuss. 

VGC WEARS NEW LOGO

VGC Communications Ltd distinguished for its high grade fixed wired services has announced a change in its corporate Logo. The PTO provides fixed wired services in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. It maintains a corporate presence in CYBERSCHUULNEWS which is also privileged to be flying the new logo in this edition.

 ATCON WANTS NITEL UNBUNDLED

PRIOR TO PRIVATISATION

When he had the floor at the recent 3rd NIGERIA TELECOM SUMMIT in Abuja, Engr Charles Joseph, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, repeated his association’s four years old prescription that NITEL be unbundled prior to privatization to make it attractive. The position was actually first mentioned at the dawn of privatization in 2000, but the Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE had countered then saying that the company [NITEL i.e.] was ‘too small’ to be broken. It argued strangely that ‘..with 400,000 telephone lines, NITEL, if broken into units would be too small, smaller than Multilinks or any of MTN or Econet and hence would not be viable’. Such warped logic held sway and the matter was suspended. The irony was that it was the ‘too small’ company that BPE then wanted to collect $1.36billion dollars on for 51% buy-in before the ILL-wind forced the deal’s flight into turbulent weather.

 NITEL’s privatization blues went live again a few weeks ago when it became clear that the company’s fortune had dipped and the attempt to restructure it in preparation for privatization does not seem to have gone well. Pentascope’s executives were in Lagos during the week to address the press and a document they released at the outing catalogues the reasons why they are unable to make a difference in NITEL.

 

RECYCLED COMPUTERS:

DIGITAL BRIDGE ENABLERS or TOXIC DUMPS ? [3]

There is a burgeoning market for used and refurbished computers in Nigeria and indeed in Africa and many of these computers have found their ways into our educational institutions.  The rationale for this has mostly that Africans cannot afford new computers, and that these 'refurbs' give an opportunity to get on the information superhighway and bridge the digital divide.

 But are these premises true?  What are the benefits of refurbs to Africa and Africans?  What are the real issues at stake?  

 In this third and final installment of our serialisation of an article on recycled computers in Africa, Dorcas Muthoni shows why Africa is an attractive place for the west to dump their used and recycled computers.  The companies in the west avoid the cost of compliance with their countries' laws, make money from selling these used computers to organisations who will bring them to Africa, these organisations pay western shipping agents and companies for the freight.  When the computers finally arrive in Africa, they are paid for from loans obtained from foreign countries, which they have to pay back with interest.  Talk of paying your killer for the poison to kill you!

 The objective of publishing the essay is essentially to generate a discussion on the subject. Reactions are therefore welcome.

 Computer recycling for Africa’s use [3]

By Dorcas Muthon

 

New industry:

The problem has created a boom for PC recycling businesses in US and Europe (remarketers) that resell or dispose of these systems. They dispose by: Reuse. The term "reuse" refers to giving (or selling) computers to someone or some other organization to use. Donating computers to charitable organizations and schools provides a company with tax benefits that may exceed the expected realizable value from selling the computers via a secondary market.

 

Recycle:

Depending on where it is done, recycling computers can be simple or difficult. Computers contain many metals that can be recycled.  In Africa for example it could be extremely difficult to recycle.

 

Trade-in:

Most major computer manufacturers (e.g., Dell, Gateway, HP/Compaq) have trade-in programs. Individuals who donate their used computer to the manufacturer gets a cash refund.

 

If an old equipment still holds significant value, a remarketer can resell this equipment and share the profits with you. They can also help with employee purchase programs. A remarketer will handle donation of your equipment to a needy charity or developing country, even refurbish your equipment and redeploy it to another site. The remarketers provide these services and more for a fraction of what it would cost to do it yourself.

 

To verify that disposal was done according to the law, the remarketers present a "Certificate of Disposal" providing evidence of services to the companies.

 

Receiving old computers:

Organisations are advised to have the recipient of the used computer equipment sign an agreement accepting responsibility for its proper disposal. This is necessary whether it is sold, given to an employee, or donated. In the event of future litigation, this documentation supports the position that the recipient has accepted responsibility for the equipment's disposal. This is where Africa will be trapped.

 

Africa as an ideal market:

Africa accepting old computers makes it an ideal target for dumping. This can earn the remarketers millions of dollars. The law for example in the US does not cover donated computers abroad but those that are disposed within the country. Safe disposal costs are not incurred since the equipment is leaving the country. But how do the computers get to Africa anyway?

 

Talk to someone bringing old computers:

A computer unit comes at a cost of about $50

1. Organize and pay for shipment (costs about $40 )

2. Arrange and pay for transport from the port to the refurbishment center costs about $10.

3. Unpack the containers: Contain a lot of junk,some containers have even been found to contain materials not related to computer equipment, lack of compatible hardware components, going to a store the components are no longer being supplied, takes enough time to assemble a complete working unit.

4. Assemble one working computer unit ( this usually involves picking bits and pieces from about 8 assumed computer units)

5. Arrange for delivery to schools

 

Since most of the organisations carrying out refurbishment are NGOs and Non-profits, they have donor funded budgets for salaries and operations. This takes care of salaries and wages of technical staff and the rest.

 

Africa is indeed going to save the west billions of dollars. Before you know it, another clause will be in WTO agreements requiring that we a bind by a certain computer equipment disposal law. We shall of course not have the the infrastructure to safely dispose all the WORLD'S COMPUTER WASTE.

 

THE CRISIS WILL BE HERE WITH US. This will be 10 to 15 years to come. The youth (leaders of tomorrow) will be dealing with this crisis above HIV/AIDS, famine, poverty, wars etc. Heaps and heaps of absolete computer equipment waiting to be safely disposed. Scanty computer hardware industry. We are already quite challanged by our environment. Control over dumping is a big challenge. Environmental degradation is a rampant.

 

AFRICA FRONT-LINERS ARE OFTEN TAKING THE FIRST STEP AS A WRONG STEP.

By the way, these remarketers are all over the place. Yesterday, one came to see me.

 

 

END OF ARTICLE

 

TELECOMMUNICATIONS:

BENCHMARKING NIGERIA WITH THE WORLD

by Ernest Ndukwe

 

We live in a global village where ICTs have a direct impact on a nation's ability to improve the economic well being of her people and compete globally. We must therefore ask ourselves how well we have fared in comparison with other nations of the world in providing access to this vital infrastructure for our people.

 

The International telecommunications spending is currently estimated at about US &1.5 trillion dollars for the year 2004 and is expected to rise to about US &2.0 trillion dollars by 2007.

 

While countries like Sweden boast of about 100% access, Nigeria's figure is at a level of less than 6%. Even in the African Continent we are still far behind countries such as Egypt, South Africa, and Botswana Etc in terms of teledensity.

 

In the UK where penetration of computers is already quite high, the provision of access to broadband connections was important enough to be embodied in their government policy. The British Telecom (BT) recently announced that all households in the UK would be in reach of broadband connection by 2005.

 

Also according to a new report from the Economist Intelligence unit, Sweden emerged as the world leader in e learning. Korea's government has consistently promoted the development and use of Information and Communication Technology infrastructures since the mid 1980's. Today Korea is one of the worlds most advanced users of information technology and boast of highest broadband penetration density in the world. China has been growing their ICT network at an astonishing rate since the past decade and is currently the world's largest telecommunications marked, both for fixed and wireless networks. China's figures for 2004 indicate 312million fixed line and 323 million mobile lines.

 

US spending on Telecommunications equipment have continued to grow and are estimated to reach $ 1trillion by 2007, up from $720 billion in 2003. The Malaysian government was one of the first to attempt to replicate the Silicon Valley model in a developing country. In it attempt to Move to the technology sector to attract domestic and foreign private investment, the Malaysian government invested in creating what was expected to be a world class physical and information infrastructure. This US$40 billion initiative, called the Multimedia Super Corridor, serves as the backbone for the country's information superhighway.

 

From the foregoing it is obvious that while we are celebrating the giant strides that have been made in the sector in the past four years, Nigeria remains a "Lilliputian" in the international development index as far as ICT penetration and use is concerned.

 

While we are racing to increase access to basic telephone services, the more advanced countries are increasing access to new technologies such as Internet and broadband connections worldwide had reached 111.7m lines. The world's biggest or" G7" economics are now in the broadband "top ten". Broadband is no doubt an accelerator of social and economic development in the modern world with it's applications enabling and facilitating economic and social services such as Public Safety, National Security, Telemedicine, E-government, distance learning, utility applications etc.

 

There is already a major broadband divide between Africa and the rest of the world. There is therefore an urgent need to initiate national policies aimed at promoting ubiquitous broadband deployment. We must continue to work hard at narrowing the information gap to make sure that Nigeria is a major knowledge center in the information age.

 

[The above text is taken from a paper on ‘Connecting the Next 10 million people in Nigeria’   which Engr Ernest Ndukwe, Executive Vice-Chairman, NCC, delivered at the recent NIGERIA TELECOM SUMMIT 2004, Abuja]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 169

NCC GETS TEETH FROM STAKEHOLDERS

NIGERIA TARGETS 18 MILLION PHONES BY 2005

In addition to the empowerment which the Telecommunication Act 2003 gave the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, the Commission desire to take the industry to higher heights  was also given  a lavish endorsement by delegates at the recent 3rd NIGERIA TELECOM SUMMIT. In a lead Paper which the Commission presented via its execute Vice-Chairman, Ernest Ndukwe, the desire to add 10 million telephone lines to the Nigerian network  in the next 12 months or at latest by end of 2005 was enunciated. Delegates which included  top executive and CEO’s of telecommunications firms,  Innovators, Service providers, consultants and bureaucrats endorsed the ambition and went ahead to prescribe the right environment for its realisation.

 

Reliable public electricity, reduction in duty rates, elimination of multiple and provocative taxes by various levels of government across the country, Privatization of NITEL, and the enactment of anti-trust and competition laws are some of the major issues which delegates invited government to pay attention to.

 

The Summit also recommended a pathway to improved capacity building, customer satisfaction and the need to increase the number of Mobile service providers at the expiration of current five years exclusivity period in 2006.

 

NIGERIA NOW HAS 7 MIILION MOBILE AND 1 MILLION FIXED TELEPHONES

TO EMERGE AS TRULY FASTEST MOBILE MARKET

Going by recent figures released into the Nigerian system by service Providers, mobile lines have climbed up to 7.02million as at the last count. Although figures of operators coverage may be harmless quantities, the fact that they may affect planning data if what is circulating is far from the actual may pose a problem for an economy that is growing and fledging. However, Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC confirmed the figure of 8million telephone lines at a public lecture he delivered recently in Enugu and also in a publication released by the Commission at the just concluded telecom summit in Abuja. The figure puts the Nigeria market as the fastest growing next to China’s at the moment.

 

VGC WEARS NEW LOGO

VGC Communications Ltd distinguished for it high grade fixed wired services has announced a change in its corporate LOGO. The PTO provides fixed wired services in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. It maintains a corporate presence in CYBERSCHUULNEWS which is also privileged to be flying the new logo in this edition.

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS TRANSFORM FOR IMPROVEMENT

CYBERSCHUULNEWS, your companion for telecom/ICT information, education, and entertainment is making slight modification to its look and content, all aiming at doing it better.

 

The ‘front cover’ which is the only political corner piece of the publication is moving to the ‘sideline’ while a column on NEW TECHNOLOGIES will feature more frequently.

 

 A midweek edition, titled CYBERSCHUULSHOUT, which is actually a technology megaphone, will feature less of news and corporate statements but more of opportunities in telecom investment, training and job vacancies world wide.

 

Thank you for staying tuned.

 

SERIALISATION

RECYCLED COMPUTERS: TOXIC DUMPS or DIGITAL BRIDGE ENABLERS [2]

There is a burgeoning market for used and refurbished computers in Nigeria and indeed in Africa and many of these computers have found their ways into our educational institutions.  The rationale for this has mostly that Africans cannot afford new computers, and that these 'refurbs' give an opportunity to get on the information superhighway and bridge the digital divide.

 

But are these premises true?  What are the benefits of refurbs to Africa and Africans?  What are the real issues at stake?  CYBERSCHUULNEWS, is serializing an article written by Dorcas Muthoni, a concerned African on the concept of used and refurbished computers, why the industrialized countries are sending them to Africa, and the long-term effects on Africa, our schools, and our children. The objective of publishing this essay is essentially to generate a healthy debate of the subject and to seek to request that all sides to the matter be exposed. Reactions are therefore welcome.

 

In this second installment the author examines how much it costs corporations in the west to comply with the regulatory requirements for the disposal of used computers.  This may give an insight into the "solutions" they have adopted, donating being one of them.  But why Africa? Answers.

 

Computer recycling for Africa’s use [2]

By Dorcas Muthon

 

What does it take to comply:

This comes with some astonishing figures: Did you know that implementing  an in-house computer disposal program can cost up to $400 per computer?

 

 1. Computer Storage - $360+

Many companies rely simply on storing a few retired computers a month  somewhere hoping that they'll discover a viable solution for reuse or  disposal.  In so doing, the company is paying a rental fee each and every  month on assets that are no longer producing any income.  These organizations may also be paying support and maintenance fees, software license fees, or even leasing fees on unused equipment.  Storing equipment for up to 3 years results in an average cost of $360 per  device; and, when eventual disposal occurs, the organization will spend  another $200 - or more - in removal fees.

 

 2. Computer Disposal - $320+

Laws and state regulations prohibit placing the plastics and toxic  chemicals found in computers and monitors in landfills.  Organizations   have to manage the hard costs of safe disposal of computer equipment. Alternatively additional payment to a third party for disposal or  recycling of outdated equipment is necessary.  When all the costs are totaled, an average of $320 is spent getting each computer out of the door.

 

3. Cascading (handing down/ employee sales) equipment - $275+

Older equipment replaced by newer equipment, and cascaded down the  hierarchy, will require upgrades to remain compatible with newer  applications or run the risk of creating an incompatible environment for file formats and networking.  Resale to employees means that, first systems must be identified, removed from the enterprise network, cleaned, tested, and priced, and the employees must be notified of the sale. Upon completion of the sale, there must be a reconciliation of equipment information with financial systems, a record of all sale transactions, and review of the accounting - all real, hard costs.   The average cost for the two options is approximately $275+.

 

4. Donating equipment - $300+

 Donation of equipment to schools or charities requires all of the same hard costs associated with the administration of a sales effort. But, added to that are the issues of selection of the charity, logistical planning for pick up, disk wiping, maintenance of tax records and licence records. Crucially, in a donation scenario, any residual value of the equipment is lost.  Thus, what began as a philanthropic effort, turns out to be one of the most time consuming and costly disposal alternatives; about $300 worth

 

5. Employing a recycler - $150+

The most cost effective disposal option is using a computer recycler with a strong remarketing organization. While the disposal cost remains the same - about $318 - it is offset by an average wholesale price of approximately $200; resulting in a disposal cost of only $150 per device.

 

California faces a mounting bill for handling toxic waste from obsolete computer monitors that could total U.S. $1 billion by 2006, according to a study released by a coalition of environmental groups.

 

End of Part 2

 

GSM, DEBT, AND DRAMA

By Titi Omo-Ettu

 

On the surface, Glomobile  presents as the greatest lover of theatre in the gee-es-em landscape of Nigeria’s telephone revolution.  King Sunny Ade, Lagbaja, Madam Kofo et al. Can you beat that?

Solidly on ground, the MTN fellows are the guys to beat if you ask me, especially as they have now turned the heat on with ‘What is beautiful’. Wonder if you saw recent outings. Boy-o boy!

In reality, those who love drama are actually in VMobile. See how they have used newspapers to act boardroom politics on stage. When the Masiyiwa issue first broke, CYBERSCHUULNEWS forecast a long drawn battle which had the potential of going for the jugular of Econet Wlreless Nigeria and we took the aspect which concerned Nigerians to alert Nigerian officials on the need to watch events so Nigerians didn’t get short-changed at the end of it all.  Emeka Oparah [a.k.a. ‘equipment’], Image maker of Econet would not hear of it. He fired out to say we got the story wrong. Nothing happened apart from the rising profile of his firm. We published his salvo and he countered with a protest against our publishing his opinion unedited and without getting his consent. Of course we published that too unedited and he rested the drama. The remaining is history…. Econet, Vodacom, Vnetwork, VMobile………V

 

Recent industry research pointed towards pervasive and uneasy debt relationships among and between telephone providers and we used the information to make a critical forecast of the possibility of a few of them going to court a la impatience for due process which the regulator is wont to employ. But we did not see much of what was coming from the drama perspective.

 

Eventually VMobile went to court, or so it claimed. But to do what? To ask that NITEL be wound up as a result of its inability to pay N3billion it is owing VMobile. VMobile also took advertorial slot in at least one newspaper to charge NITEL to the court of public opinion briefing the world that it had gone to the law court anyway. Can you beat that? If that is not drama, what is?

 

My people say ‘Kini mama also nta to yo egba dani, a bi ewure nje lesi ni?         

[  What is a clothe merchant doing with the big cane, do goats eat textiles?]

 

Tayo Ekundayo, NITEL’s image man, has said all there is to say in the circumstance and it is hoped that VMobile’s tacticians are taking a deserved rest. How do you say the court should wind up a firm whose 51% asset was bidded for $3.36billion just because it owes $20million. In any case how much is everybody else including Aso Rock owing NITEL in cash and in kind?

 

But that is not to say those fellows have no merit to their worries.

 

Admittedly, NITEL has been a pain in the neck, not only to everybody else but particularly to itself. Its workers have shouted themselves hoarse. Only God knows why they kept thinking someone would listen to them. The latest information is that the Pension Fund into which NITEL should make monthly contribution so that its pensioners’ emoluments could be met had not been credited for about 8 months by the new NITEL. As a corollary, that is saying NITEL pensioners, a more sophisticated liability than those of Railways and Nigeria Airways, may stop receiving their pay if the trend is not reversed. All the tell-tales do not point to anyone being interested let alone having the required tact to deal with the matter. What is certain is that the 'foreign coaches' in charge at NITEL have no clue to these problems. If that is what the VMobile people are reacting to, we may not blame them. But do you go about that by doing theatre?

 

While Vmobile is in court, other providers are known to be briefing their lawyers in similar bodytalks.

 

To put it mildly, these are trying times.  A flight in turbulence has its fate in the way the Pilot perceives the issue at hand. If he sees it as a challenge, half of the problem is solved. If he sees it as a danger, then the passengers are better asked to fasten their seatbelts and speak directly to God. 

 

These are challenging days for the Nigerian Communications Commission as it is bound to task everything in the 9 eggheads who constitute that team. We wish them the best of luck especially as we have confidence in their sagacity. I understand many of them have salt and paper hair do’s. Bet you, by the end of the debt issue their heads would have gone completely grey.

 

[Titi Omo-Ettu is a Lagos based telecommunications engineer]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 168

NITDA TO RAISE NiRA FOR DOT.NG

The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, will be suggesting the name of Nigeria Internet Registration Authority, NiRA, as the NGO which will manage the country-code .ng Top Level Domain [ccTLD] to the stakeholders meeting 8th November 2004. A 22-member Nigerian ccTLD Working Group selected to represent various internet community interests in the country was raised at the August stakeholders meeting and it has come up with recommendations on the name, structure, and focus of the proposed NGO which will administer the .ng domain. All indications are that NITDA is working towards inaugurating the NGO before the year ends.

 

VMOBILE GOES TO COURT[S]

VMobile eventually made good its threat to threaten court action  so NITEL could pay up its accumulated N3billion interconnect debt. The mobile operator is actually praying the court that NITEL be wounded up so it could pick its cheque. It is novel for the debt of a mere $20million by a company whose 51% asset base was put for sale at $1.36billion to attract a verbose prayer which is made simultaneously to the court of the public, via newspaper advertorials and also to the court of Law

 

SERIALISATION

RECYCLED COMPUTERS:

TOXIC DUMPS or DIGITAL BRIDGE ENABLERS?

There is a burgeoning market for used and refurbished computers in Nigeria, and indeed in Africa and many of these computers have found their ways into our educational institutions.  The rationale for this has mostly that Africans cannot afford new computers, and that these 'refurbs' give an opportunity to get on the information superhighway and bridge the digital divide.

 

But are these premises true?  What are the benefits of refurbs to Africa and Africans?  What are the real issues at stake?  CYBERSCHUULNEWS, is serializing an article written by Dorcas Muthoni, a concerned African on the concept of used and refurbished computers, why the industrialised countries are sending them to Africa, and the long-term effects on Africa, our schools, and our children. The objective of publishing the essay is essentially to generate the usual healthy debate of the subject and  seek  that all sides to the matter be exposed. Reactions are therefore welcome.

 

In this first installment, the article examines the components contained in used computers, and the regulatory requirements for proper disposal.

 

                                    Computer Recycling for Africa’s Use

                                by Dorcas Muthon

 

First things first: Definitions

Old Computers: Computers that have reached the end of their useful lives in an organisation/ A computer that has reached the end of its useful life to the owner.  Second-hand/ Refurbs : Old or used computer equipment that has been restored to working condition. Restoration involves replacement of hardware components with similar or newer ones.

Facts:

Most of the environmental concerns with computers lie with the monitor  (27% of the weight of a CRT monitor is due to its lead content),  specifically its cathode ray tube (CRT). Each color monitor contains, on average, four to five pounds of lead, considered hazardous waste when  disposed off. Computers also contain other hazardous materials, including  mercury, cadmium (a known carcinogen), and hexavalent chromium (shown to cause high blood pressure, iron-poor blood, liver disease, and nerve and brain damage in animals).

 In the US alone more than 315 million computers are expected to become  obsolete by the year 2004, containing an estimated 1.2 billion pounds of  lead, 2 million pounds of cadmium, 400,000 pounds of mercury and 1.2  million pounds of hexavalent chromium.

 

Imagine a worst-case scenario: Groundwater, enough Africans draw drinking  water directly from rivers, near a landfill becomes contaminated.

 Action:

 In US and Europe, laws have been passed to address this issue:  The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in US and the Waste  Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive in Europe address  how computer equipment disposal should be carried out.  It is important  to note that the RCRA rules regarding computer disposal are restricted to landfilling. Disposal usually does not include recycling, donations, or  trade-ins. An organization, therefore, comes under the auspices of the  RCRA only if it chooses to throw away its old equipment. Failure to  comply, attracts high penalties from the authority.

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE

                                  by Ernest Ndukwe Executive Vice chairman, NCC

In the biological sciences, the word cell refers to a very small unit of a living matter.  All plants and animals are composed of cells or cellular tissues.  In the telecommunications world, the word cellular is used to refer to a communications network that is composed of interconnected radio communications cells.  So cellular phones refer to wireless terminals which are phones built to work with a cellular network.

 The global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure is in fact composed a network of small networks or cells.  A  Wide Area Network (WAN) is in fact a connected network of Local Area Networks (LAN) or ICT cells. Just as a national telecommunications infrastructure is in fact a network of cells which can either be local exchanges or radio base stations (or cell sites).

The ICT cell just as in the biological sciences therefore describes a small unit of the ICT infrastructure that supports the networked information society of today.

Telemedicine

The development of mobile communications, teleconferencing facilities, multi-media capabilities of telecommunications and the internet, has been of immense benefit in healthcare delivery. By this revolution, spatial differences between medical specialists, medical centers and patients have been eliminated.  ICTs permit valuable professional expertise to be made available to remote areas.

 It has now become a common phenomenon for doctors on call duty not to be restricted to their homes waiting for a call or within the coverage distance of a local paging facility. Today the doctor on call can move freely with his/her mobile phone and can easily be reached, in case of emergency, to give initial instructions on how to manage the patient while he is on his way to the hospital if necessary.

 Through the internet, it is possible to set up facilities for intensive patient monitoring service which can enable doctors to watch their patients at a remote site, monitor their vital signs in real time as well as give advice for treatments. ICTs can also be used for exchange of information between different health professionals. For example, they can be used to transfer patient information between different sites thereby improving clinical effectiveness.

 With broadband facility and video conferencing, doctors in one part of the country, or in any part of the world for that matter, can consult with other specialists in any part of the world on any medical case of interest.

E-medicine

Medical equipment is becoming increasingly more sophisticated principally as a result of advances in ICTs. However, while these systems offer powerful tools for diagnosis; they require certain economies of scale for their effective usage. Tele-radiology offers an effective means for achieving this by giving wider access to diagnostic equipment.

 ICTs also offer a powerful capability for simulation and modelling in the medical sphere. Surgery can be made easier and more effective by giving surgeons the ability to visualize the area of the body that will be the subject of the operation. Using the endoscope, images of tumours or other areas of abnormal growth can be obtained with minimal surgical interventions

 There are also a range of information, transaction and technology solutions that help consumers, physicians, providers and health planners navigate the complexity of the healthcare system including software solutions that facilitate medical practice generally. ‘Clinical Chart’  for example, is a full suite of electronic medical records applications that allows healthcare providers to computerize their patient records without disrupting the way they practice medicine, thus providing a seamless transition from the paper chart to the fully electronic medical record. It also embodies a powerful clinical tool that brings a snapshot of the patient's medical record to a single screen and gives the healthcare provider instant access to almost any level of underlying detail. Often used as a main menu, the ‘Chart view’ allows providers to view and modify many different components of a patient's medical record including recent health factors, lab results, medications, and other components of the chart.

 

[Above text is taken from a Landmark Public Lecture on ‘ICT Science and Medicine’ delivered by Engr Ndukwe at The College of Medicine, University of Nigeria in Enugu last week]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 167

AFRICAN VoIP ASSOCIATION MAY EMERGE SOON

Courtesy of ITEC, the African VoIP Forum is scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, on 14 and 15 December. The forum will provide a space for players to review recent developments in Africa, learn from best practices around the world, and map out future corporate, national and continental strategies for VoIP applications.

 

While South Africa and Kenya have become latest liberalizers of VoIP new initiatives are expected to blossom across the continent. In particular, Nigeria which has a dynamic telecom industry is being forecast to come up with one of the most radical game plans in the subject.

 

Several countries which are still debating the pros and cons of VoIP and trying to protect the vested interests of incumbent operators may end up seeing themselves left behind as more progressive markets reduce costs and multiply connections through the rapid deployment of IP-based solutions.

 

DEBT, DEBT, DEBT EVERYWHERE IN NIGERIA

New minds in economics may be required by the Nigerian telecom Regulator if the pervasive interconnect debt which is troubling Nigerian telcos is to be prevented from destablising the market. Chances are that some mobile providers may want to push for court intervention so debtor telcos do not go under while debt settlement discussions are going on.

 

At the centre of high-digit debts is NITEL which is virtually comatose just as a few PTOs are already into receivership. Chances are that not less than two firms may go under before the year comes to an end. Recently, MTN yanked off Intercellular subscribers but NCC stepped in to caution the big mobile operator on the need to follow due process.

 

CYBERSCHUUL GRADUATES LINUX INSTALLERS

8 of the 10 trainees who registered for the weekend LINUX training leading to a preparation for international certifications came out successful in the 10 weeks long program. The training which held 2.00pm – 6.00pm every Saturday was designed to prepare professionals who are otherwise engaged all weeklong but could spare their Saturday evening to take the hands-on tutorials. The Next batch of trainees will commence classes on October 30, 2004 for 10 weeks of repackaged and improved program. The training costs N35,000.00 only.

 

Payment can be made into any Branch of First Bank Plc [ credit account No 2412010004800 THE EXECUTIVE CYBERSCHUUL] and forward payment details to tec@cyberschuul.com 

 

For more information      tec@cyberschuul.com

 

RECYCLED COMPUTERS:

TOXIC DUMPS or DIGITAL BRIDGE ENABLERS?

There is a burgeoning market for used and refurbished computers in Nigeria, indeed in Africa and many of these computers have found their ways into our educational institutions.  The rationale for this has mostly that Africans cannot afford new computers, and that these 'refurbs' give an opportunity to get on the information superhighway and bridge the digital divide.

 

But are these premises true?  What are the benefits of refurbs to Africa and Africans?  What are the real issues at stake?  CYBERSCHUULNEWS, will serialise an article written by Dorcas Muthoni, a concerned African on the concept of used and refurbished computers, why the industrialised countries are sending them to Africa, and the long-term effects on Africa, our schools, and our children.

 

The first part will come up in the next edition and all opinion on the subject will be published as they come. Please watch out as it is explosive.

 

UTILISING INDIGENOUS TALENTS IN THE INTEREST OF THE NATION

                             By Adigun Ade ABIODUN                           

[Chairman, United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space]

 

Annually, on 15 August, when India celebrates the anniversary of its political independence from Britain, it does so by recalling its Scientific Policy Resolution of 1958 that proclaimed  and declared inter alia:

 

 ...... It is only through the scientific approach and method and the use of scientific knowledge that reasonable material and cultural amenities and services can be provided for every member of the community........ The Government of India has decided to pursue and accomplish these aims by offering good conditions of service to scientists and according them an honoured position, and by associating indigenous scientists with the formulation of (national) policies. 

 

By steadfastly following the terms of their respective national S&T policies and by enriching a science and technology culture nationally, China and India are now space powers, with the ability to build their own rockets, as well as build and launch a majority of their own satellites, space technology being only one of their many S&T achievements. The success story of Singapore is also hinged on the commitment of its government in promoting the development of science and technology, with a significant emphasis on research and development (R&D) activities whose results were transferred to the industry for subsequent translation into marketable products and technologies.

 

What is apparent from the Singapore example is that while the geographical size of a nation may endow it with a given amount of natural resources and thus a manifestation of its potential power, however, the real power of a country is measured in terms of its economic progress, i.e. the proven capacity and capability of that society to judiciously and determinedly exploit technologies and translate scientific knowledge into economic productivity. In the New World order of today and in the foreseeable future, we in Africa must realise that the mode of wealth creation is knowledge-based, technology driven and not commodity dependent. Such knowledge is also always at the disposal of those countries that have made the investments that would enable them to participate in and contribute to S&T inter-governmental deliberations and to negotiate for positions that are compatible with their national interests. The common denominator in all the examples cited above is the establishment, in each country, of long-term national goals, backed by the commitment of each nation's political leadership and succeeding governments, its private industries, the academic and research communities, and the general citizenry. For Africa and the African countries, NEPAD offers us a similar unique opportunity to do the same for Africa. 

 

Above all, both the Association of African Universities and the African Academy of Sciences, in cooperation with their affiliates around the continent, would need to steadfastly address a number of key pressing issues in each African country:

 

"           Continuous political and public education on the roles of S&T in development;

"           Harmonisation of education curricula as well as enhancement of standards;

"           Improvement in the quality of S&T education and research; and

"         Knowledge creation/development as opposed to technology transfer/acquisition.

 

The fulfillment of the above steps by any African country signifies its maturity and readiness to participate in the joint key S&T activities of NEPAD.

 

[Above text is excerpted from the paper 'AFRICA, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY- STAKES AND PROSPECTS ' which was presented at the UN recently by Dr Adigun Ade ABIODUN, Chairman, United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 166

PENTASCOPE UNDER PROBE

AS PARENT KPN IS SET TO CUT JOBS IN THE NETHERLANDS

With news coming out of the Netherlands that Dutch incumbent Royal KPN is to cut 750 jobs at its wireline division to combat the continuing effects of poor sales and downward pressure on prices, Nigerian parliamentarian may have got more reason to nail Pentascope on the matter of incompetence. KPN'S sack of its workers is an extension of previous restructuring plans - the telco has already revealed plans to cut 800 fixed line staff - and will affect the group's KPN Entercom Solutions unit, which commissions switches and alarm centres for its corporate clients. As a result of the decision, KPN will cut 140 jobs immediately, with the remainder to go next year.

 

KPN's story is making meaning in Nigeria only to the extent of its relationship with the failed and on going second attempt to privatize NITEL, Nigeria's ailing incumbent and First National Operator. KPN was mentioned as technical advisors to IILL which failed in its 2001 bid to buy 51% of NITEL and it was also recently mentioned in controversial circumstances as being farther-figure to Pentascope.  On KPN's website http://www.kpn-corporate.com/eng/kpn/?id=1&taal=eng however, a search for Pentascope, returned the statement "Sorry, no pages found with pentascope."

 

Facts on ground do not show that the consultants have a clue to NITEL's problems and politicians are looking into the books in apparent bid to ease them out. Several apologists of the consultants have threatened the dangers of breach of contract while the politicians seem bent on sacking the group for poor performance. 

 

M-tel, the Mobile subsidiary of NITEL which is also enjoying the management support of Pentascope has been clearly lackluster.

 

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS for REGULATION                                  

by  Ernest Ndukwe

 

Typically the role of the regulator is to encourage commercial enterprises and competition, prevent development of cartels and uncompetitive practices, remove barriers to market entry by new operators and oversee interconnection of new entrants with incumbent and dominant operators. The regulator will also be required to monitor ensure that rates are financially and economically reasonable, make sure that the service quality is of an acceptable standard, that customers are treated fairly and that operators extend their services to remote and rural areas.

 

Perhaps one key role of the regulatory body is to see to the optimal use and equitable allocation of scarce resources such as the frequency spectrum, numbers and rights of ways.

 

Enabling Laws:

The foundation for a successful regulatory environment is the enabling laws, which must be such that the regulatory body has the statutory powers to function effectively. Good regulation is essential to ensure the success of sector reforms.

Government Support:

The second important factor is the divestment of government from ownership of telecommunications operating entities. Governments will be more inclined to introduce significant competition in the market and strengthen the regulatory institution if they do not  also double as owners of telecommunications operators.

Independence:

Experience has shown that the independence of the regulatory body is essential to the successful performance of its role in the sector. Regulators need to be isolated from political or administrative pressures to be able to regulate the market fairly and earn confidence of investors, consumers and stakeholders.

Manpower:

it is also important that the body is endowed with requisite professional personnel in the legal, technical, financial, economic and general management areas. The personnel should adequately remunerated and be granted terms of employment which guarantee them minimum of independence.

Funding:

Without adequate funding a regulatory body will not be effective. Some regulators are funded out of general government budget appropriations while others are funded by revenues from licences and spectrum fees. The latter is generally preferred to guarantee the independence of the regulator and ensure that the regulatory function is not cash strapped, and therefore unable to offer professional services. Some NRA's in Africa are starved of basic funds essential for training, manpower development and operational effectiveness. The NRA must be financially independent to be effective in an environment characterized by operators with deep pockets. NRA's must be operationally and financially independent of network operators and service providers and must never depend on such entities for favours or handouts.

Consultations:

The sector regulation process must reflect the devised sector strategy. It is also important that all interested parties are given the opportunity to comment or male their case before a major decision that affects them is taken.

This strategy was adopted during the auction for 2G Digital mobile licenses in Nigeria. We started by publishing a Consultation document both on the NCC Website and in the print media. The comments received were taken into consideration in preparing the final bid documents.

 

Generally, it is true to say that unless perspectives of all interested parties are taken into consideration, regulators risk making decision that ignore important factors to their detriment.

 

Regulators must also realize that the bigger knowledge base is with the operators and other stakeholders in the field. Open consultation therefore are a major source of useful information for regulators. Regular consultations must therefore be integral part of the regulatory process for rule making decision making.

Regulatory Decisions

Rules of the game and procedures must be positive in character. Regulatory decision-making can be difficult and once made ultimately creates winners and losers in some cases.

 

However the principle of good regulatory decision making must always be adopted and these include: transparency, objectivity, professionalism, efficiency and fairness. Once these principles are applied regulators must be bold to make timely decisions. Some regulators, in attempt to avoid offending anyone, delay decisions or create unworkable compromises. This can lead to retarding the development of the sector. Delays in telecommunications investment can be very costly.

Licensing

Licensing criteria must be well articulated and publicly available. Terms and conditions of individual licenses must be investor friendly and also ensure consumer rights. Licensing processes must be transparent and timely. Exclusivity, where considered necessary, must be for a determined optimum number of operators and must ensure adequate competition and availability of choice. Prevention of anti- competitive conduct by dominant operators is crucial.

Interconnection

The regulatory environment should be such that new entrants are guaranteed seamless interconnection with the incumbents and dominant operators. The NRA must be strong enough to be able to enforce interconnection. Interconnection must be on non-discriminatory basis with respect to technical standard and specifications, rates and quality. Interconnection must be assured on a timely, transparent and reasonable manner. Interconnecting parties must have access to quick and independent dispute resolution process.

Consumer Protection

The consumer necessarily must be protected from any form of exploitative tendency and must be given a prime place in any consideration that involves the formulation of policies for the industry.

It is not acceptable for consumers to be treated as though the services provider/operator is doing them a favour as was the case during the era of monopoly. We are challenged every day to ensure that there is a good interface with the consumers of telecommunication services.

 

Operators are required to publish consumer codes of practice, which clearly state the rights of the consumer the services being offered, the channels for lodging complaints etc. They are also required to provide telephone numbers through which consumer complaints can be lodged. Operators are also to establish consumer care centers where complaints can be addressed quickly, effectively and efficiently.

 

The Nigerian Communications Commission is committed to ensuring that consumers have loud enough voices that will ensure that their interests are adequately protected.

 

In furtherance to this, we have initiated the consumer outreach program at various parts of the country, where operators meet with the consumers face to face to deal with complaints.

 

Recently we also launched the consumer parliament, which is widely televised nationally, to ensure that consumers are well educated and that their concerns are promptly dealt with.

 

CONCLUSION

The wave of liberalization of the telecommunications industry around the world has led to the emergence of over 124 new regulatory bodies within the last decade. The transition from the telecommunications environment dominated by a single government owned operator to a competitive, market-based environment has made regulatory intervention necessary. The role of the regulatory should not be seen as that of management of the sector but to initiate appropriate conditions to attract serious long term local and foreign investment; make and enforce rules that encourage service providers to complete effectively and deliver quality and affordable services to the consumers of their services.

 

To win confidence of the stakeholders, the regulatory must be independently and well funded. The regulatory body must also be staffed by professional, competent and well-remunerated personnel.

 

[The above text is excerpted from a recent paper presented by Engr Ernest Ndukwe, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, at the Annual Conference of The Nigerian Society of Engineers, Electrical Division]

 

VOIP ISSUES

                       AFRICA CAN ONLY GAIN FROM LEGALISING VOIP

                                                         by

                                            RODNEY WEIDEMANN

Africa only stands to gain through the legalisation of voice over IP (VoIP) technology, as it can allow developing nations to 'leapfrog' to the forefront of the telecommunications market. 

 

This is the view of Dan Powdermaker, senior VP for worldwide sales at iBasis, a VOIP provider, addressing delegates at the ITU Telecom Africa 2004 conference in Cairo. He said there are numerous myths surrounding the concept of VOIP, such as that it is an idea that does not work, it is a technology that can be blocked and it is designed to aid new entrants into the telecoms market, while hurting incumbent operators. 

 

"The reality is actually very different. Countries that enable this technology can only benefit from it, as can incumbents, because it does work well if it is done right," he said. "VOIP offers Africa the opportunity to increase traffic volumes and foster economic growth, reduce prices for consumers, accelerate time to market and facilitate new value-added services development." 

 

Powdermaker said that in terms of global trends, the regulatory environment is being relaxed and more regulators are enabling the technology. "This move reflects the fact that VOIP is here to stay, it is a technology that works and it is growing." 

 

According to Dr Yaw Osei-Amoako, sales director for Africa at telecoms services provider ITXC, VOIP is an essential component for the ICT roadmap for the continent. "It is something that will benefit both incumbents and new operators, since it offers different opportunities for growth."

 

He said incumbents can use VOIP to meet their regulatory obligations in terms of network roll-out, improve on network efficiency, maintain their competitiveness and complement or augment existing carrier agreements. At the same time, it offers new operators instant access to the global market, it is efficient and scalable, therefore a good starting point for new players, and it can be used to differentiate them from their competitors. 

 

"If the question is: should African providers adopt VOIP? I would reply that it is a well known and well established technology, so why are we even asking the question?" said John Stowe, MD for Africa at Net2Phone. He said VOIP fosters competition, as it is the easiest and cheapest way to enter the market. It also prevents inflated retail pricing, as it keeps termination costs down, while competition of any kind also sparks further innovation. 

 

"Packet-based technology is the only way to ensure affordable telecommunications for all Africans and is the best way to spark economic growth," concludes Stowe.

 

[Rodney Weidemann, Telecoms Editor for ITWEB. wrote the above on May 6, 2004]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 165

PRICE WAR IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS

MOBILE PHONES IN NIGERIA, VOIP IN USA

Cable companies and VoIP specialists such as Vonage and established telephone service providers such as AT&T are all attempting to attract Internet phone customers. The quality of voice transmissions varies, and it often falls short of that available for cellular plans.

 

Drops in pricing for two major Internet phone services signal the start of a price war as providers struggle to attract consumer attention. The rate cuts raise the question of whether anyone will ever make any money selling Internet-phone service. But AT&T  and Vonage, the two providers who slashed monthly fees by US$5 recently, have differing takes on whether further cuts will be necessary.

 

In Nigeria, MTN, VMOBILE and GLOBACOM are slashing activation charges as a piece of attraction to woo mobile phone users into their networks. Activation fees are however a one-off part of mobile phone bill in Nigeria. A few years back, MTN announced an Average Revenue Per User, ARPU of $53.00 [or N7,500.00 at the going rate] which was highest in Africa. That must have been hotly challenged by the coming of Globacom,  a startup SNO which may just be the provider to watch. Government-owned M-tel, the fourth Mobile Service Provider is occupied attending to other pressing problems as it recently lost seven topmost executives including the CEO to a sweeping sack by Government, so its not part of all these.

 

A CITIZEN'S CLUE TO ARRESTING INCESSANT FUEL PRICE HIKE

 

Dear Friends and Families,

 

I  hear we are going to hit close to N60.00 a gallon by the end of this month. Want petrol prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action. I, offered this good idea: This makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the ‘don’t buy gas on a certain day’ campaign that was going around during the telecomms siege! The  oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to  hurt ourselves by refusing to buy petrol. It was more of an inconvenience to us  than it was a problem for them. 

 

BUT, whoever thought of this idea, has come up  with a plan that can really work. Please  read it and join with us! By  now you're probably thinking petrol priced at about N53.00 is criminal. Me  too! And it's only going to get worse. We all  know that we're being screwed by the oil companies. Does everyone remember how  they drove up the prices way past an affordable price. Remember how, many people can't afford cooking gas now? Remember how people use coal to cook now? Kerosene is way past what most people can afford now!! All these in a petroleum producing country!! It is terrible, criminal and very upsetting. 

 

What we need to do now is take an aggressive action to teach them  that BUYERS control the marketplace....not sellers. With the price of petrol going up more each day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the price of petrol come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook  by not purchasing from them! And we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves. How? 

 

Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying petrol. But we CAN have an impact on petrol prices if we all act together to force a price war. 

 

Here's the idea: For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase  petrol from the two biggest companies (which now are one), MOBIL and TOTAL. If they are not selling, they will be inclined to reduce their  prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow  suit. But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Mobil and Total petrol buyers. It's really simple to do!! Now, don't wimp out on me at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!! I am sending this note to at least thirty  people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) .. and those  300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000)...and so on, by the time the  message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over  THREE MILLION consumers! If those three million get excited and pass this on to  ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!! Again, all You have to do is send this to 10 people. That's all (If you don't understand how we can reach 300 million and all you have to do is send this to 10 people... Well, let's face it, you just aren't a mathematician.

 

But I  am . so trust me on this one.) How long would all that take? If  each of us sends this email out to ten more people within one day of receipt,  all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!!!  I'll bet you I didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you! Acting  together we can make a difference. If this makes sense to you, please pass this  message on.

 

PLEASE HOLD OUT UNTIL THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES AND KEEP THEM DOWN. THIS CAN REALLY  WORK!!!!!!!

 

PLEASE take a few minutes and pass this on to  everyone you know!! If you can't e-mail it to at least ten people, please print  out a bunch of copies and hand it out to your family and friends!!

 

NO  MORE MOBIL AND TOTAL FOR ME!!!! 

 

[This letter , unedited,  is flying around on the Internet]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 164

INDIA LAUNCHES EDUSAT-1

Edusat-1, India’s educational communications satellite was launched September 20, 2004 at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, India. It carries six extended C band and six Ku band transponders. The six C band and one of the Ku band transponders provide coverage of the whole of India. The remaining five Ku transponders feed spot beams which provide coverage of the northern, north-eastern, eastern, southern and western areas of India.

 

Edusat-1 will be co-located with Insat-3C and Kalpana-1 at 74° E.

 

… but RISKS SACK FROM GLOBAL 3G

The Indian telecommunications regulator, TRAI, is currently considering a proposal to release spectrum at 1900 MHz that not only favours specific technologies, but also directly overlaps and clashes with the ITU band, reserved globally for 3G services. The 1900 MHz band is often referred to as the “US PCS” band. If India does that , the country may be removed from the international 3G family.

 

Analysts do not think India is unaware of the implications of such a move and  the decision may be a lesson in self actualization, a lesson indeed to upcoming networks of developing economies.

 

CALIXTHUS MOVES ON

It is old news that Mr. Calixthus Okoruwa erstwhile image maker for MTN Nigeria has moved out of the big GSM firm. What is news is that his new outfit is called XLR8 pronounced as ‘excelerate’. Nice guy, if you ask me. Wish him all the best

 

MTN is Building Three Networks

                                                  by

                            Adrian Wood (CEO, MTN Nigeria)

 

One of the largely unknown difficulties facing our 350+ NWG team [MTN's Network Group] is that they are building not one network, but three networks simultaneously.

 

All GSM operators worldwide design, construct and maintain the GSM network, made up of the base stations system and the core GSM voice and data switching infrastructure. That is normal.

 

However in Nigeria, NWG has two other massive engineering projects under its purview: constructing a nation-wide backbone transmission infrastructure, as well as a national electric power system.

 

The enormity of these two additional projects is difficult to imagine. But here are some facts to consider:

When the original "Y'elloBahn" backbone was commissioned on 20th January 2003, it comprised of 3,400 kilometres of STM-I capacity digital transmission microwave. STM-I is approximately 1,900 equivalent long-haul telephone trunk circuits.

Within weeks it became apparent that four trouble spots would necessitate re-engineering and upgrade. Then from July 2003, Y'elloBahn Phase 2 was commenced, which consists of quadrupling the most heavily congested links (such as Lagos-Ibadan, Port Harcourt-Onitsha) to 4 x STM-I (7,600 equivalent trunks).

Where the quad-size Y'elloBahn has been installed, the original microwave radio equipment has been re-deployed along additional route kilometres.

 

By now we have nearly 5,000 kilometres in service. Phase 2 will be completed mid-2004 when Y'elloBahn extends to 7,900 km of wideband digital highway.

That's more than the distance from Capetown to Cairo. An absolutely incredible feat in just two years.

 

THE THIRD NETWORK

The third network is our Y'elloWatts power system that keeps the whole MTN system at peak performance 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Each base station is implemented with twin 13 KVA or 15 KVA generators and a large diesel tank.

 

Expensive power management electronics are installed at every site, to provide clean electricity and protection for the highly sensitive base station circuitry.

 

In addition, larger energy centres are installed at the switch centres (we currently have 16 MSC's in service, with 5 more currently being installed).

 

The Y'elloWatts grid produces over 15 megawatts per day, needs well over 1 million litres of diesel fuel per month and hundreds of tanker delivery runs. Bearing in mind that the MTN national system will in due course need 4,500 to 5,000 base stations, the build-out is now only about 15% complete.

The investment and costs of maintaining constant power to the national network will be enormous.

 

[Adrian Wood is MTN’s outgoing CEO in Nigeria]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 163

OPPORTUNITIES AS

NEPAD ESTABLISHES YOUTH PANEL

The NEPAD Youth Expert Panel is a project of the African Youth Leadership Program, of the Centre for Development Action International. 

 

The NEPAD program was created by African Heads of State and aimed at fighting poverty, consolidating democracy and good governance, fostering trade, investment, economic, growth and sustainability.

 

Objective of the Youth Panel is to first, support youth mainstreaming in the implementation of the NEPAD goals through the three tiers of the NEPAD implementation framework. 

 

The panelists shall operate from national constituencies, and global alliances to provide the services required by the broad implementation institutions and mechanisms of the NEPAD Programme. The Panel will consist of one representative from each country selected through a process that is gender sensitive and with intellectual diversity as well as knowledge of the African development environment.

 

Interested persons with the following background can request for an application form:

- Articulate and if you are bilingual will be an added advantage

- Should not be more than 30 years of age

- References to an intellectual capacity or active developmental involvements.

All enquiry and request for application forms should be received latest by 27th of September 2004 and attaching a Personal Profile.

 

The Project was conceptualized through an IIE grant of the Ford Foundation Office for West Africa. Application request should be addressed to the attention of:

Officer-in-Charge

Centre for Development Action International

12 Agboyin Avenue, Off Adelabu Street

Surulere, Lagos State, Nigeria

 

For more information                           ainpolicy@yahoo.com

 

'Mr. 1ST WIRELESS' GOES TO THE ALTAR NOVEMBER 13

Reuben Muoka, Image maker for MTS First wireless, is a man who discusses his company and its services with passion. Boy.., not for nothing. Words reaching CYBERSCHUULNEWS say that Azuka will drag Reuben to the Altar in Lagos and we shall all end up at The National Theatre main bowl to 'make our calls' on plenty of rice and stew. Guess who'll be Chairman. The Telecom czar.

 

When in December 2003, a few in-house members  showed up in Oko, Anambra state for the pre-wedding traditional rites and Reuben was asked when our  Lagos event would hold, he told us to 'wait until after Roll-out'. With MTS' successful Roll out and an upwardly mobile and brilliant showing in the market, the waiting has been worth its while. The CYBERSCHUUL Community wishes Rueben and Azuka the best of their everlasting union.

 

3G : WCDMA vs. CDMA2000 1X EV-DO

In the US, the GSM family of network technologies dominates the wireless market with more than 850 million subscribers, far more than the rival CDMA family of technologies, with only about 150 million subscribers. However, the next generation of the CDMA-family, CDMA2000 1X EV-DO, has caught on much faster than the next iteration in the GSM-family, WCDMA. Technology market research firm ABI closely tracks the developments in these network technologies and estimates that currently there are about 20 live WCDMA and CDMA2000 1X EV-DO networks competing for subscribers.

 

The 3G revolution began with the launch of the FOMA/WCDMA network by NTT DoCoMo in 2001 with a few additional carriers following since then. In the CDMA camp, SK Telecom was the first operator to launch a CDMA2000 1X EV-DO network in early 2002.

 

After billions of dollars spent on 3G licensing, most European operators have delayed their plans to launch WCDMA networks until technical and market hurdles are overcome. Unlike the handset interoperability issues with the GSM to WCDMA upgrade, CDMA2000 1X EV-DO handsets are backward compatible, thereby easing the transition to advanced networks. This improves the overall user experience initially as it enables seamless roaming for areas not yet upgraded while mitigating the financial burden on wireless carriers. ABI therefore estimates that the adoption rate will remain higher among CDMA users for EV-DO networks, though over time, WCDMA subscribers will out number those for EV-DO

 

This trend has been witnessed in Asia, with NTT DoCoMo in Japan and SK Telecom in South Korea. NTT DoCoMo had a rough time gathering customers in the last 18 months, with the situation only turning around in March of this year. By June 2003, the operator reported 530,000 users-about a third of what SK Telecom achieved in the same time period with their CDMA 1X EV-DO network. Currently, SK telecom has nearly 1.5 million EV-DO subscribers.

 

"This trend will reverse, as technical hurdles are crossed and operators turn the switch on WCDMA networks in Europe," explains ABI analyst Kenil Vora. "Over time, WCDMA subscribers will out number those for EV-DO networks," he adds. ABI does not expect any additional large-scale launches for the remainder of 2003.

 

The report, "Wireless Network Operator Strategies," examines the approaches adopted by major global operators and provides a realistic outlook on where the industry is headed. The report also includes deployment projections for WCDMA, CDMA2000, EDGE, MMS and Wi-Fi technologies, as adopted by various operators. The study is available as a standalone report or as part of ABI's Wireless Operators Subscription Service.

 

[Culled from www.3g.co.uk  ]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 162

i.  MTS DISENGAGES TMP

Citing breach of contract as reason, MTS First wireless has announced the disengagement of Messers Telecoms Management Partners As, a Norwegian consultancy which had been warming up to go into the second phase of Management assistance for the telco after about a year of roll-out support. Mr. David Greenberg, ex-Motorola, ex-Optimus who was pioneer Managing Director of  MTS Nigeria Ltd in the early 90's was last Monday evening appointed as the new Managing Director in acting capacity.

 

The matter of breaches and poor corporate behaviour on the part of foreign techies who are in Nigeria for contract services is rising by the day as many are known to regard Nigeria as a haven for corruption where indecent juices can be tapped with impunity. They may be making a mistake if they think private firms are similar to government bureaucracies.

 

ii.  REPS OPEN COURT FOR PENTASCOPE

The lower House of The National Assembly in Abuja appears set to deal a blow on Pentascope, the startup Dutch consultancy which, 18 months ago commenced a 'foreign coach' approach of restructuring and preparing NITEL, Nigeria's First national operator for privatization. The politicians may be anxious to see the end of the consultant's contract which they say is untidy and unfavorable to Nigeria.

 

Contracts signed though, NITEL has not put new telephone lines into the Network since the bailout started and the company has increased local call charge rates twice in four months, an action which other telcos wait for to move tariff up. Pentascope's sympathizers cite the amount of work which they have done in the areas of improving the IP-readiness of the company but the secrecy with which such developments take place put a question mark on the consultants' motives. The argument goes that the spirit of inviting foreign friends of the consultants to 'come and eat' are facts the politicians have stumbled on and they do not see Nigerians profiting from the entire arrangement.

 

It is difficult to know at the moment who will blink first.

 

New Start-Up Breed: Born in the USA, Made in India

By Narayanan Madhavan

 

Multinationals have trimmed the fat for years by shifting low-value work to India. Now, slim Silicon Valley start-ups are leading a new outsourcing wave, moving cutting-edge product development to Bangalore and beyond. 

 

The start-ups have their top managers and sales teams in the United States, but design products in India, where high-tech engineers earn a third of their U.S. counterparts. 

 

While the 1,800 firms in India's technology capital have focused on lower-value services such as call centers and software coding, companies are now tapping low-cost expertise in a corporate global village where location is not important. 

 

"Companies don't have passports," Indian venture capitalist Abhay Havaldar declares bluntly. 

 

The new hybrid firms have, inevitably, spawned new consultant jargon, such as 'right-shoring', 'any-shoring' and 'smart-sourcing' -- all signs that they now care more about what they do than where they do it.

 

B.V. Naidu, Bangalore's director of the Software Technology Parks of India, says 50 start-ups have registered in the past year, employing at least 500 people, and with plans to grow. 

 

The numbers are small for an Indian outsourcing industry that already exports $12.5 billion worth of software and back-office services, and employs 800,000 low-cost, English-speaking workers. 

 

But the start-up numbers are for Bangalore alone, and other cities like Hyderabad, Madras and Pune are not far behind. 

 

Naidu spotted the trend as early as 2000, but it was stymied by the bursting of the dot.com boom. 

 

"Some of them are still around," Naidu said. "The first wave was in 2000. The second wave is now."

 

[Above is culled from Reuters]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 161

NIMN REVIEWS NEPAD’s ICT PLANS

Strategic requirements and contribution of marketing, telecommunications and ICT to NEPAD initiatives were reviewed at the recent annual conference of the National Institute of Marketing, Nigeria, NIMN. Between Prof. Luiz Moutinho of The University of Glasgow and Engr Titi Omo-Ettu of Telecom Answers Associates the following African indices of development were revealed and used to evaluate the subject matter.

Africa

Population         816million

1 in every 4, [205million] have radio

1 in every 13, [62million] have a TV

1 in every 35, [24million] have a mobile phone

1 in every 40, [20million] have a fixed phone

1 in every 130, [5.9million] have a PC

1 in every 160, [5million] use the Internet

1 in every 400, [ 2m] have a pay TV

Nigeria

Population         131million

15,000 workers in telecom industry in year 2000

25,000 workers in telecom industry in year 2004

1 in 25, [5.3million phones, fewer number of users though] use mobile phones in 2004

7,000 telecom engineering workers required by 2010 for Nigeria’s forecasts.

NEPAD’s ICT initiative has shown promise in several ways.

 

ITU Focuses on Next Generation Networks

Two new important Focus Groups have been established in the ITU's Telecommunication Standardization Sector dealing with standardization for Next Generation Networks (NGN).  Focus Groups are an instrument created by ITU–T to provide an additional working environment for the quick development of standards in specific areas. The procedure in ITU-T Recommendation. A.7 defines how an "arms-length" entity (called a "Focus Group" in ITU-T parlance) can be created to work with an ITU–T Study Group as a parent body while at the same time maintaining a high degree of independence, in particular concerning working methods, types of outputs, membership, financing, and administration.

 

The first is the Focus Group on Next Generation Networks. Over 100 experts from telecommunication service providers and manufacturers participated in FG NGN's first meeting in Geneva, 23 - 25 June 2004, The objectives of the Focus Group are to develop specifications in the areas of NGN nomadicity, Quality of Service in DSL, authentication, security and signalling. Access to the input documents into the first meeting as well as the output reports of various working groups are available, which focused on priority areas of study and deliverables.

 

The second group is the Focus Group on Open Communications Architecture Forum (OCAF). The objectives of the Focus Group are to agree on specifications for a set of components for a new carrier grade open platforms that will accelerate deployment of NGN infrastructure and services. The specifications will encourage development of and availability of low cost standardized Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) components to be integrated in the platform. From the OCAF Charter (Word):

 

The Open Communications Architecture Forum (OCAF) Focus Group consists of industry leaders teaming to build on the theme of accelerating the cost benefits of the adoption of COTS technology through the Carrier Grade Open Environment (CGOE). CGOE roadmap is based on open industry standards for the integration of COTS servers, COTS storage, COTS data and voice communications equipment, carrier grade features of Linux, and COTS middleware to deliver integrated carrier class platforms for next generation network elements such as call controllers, radio network controllers, media gateways, feature servers, etc.

 

[Culled from    http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/newslog/categories/voip ]

 

 

 

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AT LAST, SA LEGALISES VOIP

In South Africa, a new Telecommunications Act which, in real terms, has now liberalized the industry and made conscious effort to reduce costs, stimulate competition and expand the availability of services, emerged last week. The long awaited legalization of VoIP services has now been confirmed in law. But implementation is postdated to February 1, 2005.

 

Among others, a particularly radical component of the new regulation is the clause which makes public schools and further education training institutions to be entitled to a 50% discount on all telecommunications calls to an Internet Service Provider, any connection or similar fees or charges levied by an ISP for accessing the Internet or transmitting and receiving any signals via the Internet.

 

ii.  NITEL'S PRE-PAID BILLING RUNS INTO A HITCH

All went quiet in Lagos last week when NITEL, Nigeria's First National Operator and largest fixed wired telephone service provider, was to have commenced its advertised prepaid billing. Official reason was that users of the company's services were still being educated. Lagosians however did not appear to have bought that version of the story. More like the company could not react smartly to the demand of a switch over to the new platform. A 30% tariff increase [on top of the 30% which was announced few months earlier] had been woven into the prepaid announcement and it is not known if implementation of the hike would also be held back.

 

Heavy debt burden dictated that prepaid billing would check uncontrollable customer indebtedness especially on the part of government bureaucracies which were the major customers of the ailing incumbent. NITEL is currently being managed by Pentascope, Dutch consultants whose public posturing when they took over the affairs of the company first quarter of 2003 showed that they did not have a first hand understanding of the company's actual problems. 'How do you solve a problem you do not know?' someone once queried in those early days.

 

Nigerians are still awaiting the pleasantness of putting an additional telephone line into the network since the undertakers took over in NITEL.

 

2.   TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

i.  IMT-2000

International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) is the global standard for third generation (3G) wireless communications, defined by a set of interdependent ITU Recommendations. IMT-2000 provides a framework for worldwide wireless access by linking the diverse systems of terrestrial and/or satellite based networks. It will exploit the potential synergy between digital mobile telecommunications technologies and systems for fixed and mobile wireless access systems. So  says ITU in a recent publication. ITU is known to have evangelised packet technology as the future transport core technology for the Next Generation Networks in its release 99, 4 and 5 standards.

 

For more on standards    :    www.itu.int

 

ii.  THE WORLD PAYS ATTENTION TO NIGERIA ON CDMA

CDMA vendors are paying attention to Nigeria where the forecast is high that several more fixed wireless operators may deploy the 2000 1X. The latest Nigerian operator to invest in the technology, MTS, is showing promise and that may open a floodgate of investment in the standard. The Chinese in the names of  Huawei, ZTE, Chinaputian Eastcom are particularly making aggressive inroad into the Nigerian market where Operators who had invested in 1X include Multilinks[Nortel], Intercellular[ Motorola, ZTE], Starcoms[Ercisson, Huawei], RelTel[Ericsson] and ITN. A few others are known to be holding meetings in China.

 

In November2002, NICOMM 2002 devoted attention to the strength of packet technology and presentations by  Ericsson, and Dr Augustine Odinma of Lucent technologies articulated the promise of the standard. Since then, Nigeria has not been the same especially in the face of a vigilant industry regulation.

 

Does mobile technology hold the key

to widening access to ICTs in Africa?

 

Mobile subscriber numbers in Africa have increased by over 1000% between 1998 and 2003 to reach 51.8 million. Mobile user numbers have long passed those of fixed line, which stood at 25.1 million at the end of 2003. In its latest publication African Telecommunication Indicators 2004, issued on the occasion of ITU TELECOM AFRICA 2004 taking place in Cairo, Egypt from 4-8 May, ITU examines the reasons behind the continent's rapid mobile sector expansion and explores the sector's future avenues for growth. "Mobile technology is the Information Society in Africa", explains Michael Minges, Head of ITU's Market, Economics and Finance Unit and lead author of the African Telecommunications Indicators 2004 report. "It is a technology that has permeated more widely than any other into new areas, and we must examine how we can utilize this technology going forward, to help narrow the digital divide."

 

Rapid Growth

Mobile telephony has been critical in boosting access to telecommunications in Africa and has helped substantially lift numbers of telecommunications users. Mobile penetration had reached 6.2% at the end of 2003, in contrast to 3% for fixed line. The rise of mobile usage has been driven by a combination of factors: demand, sector reform, the licensing of new competition and the emergence of major strategic investors.

 

[Above is excerpted from an ITU Press release]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 159

AT LAST, SA LOOSENS UP ON GRIP OVER VOIP

The new South Africa's Telecommunications Act has in several ways now liberalized the industry and made conscious effort to reduce costs, stimulate competition and expand the availability of services. The long awaited legalization of VoIP services has now been confirmed in law. But implementation is postdated to February 1, 2005.

 

Among others, a particularly radical departure from the past is the clause which makes public schools and further education training institutions to be entitled to a 50% discount on all telecommunications calls to an Internet Service Provider, any connection or similar fees or charges levied by an ISP for accessing the Internet or transmitting and receiving any signals via the Internet.

 

NITEL'S PRE-PAID BILLING RUNS INTO A HITCH

All went quiet in Lagos last week when NITEL, Nigeria's First National Operator and largest fixed wired telephone service provider, was to have commenced its advertised prepaid billing. Official reason was that users of the company's services were still being educated. Lagosians however did not appear to have bought that version of the story. More like the company could not react smartly to the demand of a switch over to the new platform. A 30% tariff increase had been woven into the prepaid announcement and it is not known if implementation of that would also be held back.

 

Heavy debt burden dictated that the prepaid billing would check the uncontrollable customer indebtedness especially on the part of government bureaucracies which were the major customers of the ailing monopoly. NITEL is currently being managed by Pentascope, Dutch consultants whose public posturing when they took over the affairs of the company first quarter of 2003 showed that they did not have a first hand understanding of the company's actual problems. 'How do you solve a problem you do not know?' someone once queried in those early days.

 

Nigerians are still awaiting the pleasant surprise of putting an additional telephone line into the network since the undertakers took over in NITEL.

 

 

 

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

 

IMT 2000

International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) is the global standard for third generation (3G) wireless communications, defined by a set of interdependent ITU Recommendations. IMT-2000 provides a framework for worldwide wireless access by linking the diverse systems of terrestrial and/or satellite based networks. It will exploit the potential synergy between digital mobile telecommunications technologies and systems for fixed and mobile wireless access systems. So  says ITU in a recent publication.

 

Does mobile technology hold the key to widening access to ICTs in Africa?

 

Mobile subscriber numbers in Africa have increased by over 1000% between 1998 and 2003 to reach 51.8 million. Mobile user numbers have long passed those of fixed line, which stood at 25.1 million at the end of 2003. In its latest publication African Telecommunication Indicators 2004, issued on the occasion of ITU TELECOM AFRICA 2004 taking place in Cairo, Egypt from 4-8 May, ITU examines the reasons behind the continent's rapid mobile sector expansion and explores the sector's future avenues for growth. "Mobile technology is the Information Society in Africa", explains Michael Minges, Head of ITU's Market, Economics and Finance Unit and lead author of the African Telecommunications Indicators 2004 report. "It is a technology that has permeated more widely than any other into new areas, and we must examine how we can utilize this technology going forward, to help narrow the digital divide."

 

Rapid Growth

 

Mobile telephony has been critical in boosting access to telecommunications in Africa and has helped substantially lift numbers of telecommunications users. Mobile penetration had reached 6.2% at the end of 2003, in contrast to 3% for fixed line. The rise of mobile usage has been driven by a combination of factors: demand, sector reform, the licensing of new competition and the emergence of major strategic investors.

[Above is excerpted from an ITU Press release]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 158

NITEL HIKES PHONE CHRAGES AGAIN

Few months after NITEL, Nigeria’s First National Operator, raised its local call charge from N4.30 to N6.50, it has again taken it up to N8.50 in the mileu of a prepaid billing platform which commences September 1, 2004. Such hikes are signs of ill-health and analysts are saying the hikes are palliatives which cannot take the SNO out of its troubled waters. Nothing short of privatization can save the head of that ailing firm.

 CYBERSCHUULNEWS EDITION 149 REPORTED AS FOLLOWS

 NITEL HIKES PHONE TARIFF

'When a telco is suffocating, it lowers prices. When it is asthmatic, it hikes them' is a common dictum in telecommunications industry parlance. Chances are that NITEL is asthmatic as it went on a rigmarole of surprise price hike last week. It raised its local charge rate by 50% from N4.30 to N6.50.

 

The significance of its action is in the fact that it is the benchmark for industry tarrification in Nigeria. NITEL's fortune had been on a steady decline in the past ten years as it never recovered to its early 90's best fiscal performances. But matters reached a head when its monopoly was withdrawn legally in 1992, practically in 1998 and radically in 2000 when several PTO's came into the market. Today there are 25 other PTOs and NITEL, which is being restructured under a 'foreign coach' approach preparatory to privatization, appears to need only one solution to make it retain its current market share. Miracle.

 

The guy who announced the apparent panic measures said the company's fortunes are very promising.

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 157

AFRIHUB to launch 40 ICT Parks in Nigeria in 3 years,

The digital reality in ICT application for educational in Nigeria may debut on October 1, 2004 when plans which AFRIHub has disclosed to CYBERSCHUULNEWS it is consolidating come on stream.

 

Prof Manny Aniebonam, Consultant to AFRIHUB and President of Association of Nigerian IT Professional in America, NITPA, who is championing the initiative says The Nsukka and Enugu Parks will go live on Independence anniversary day, October 1, 2004 and 5 of the 40 parks  would have opened up by December 2004.

 

In addition, Manny says AFRIHUB will:

1. Market Bandwidth at affordable rates to corporations, SME's and  individual homes

2. Partner with Nigerian universities

3. Partner with US universities to provide online access to Nigerian  students, and visiting faculty to teach at the parks

4. Partner with Nigerian IT professionals in the Diaspora as resource people - thereby reversing the brain drain syndrome

5. Provide International cyberCenter with highspeed internet access capable of dowloading gigabytes of data in seconds

6. Train students in software development, Technical Management, Project management, telecom and help desk support

7. Certify programs for graduates to international level

8. Provide Campus entertainment 

 

For more information          mannya@afrihub.com

 

ii.  NCC OKAYS RECHARGE CARD MANUFACTURERS

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC recently pulled a snap reaction to industry murmuring over the permit for scratch card manufacturers by publishing a list of approved vendors. Industry activists were on the verge of mounting a campaign against possible emergence of a cartel of investors who would want the number of manufacturers to be limited to a few. Responsive as ever, the NCC opened up the field and a total of 14 applicants were given permission. The Commission says the exercise is continuous.

 

In 1992 when NITEL commenced its analogue mobile phone system, it appointed only three agents as outlets for its services and it signaled the death knell of its services which refused to grow for all its 7 years life before 1999.

 

iii.  USTA GOES TO COURT AGAIN

The United States Telecom Association, USTA recently asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to mandate that the Federal Communications Commission, FCC abandon its temporary freeze on the wholesale rates regional phone companies charge their competitors to lease phone lines. The companies and the USTA argue the six-month freeze was a violation of an earlier ruling by the same court ordering the FCC to scrap the rules.

 

iv.  INDIA ATTAINS 100% eLITERACY in MALAPPURAM

Malappuram, a sleepy Muslim- dominated district, has become the India’s first district to achieve 100 percent e-literacy. More than 600 computer centres have been networked under Project "Akshaya" to make the district the first fully networked rural area in the country. 

 

It is a unique development initiative implemented through 617 IT (information technology) hubs for providing a range of e-services to the local community. 

 

"Today Malappuram is the best connected district in India, as the whole of the district has been turned into a rural hotspot with wireless connectivity extending across the district...Such an infrastructure has the potential of delivering various kinds of services. It can be rural e-commerce, e-learning, vocational training," Kerala IT secretary Aruna Sunderarajan said. 

 

The project was launched two years ago by technocrat-turned- President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The IT centres impart computer training to at least one person per family in the district. 

 

Internet has come as a big boon to women as a sizeable percentage of the menfolk work abroad, especially in Gulf countries. "Earlier, the families had great problems communicating with them through the phone. But after the IT revolution here, it has greatly helped the women folk to interact with their husbands over the Internet," Zeenath, a Muslim woman who runs one of the computer learning centres, said.

 

 Malappuram now has a network of backbone connectivity and the front-end e-centres are connected through broadband wireless technology. With more than 630 computer learning centres across the district, the accessibility of the internet kiosks has helped bridge the digital divide for the common people.

 

[Culled from ANI]

 

Tosin Otitoju

A Genius Destined To Take On The World

Lagos based infant, Tosin Otitoju  was never your typical toddler. At age 14 months, she could read with effortless ease. A year later, she spoke English and Yoruba fluently, and at the age of 4, she was several years ahead of her peers. Interestingly, she and her four younger siblings have demonstrated inexplicable similar traits. This Islander is blessed with exceptional academic talent and her achievements increases with each successive challenge. Here in the country, she proved beyond any reasonable doubt at nursery, primary and secondary schools that she is not the girl next door, for she piled awards  upon awards with quantum equanimity, and right now in the USA, she is on course for superstardom having been acknowledged by academicians and officials of the U.S. government as a rare talent.......Tosin Otitoju is Island's genius of international repute.  [Culled from Island news]

 

For details get your free copy of Island News.

 

4.   ESSAY

                      THE DIFERENCE IS HERE

                                                   by

                                           titi omo-ettu

Between NITEL and MTS Firstwireless one wonders who should have been stealing the show at these times. NITEL with its experience and spread should be the firm to watch in this market that is now becoming truly competitive. But the MTS guys are the ones pulling the strings and doing the wonders now. MTS launched its services first by  a cautious technical launch few months ahead of a stylish commercial launch[ Boy, you need to be there. I was!!] and has gone ahead to announce product options which show class, experience, and the wherewithal. On top of all that, it has got the technology.

 

When I stumbled on some of its literature and went to hear its executives speak about their network and products, I was so excited I had to make my second phone subscription since this good dispensation started in 2001. I certainly cannot carry two phones around and it now seems I have got one that I will go around with, at least while I am in Lagos. It is a fixed wireless system but the technology allows you to move around with it, limited only by law.

 

When I heard about its juicy facilities and features I did not believe until I confirmed from Reuben Muoka the man who makes image for MTS. The bubbling gentleman sounds like he just returned from a course in telecommunications marketing and if that is the kind of language we shall expect from these guys then the different days are already here. Thanks to MTS. I understand it is going into the hinterlands soon. Now we are talking.

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 156

MTS BLOWS THE COMPETITION WHISTLE

True competition got at the starting blocks a few days ago in Nigeria when MTS Firstwireless launched commercial fixed wireless services[ after a painstaking warm-up technical exercises] and made amazing tariff packages which will truly toss  challenges in the industry. Informed analysts saw this as a revolutionary game plan which could only have come from an experienced and tested service provider. MTS which was the first to offer wireless and analog cellular services in collaboration with NITEL in the early 90's went into coma courtesy of its bedmate NITEL which was, then, all out to stifle competition. It made a comeback via a salad of strategic licenses which include fixed wireless, long distance carrier and a bundle of Internet and IP based services. It capped all up by investing in the CDMA 1X to put itself in the class of the masters. Nigeria may just not be the same again!

 

Ready!..... Box!

 

ii.  VMOBILE GOES INTO GOVT HANDS

The guy who took over chairmanship of VMobile which is still swimming in heavy tide is actually the Commissioner for finance in Lagos State. Who pays the piper, eh? This makes 'strategic' sense to the Lagos government since it will now be possible to shift attention away from the founders' fee issue and enable the embattled company face its business. Analysts had always wondered about the wisdom in governments making direct cash investments into telecommunications at a time when government [federal] was washing its hands clean of NITEL. Is government different from government?, one analyst queried when 3 state governments bought into ECONET, now VMOBILE. Time they said, would tell and it is telling.

 

Government taking over a firm is like the military taking over a government.

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 155

MTS ROLLS OUT IN STYLE

MTS Firstwireless, provider of Fixed wireless and long distance carrier services in Nigeria showed  its popularity  by attracting an unprecedented turnout of the entire telecommunications industry August 9 at its roll out ceremony. It  was a carnival, if you ask me. Who says the telecom industry is not bubbling!

 

When Ya hoo refuses to hoo!

                                         by

                               Edward Popoola

                                   me@edwardpopoola.com

 

 

A close look at the many cyber café's we have in Nigeria will reveal the dismal use of the internet for productive activities. The internet has a lot of applications running on it, but the mostly used one today is the email.

 

However good the email might be, it should not be the only thing we spend many nights doing on the net. The mostly used email provider in Nigeria today is the yahoo. What if you wake up one day and yahoo refuses to hoo! What will you divert all the time you spend on yahoo mail to? Is that the end of your 'browsing'?

 

The Internet has been described as a mighty house that has many doors of opportunities within it. One door leads to the other and so on. Why not take some time out to check what it has in store for you.

 

e-Business

Nigeria has a great potential for e-business [not necessarily e-commerce]. For an example, as a small business owner with a lot of people doing the same thing I do. I have an advantage of competing favourably even with the biggest of firms in the world with the level of my internet presence. In the US today, quite a number of companies providing web hosting services actually started out from the garage, small apartments and bedrooms. All they needed was the internet access, the Softwares and the skills to deploy them.

 

For the Nigerian economy to blossom once again, it has been identified that encouraging small scale businesses is the key. As a student, young person[or an adult] while you are still in school or during the break, you could start up a small scale business. You need not worry about sales while starting up, all you need to worry about is to get people to know who you are and what you have to offer. The internet is there to help you out with this. With it, you can go places. Just give it a try.

 

You could use the email, mailing lists and discussion groups to let people know about what you do. Get a website for yourself and focus on getting people to know about the website. If your product is worth buying people will keep coming and coming. It is amazing how Nigerian websites are springing up today, and a lot of people are visiting them. We are all waiting for yours too.

 

A lot of companies are out there looking for an opportunity to get to the internet. They want web presence. They need websites that will not only push their market forward but will also boost their international and national corporate image. For the few people that have the skill of web development, all they need do is to make the designs and present them to these companies, if the companies were so pleased, then the price is theirs to dictate.

 

Web development skill is one of the simplest skill you can easily acquire in Information Technology. You can learn them on your own. It doesn't matter whether you are in the art or the sciences, it doesn't matter whether you are a teenager or an adult. In the US and India today, we have heard about under 12 year old kids deploying the power of the Internet through web technologies. That's an indication that you can do something.

 

Learning Centre

 

The internet has also been identified as the greatest library in the world. "What is it that thou looketh for?, Verily, verily I say unto you, they all on the internet". From the history of the Egyptian pyramids to that of the United States. From the laws of nature to the laws guiding human existence, from the mathematical statements Albert Einstein adopted to elementary factorization methods, from the secret of the codes behind online e-commerce sites and software [except windows OS codes] to that behind Walt Disney sites, they are all on the internet. Learning has never been easy. All you need do is to go to your favourite search engines and search.

 

Take time to learn about the features of your favourite search engines, there are more to these search sites than just search and leave, they offer a lot of other fascinating services as well.

 

Furthermore, as much as the school, Massachusetts Institute of technology[mit.edu] is respected, they have actually made their lectures notes available online. That means you can learn as much as the MIT student is learning online without paying a dime and who knows that might just be your opportunity to become the next Nobel laureate in your course of study.

 

If all you do on the internet is to go to search for news, you will be better for it. There are actually news around the country stuffed on the internet waiting to be read. Almost all Nigerian newspapers are now online and that means you could read up the paper you couldn't get because of cost. And the advantage of the internet that you could read as many as you wish.

 

 

ICT Conferences

Who says you can't represent the country in an international meeting?

Today there is a lot of hue and cry over Information Technology in developing countries like Nigeria. There are local and International conferences all over the place where access to information, opportunity and technology are discussed. These conferences are an opportunity of making your voice to be heard. An opportunity to meet other people with a different view to life. A lifetime opportunity. A lot of them are open for people to attend, young people in particular. All you need do is to apply for sponsorship, they might not always select you, but if you aim at the sun and you don't hit it, you might just hit a glorious star.

 

For an update on conferences and ICT events visit www.takingitglobal.org. It has a store of upcoming events.

 

Internet: A platform for volunteering

 

Almost everything in the world obeys law of process, including getting to become a better person. As a young man or young lady that wants to be a part of youth activities on the internet, in the country or outside, one thing you must enjoy doing is volunteering. As a volunteer, you will learn a lot of things even while using the little skill you have for the organisation. All over the internet, there are NGOs looking for volunteers. You should stop thinking everything comes free and easy, you will have to make a sacrifice at one point or the other.

 

[Edward Popoola is the reigning Nigeria's IT Youth Ambassador]

 

GOOD NIGHT PATRICK

 

ANOTHER PATRIOT IS GONE!

 

I could not imagine that Patrick was as many as five years older than me. With newspapers screaming that Patrick passed on at 60, it must have shocked some of us that Patrick was that old. When we were together in the Unilag sports team of the early seventies, Patrick, unassuming, clear headed and a perfect gentleman carried on boyishly as he only looked the way sports imposed. Since we left school over 30 years ago, we saw on not more than a few occasions but one kept on with him since he gets mentioned frequently in sports pages of newspapers. The last time we met was about 3 years ago when at the Eko Hotel Patrick was reading newspapers  on the drivers seat of an NFA car while the official driver of the car was on the ‘owners corner’ dozing. That was the Patrick he had always been. Completely at home anywhere.

 

My company of friends was surprised that was the Patrick Okpomo they read often about in newspapers and I was not the least surprised. Patrick has always remained himself. We talked briefly. I told him I was happy to always read about his respectable identity in the turbulent sports industry of Nigeria. He expressed surprise he did not even see me for once talking sports and I explained how his ‘pellow Nigerians’ have annoyed me out of retaining my love for sports especially football. How can I tolerate a people who, knowing themselves for a knack for poor and ill managed preparation for sporting events always wanting to win at all times and against those who had put the right things and investments into the preparations? The next moment they are asking God to do all the magic as if other people do not have the right to be listened to by God. And on and on. We ended up thanking the Almighty for his mercies in making us maintain our good names and sanity in this volatile country. He then joked that he was still waiting to cross from sports to telecommunications where I would be his consultant.

 

 To hear that Patrick died not in a plane crash but apparently for reasons of poor handling of his medicament is most painful and a reminder of , again, our problems in these parts.

 

 It may well be that I will not see Patrick until when we meet to share pleasantries again at the other end.

 

Good night Patrick and sleep well, my good friend. I am proud I knew you. May the Almighty in His infinite mercies care for those you left  to mourn and carry on the battle.

 

[Written by Titi Omo-Ettu, a Lagos based telecommunications engineer]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 154

VERIZON STARTS VOIP

USA's biggest telephone company, Verizon Communications, has announced that it is introducing Internet-based phone service to customers all over the country.

 

Popularly called VOIP [Voice over Internet Protocol] in technical parlance or just Internet Phone on the street, the technology, basically divides voice calls into packets of data and sends them over high-speed Internet lines. This ultimately makes service to be significantly cheaper than traditional phone calls because sellers of the service do not typically have to pay access charges and other fees related to telephone transmission.

 

In recent time, the service has been introduced by several phone companies, especially in the USA, some cable providers and start-up companies. Vonage, for example. It is catching on like bushfire and coming with it problems of regulation and various industry troubles. Many said the resultant quality of the service is poorer than  that of traditional phone but that is being made a stale story by advances in science and technology. Big phone companies, who are traditionally slow in responding to technology's terrorism, are the most pained and they find various stories to underrate VOIP doing so only to their detriment. Their case is hinged on the irritants which small startup companies, sometimes faceless, constitute in cornering the traditional market of the big guys. It is a matter of those who invest peanuts reaping huge bucks when those who put in huge money experience dwindling fortune.

 

In monopolies, the big guys who ask for a government ban, which merely breeds illegal operators and in oligopolies, the big guys team up to fight the fries, a process which is usually long. The unstoppable match of telecommunications just would not permit and they are now retracing their steps to embrace the service.

 

They have no option in the matter. Do they?

 

5.  Still talking WS

'The Celebrant- Igilango Geesi, is almost without parallel among living writers. And I am not talking of only African literature in English; I am talking of the entire body of the Anglophone writings of the world in the last half a century. And I can tell you I have first hand experience with his exquisite works..'

Prof. Biodun Jeyifo, scholar/playwright.

 

‘But come to think of it Prof., this igilango geesi thing,

do you know I have not heard you speak big big English in all our discussion?’

’Ha, ha ha ha, [dry laughter]

’Talking seriously Prof, is it true you speak igilango oyinbo?’

’Ha, ha ,ha ha …[dry laughter]

 know you write it, is it true you also speak it?’

’Ma dawon lohun, aburo...][Don't mind them, by brother..]

[The above is a dream encounter with the legend by an inner caucus member of the cyberschuul community.]

 

‘As I speak, many members of the human race are dropping the differences of class, gender and colour to pay homage to a man that defined himself by his total commitment to man. Not white man, Not black man, Not pink man. Just man...’

Bola Tinubu, Governor, Lagos State, Nigeria

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 153

A LULL, A BURST?

In 2003, Nigeria suddenly became rated as the fastest growing telecommunications market in Africa. The dramatic increase in the number of telephone lines and the quick spread it made into quite a good number of cities in the country was remarkable. This turnaround in access of Nigerians to mobile telephone system took the country by storm and out of the dark days of extreme deficiency in telecommunications services. Although the turnaround has been occasioned by the premium service of digital cellular mobile type offered by the GSM European standard, access to basic services  the type  which would bring cost of service to within affordable limits was still a distance away.

 

In the telecommunications sector of the Nigerian economy, competition has been increasing, investment has been growing, subscriber lines have been steadily rising, usage of telephone services has seen tremendous improvement and prices have been falling.

 

However it is observed that value-added services sector is shrinking and licensees have been closing shop. Payphones which use fixed lines have extinct. Happily the Nigerian Communications Commission is known to be addressing the problems with a view to resolving them.

 

The industry today is characterized by aggressive new entrants seeking licenses from a regulator that is clearly vigilant.  The limitation of licensable undertakings to 8 as prescribed in the 1992 law which established NCC and liberalized telecommunications  was effectively removed by the recent telecommunications act of 2003. By its dictate, any service which is conceived and for which there is market can be licensed by the regulator. This is a significant departure from the early days of deregulation and liberalization.

 

There are 26 licensees which are already providing telephone services of one type or the other, most forming a cluster in Lagos. In recent time, while alull is setting in, aggressive marketing and an inundation by the publication of mouth watering financial performance figures by the largest mobile service provider, MTN may be setting Nigerians on edge. What with the bad news making the round that the firm has not been paying its bills to the Nigerian Customs. Its recharge cards, for reasons yet unexplained, have remained scarce and it now costs up to 8% more to get the cards 'easily' on the road. Is a burst in the horizon?

 

LEARNING UNDER THE SEAT OF WOLE SOYINKA

By Fatai Adiyeloja

 

Talking of Alexander in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales,

 The Monk, gave an insight to the life of a nonpareil.

"The story of Alexander, is so famous

   That it is known to everyone at least

   In part, unless he be an Ignoramus

   He conquered the wide world from west to east

   By force of arms, and his fame increased

   Men gladly sued to have him for their friend

   He brought to naught the pride of man and beast

  Where ever he came, as far as the world's end

   And never can comparison be made

   Of him with any other

   He was a man so leonite of heart

 

This aptly describes the essence of our own & the world's W.S. Intellect rather than the force of arms has been Soyinkean's tool for conquering the world. Can one ever stop thanking one's stars for not only attending that inimitable citadel of learning and culture Great Ife, but also affording one the rare opportunity & priviledge of being taught by that enigma, the world- class dramatist, an accomplished writer, immensely versatile & popular theatre director, a professor of professors an iconoclastic polyglot, humorist and humanist par excellence, Kongi who bestrode the literary world like a colossus.  

 

    Going through a process of learning under the master craftsman, was to say the least, as easy as a camel passing through the eye of a needle. Although our paths never crossed in my early years at the Department of Dramatic Arts, but then you cannot but run into this much sought after mutil-talented Mr. Lecturer of course not in the would of the protagonist of The  Grasscutter Dr. Gunwa. For Soyinka no compulsion in love, religion or social affiliations. Mind you, those were not the days of no hand-outs no graduation. Students from all the nooks and crannies of the campus trooped into the African Studies just to catch a glimpse of this walking encyclopedia. Who wouldn't be delighted to meet Wole Soyinka an uncompromising workaholic, shake hand with him and refuse to wash his hand. Despite his unquantifiable achievements Soyinka maintained & still maintains a relatively low profile.

 

        The news of Kongi taking us in the final year, Language and Drama, was terrifying, bewildering and quite intimidating. Without any fear of sounding immodest yours truly had consistently maintained a high academic standard even from the first year of my enrolling at the University of Ife now O.A.U with an average of B+ in all the courses I offered, even as a Jambite. Not even a German professor Joachim Fiebach could resist the temptation of awarding me an A. Why then should I be petrified to face Soyinka as supposedly matured undergraduate who had been through the baptism of fire of Dr. Kole Omotoso now a worthy professor, Femi Euba, Folabo Ajayi, Olu Akomolafe and a host of  other engaging lecturers.

 

            Even in other departments where we borrowed courses if it was not an A it must be a B+. This bookworm would finish me I concurred and finished me he did. Perhaps because there had been that consciousness this super lecturer, sorry extraordinary lecturer, for we no longer talk of ordinary or super when we drive in to petrol stations to buy fuel even at deregulated prices. Only a few of my colleagues could do without holding group discussions with me yet I bagged a D, a watershed in my academic carrier at Ife, never had a C before.

 

            Not a few of my colleagues were shocked. How are the mighty fallen some wondered. Go and meet this man and sort things out for this couldn't have been your grade some counseled. To some of the lecturer, there must have been a mistake. What the hell were this people talking about? Who am I   to contest the verdict of this larger than life genius.

 

            Whoever told any of these crop of sympathizers I  was interested in a professorial chair. Let the likes of Awam Amkpa, Tejumola and Ilori grab their First Class, for all I care a carrier in the film and television world or the Alarinjo, the Yoruba traveling theatre of the likes of late Hubert Ogunde, or Moses Olaiya, aka Babasala would do for me. Nonetheless I wouldn't be the one to cave in so easily.

 

 Another opportunity came for me to prove I was no push over academically during the Rain semester, when this human dynamo had cause to take us Aesthetics, cant think of a more abstract course, yet I ended up with a B+. Again Kongi co-supervised my Long Essay with Professor Dapo Adelugba then a visiting lecturer who generously awarded me another A. I eventually got wind of what was to be a confidential report. In kongi's estimation, but for his multi- dimensional contribution to the department (I was the President Dramatic Arts Student Association, of which Soyinka was the grand patron), that Dissertation wouldn't merit an A.

 

Haba! Oga Kongi wetin I do for you gan? Yet rather than create a gulf between us, kongi, remains till today my most prized significant other. Ride on Mr. lecturer. Reuben Abati could write his way to professorship, let professor Rom Kalilu my very good friend become professor emeritus I am still passionate about the tube.

 

Whatever Dr. Ahmed Yerima or Funso Alabi (did I read someone write the anachronistic Alabi) came out with, they are by any standards quintessential gurus of the theatre. Kongi is just not easy. Forget his claim that he writes with that consciousness that a sizeable number of his readers/ audience operate at the same wave length with him. Asked by an NIA reporter to comment on the views being expressed by some people that his writings are difficult penultimate Tuesday, hear him speak, I am a difficult person myself.  So that tough man knows he is tough, he is only waiting to be so addressed by others. Well done

 

            If you must learn under Kongi, these are essential point to note. Punctuality is not only the soul of business but also that of the theater or academics. No African time and no short cut to success. If we talk of sacredcows in the fight against the hydra-headed corruption not so for Wole Soyinka. Close your eyes to Federal Character or Quota system. Sexual harassment, no way! Wine and dine with him, if you like go hunting with him what you get is what you deserve.

 

Kongi as a theater director? Your best may never be good enough. His presence, more often then not, could be awe-inspring. Working with a perfectionist of Kongi's hue could be so confusing. Each time he traveled out of Italy while we were working on From Zia with Love, for that would Dionysia Festival, you would marvel at the smoothness of my lines delivery when left in the hands of either that stage manager or assistant director, let the master take over and watch yours sincerely return to his shell. Not so much the fear of working with the gurus of the theater - uncle Tunji Oyelana, Segun Sofowote, Femi Fatoba and of course RMD but the confounding presence of this all - rounder.

 

So elated was I in far away Italy when Kongi sent words backstage on the opening night that my humble self was one of the few being heard loud and clear in the auditorium. Do I mellow down I asked the purveyor of the glad tiding, bunkum, retorted the wordsmith. More 'igilango oyibo' to your mouth and pen, as you write yourself to age 70 and beyond. May your night be better than your morning.

 

 [Mr. Adiyeloja lives in Abeokuta, Nigeria]

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 152

INTERCELLULAR ROLLS OUT IN SIERRA LEONE

The first truly Nigerian telecommunication firm to establish a network outside of Nigeria has emerged. 

 

Intercellular Nigeria Ltd is taking the initiative at a time when it is becoming worrisome what Nigeria benefits by its commitment and investment to peace in the sub-region.. Intercellular currently deploys the CDMA standard of digital fixed telephony in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Maiduguri and Port Harcourt.

 

ii.    MORE FIXED WIRELESS PHONES ENTER APAPA, SURULERE ALABA etc

MTS Firstwireless Ltd whose Long distance carrier license makes it the third Carrier in Nigeria [running behind NITEL and GLOBACOM] announced at the weeked that it has extended wireless phone services to Apapa, Suru-Lere, Alaba, and Festac Town  all in Lagos. The firm deploys CDMA 2000X, says its tariff is competitive and is warming up to establish services in five other towns outside Lagos in due course.

 

 

 

CYBERSCHUULNEWS 151

VIGILANCE

NCC MOVES TO NIP POLLUTION IN THE BUD

Telecommunications Companies and owners of towers and masts in Nigeria have been directed to mark the structures for identification. The Nigerian Communications Commission recently put out notice of intention to arrest the environmental pollution effect and risk to aviation safety which improperly installed masts and towers may constitute. A vigilant move which is appropriate and purposeful.

 

Compare that with the initiative of Lagos State government which has goaded its state assembly to enact  a cash-motivated law presented as seeking to achieve the same objective. If only Lagos States listens to analysts who have argued that for a collectable N788,300,000.00m from phone companies, consumers may eventually pay back N2,100,000,000.00 to telecom providers if the state goes ahead to collect the enticing fees. And when, very shortly, improved infrastructure eliminates the need for masts in the metropolis the government would have only succeeded in raising the cost of phones to its citizens as there will be no further millions to collect. Analysts are worried stiff about the ill-advised move especially because of its backlash effect across the entire country and the oddity of duplicating telecom regulation.

 

It is the case of a vigilant regulator operating in an environment of glaucomatous legislature.

 

 A PIECE OF ART

The following is not an essay. It is a recent editorial of THIS DAY Newspapers one of Nigeria's leading dailies which also publishes in South Africa. This is the kind of scholarly work which CYBERSCHUULNEWS regards as A Piece of Art. Please enjoy it.

 

A Dress Code for Universities?

 

The University of Lagos and the French Village, Badagry, have reportedly plunged into the delicate matter of enacting a dress code for class attendance. By taking a wholesale approach, they may well be trail-blazers in a situation where some departments in higher institutions of learning have started to prescribe a mode of dressing for their undergraduates.

 

The concerns that would give rise to a prescriptive dress code in a Nigerian University are well known. According to popular opinion, campuses have become centers of unspeakable immorality. They have become captive to cultism, sex-for-grades, sexual harassment and general debauchery. By conventional wisdom, one of the more effective ways to halt the inexorable descent into Sodom and Gomorrah is to return undergraduates to a respectable way of life out-fitting them in decent clothing. In other words, obscenity is out, and prudery, in.

 

Apart from being simplistic, prescribing dress codes not only raises fundamental questions about the essence of a university but also throws up far more complex problems.

 

A dress code is simplistic because it will never get near the heart of the problems for which the authorities are seeking solutions. We know, for example, that Victoria England was one of the most prudish societies in the world. But it was equally a fact that while ladies’ skirts were going even below the ankle; child prostitution and other dishonorable vices [such] as drunkenness were going on behind the closed door. Plainly, Victorian England was one of the most depraved era in English history despite all the outward signs of respectability.

 

If there is any, the problem would not be in the mode of dressing but in the people on campus. If anyone in a university cannot resist the sight of a piece of female flesh or withstand the scruffy looks of that adolescent with ‘Rasta’ hair multi-coloured headband, then such is not fit for campus life.

 

By nature, a university is a market place of radical and competing ideas. To discharge this burden, it must of necessity provide a relatively free environment not only for the expression of ideas but for the expression of the personality behind the ideas. Even if the ideas sound heretical and the person behind them idiosyncratic, a university worth its name should be able to tolerate them all if they don’t infringe any known offence on the statute books. When a university begins to prescribe a dress code, it is marching resolutely back to the medieval period of church censorship and prohibitions.

 

The practical dangers involved are quite obvious. The first is a problem of definition. What is decent and what is indecent when applied to dressing will, like beauty and ugliness, reside in the eyes of the beholder. Which is more decent: a girl wearing an ankle length, turtle –neck, long-sleeve gown, seductively hugging her figure so tight it leaves little to the imagination, or the one wearing a maternity-like gown that ends around the knees? Even in law, obscenity is a shifty concept.  D.H. Lawrence’s “Sons and lovers,” the first novel to be prosecuted for obscenity ended up to be condemned as pornography  but being praised as a glorious work of art.

 

To that extent, a dress code will naturally not only be difficult to define and enforce, it could have the unintended consequence of turning into an instrument of harassment, especially of female undergraduates, by campus dress police Given its subjective nature, what constitutes improper dressing will depend ultimately on the code-giver. It is to be expected therefore that the religious fervor and inclination of incumbent vice-chancellors will determine where the hemlines will stop and whether the slits and cleavages will become bolder or more timid. With the adolescent restiveness of undergraduates, we can foresee peace or lack of it on campus being determined by how far the dress-code pendulum swings.

 

This is quite an avoidable source of tension on campuses. It is surprising that given their mountain of academic and infrastructural problems, Nigerian universities are directing their scarce resources and time to such a flimsy thing as campus fashion. How students dress on campus is a mere expression of themselves in the giddy freedom provided by the ivory tower. Every set of students over the years has made this generational statement only to abjure it a few years after graduation. A university ought to understand this recurring phenomenon and put it in the proper context of an experimental phase in the life of young adults. Which is why it is out of place for the authorities to make heavy weather of what is clearly an ephemeral fad, especially when any attempt to stop it has the potential to disturb campus peace.

 

Universities which have already enacted one should allow the dress code to die on arrival.

 

'Vodacom O Vodacom!'

The circumstances surrounding Vodacom’s second exit from Nigeria, Africa’s most lucrative telecoms market, are as perplexing as the issues surrounding the company’s entry in the first place. 

 

Planned initially as a USD$250m equity investment for a 51% stake in Econet Wireless Nigeria – which subsequently changed its name to Vee Networks in order to facilitate a smooth take-over, Vodacom gained a foothold into the Nigerian market by signing a five-year management contract on April 1, 2004 through which Vee was going to pay Vodacom a percentage of annual turnover for the right to use Vodacom expertise, brand and products. The management contract itself was signed after over nine months of due diligence by Vodacom.

 

Vodacom took over Nigeria’s second largest mobile company without any payments, without any direct investment, without putting any physical cash on the table. Desperate for capital and technical expertise, Vee Networks apparently agreed to the skewed agreement in order to move the company forward after the bitter separation with Econet Wireless International.

 

 The undignified and humiliating exit however has hurt Vodacom’s Africa expansion and limits the company’s ability to remain as a continental market leader. It has substantially affected Vee’s image and short-term corporate plans. Furthermore, it has reduced the efficiency and competitiveness of the Nigerian mobile market with the likelihood of slower growth and poorer market depth.

 

 The entire matter was a public relations disaster for both organizations, much more than it was for the Nigeria, though statements attributed to the Vodacom CEO fingered the nation as an environment that supports corrupt practices.

 

 The dynamics of this debacle becomes clearer by understanding the psychology of the main players, Vodacom and Vee Networks.

 

 Vodacom is Africa's largest mobile communications group with 11.2 million subscribers in five cellular networks on the continent. The company declared US$3,715 million revenues for year ended March 31, 2004, an increase of 18.7%.  That is group income in excess of N520bn in just one year. Meaning: the company is a cash cow and a communications behemoth. Due to the size of the corporation, bureaucracy in decision-making is usually typical. For example, the company withdrew at the last minute from the GSM auction in Iran claiming it did not have shareholder approval.

 

 Vodacom, though a world class organisation, is not synonymous with market aggression outside South Africa and cannot be compared with any of its continental peers, namely MTN, Orascom and Celtel. The countries with Vodacom subsidiaries apart from South Africa are DRC, Mozambique, Lesotho and Tanzania.

 

 The company’s growth into Africa has been feeble at best. Vodacom’s global subscriber base outside SA is a meagrely 1.5m, a little over 10% of group figures. The total contribution of these networks to group income was a mere 6.4% in the past financial year. None of these markets have the potential and trappings of Nigeria. Only DRC comes close to sharing some of the dynamics of the Nigerian market.

 

 Vodacom hardly makes Greenfield investments, preferring rather to invest in an established player in order to steal market share from competitors. With majority owners based in the UK (Vodafone) and the US (SBC Communications) each potential investment is often viewed with Western eyes and subjected to extremely high puritan standards.

 

 Vodacom’s recent belated move into Nigeria ended in a terrible fiasco after only eight weeks, with the company losing three high-ranking executives. Andrew Mthembu, the Group Deputy Managing Director, the defacto MD-apparent, and the arrowhead of Vodacom’s push into Nigeria had his contract terminated, thus dealing a death blow to the company’s succession plans. Robert Pasley, the Chief Strategy Officer, was also requested to step aside – a move that suggests the company’s unhappiness with the strategies employed by the duo in the Nigerian quest.

 But the issue that hit Vodacom the most was the voluntary resignation of the man assigned by the company to manage Vee, Willem Swart. Swart, formerly CEO Vodacom Congo, in a bizarre move, chose to remain behind to assist in re-building Vee.

 Another dozen or so employees have also been offered liberal terms to transfer employment into Vee Networks. These actions can only be likened to that of a General who went to war and lost his entire army to the “enemy”. Vodacom has “lost” all its “ground staff” to the company it planned to manage!

 

 Vodacom’s inability to make hay in an economy where its biggest competitor MTN is experiencing unparalleled success calls into question the quality of the company’s strategic thinking with respect to the continent.

 

 Nevertheless, Vodacom’s loss has been Vee’s gain. Inspite of apparent reputational damage, Vee appears to have regained fresh confidence and seems to have found the freedom to face the market without inhibitions. Whether it can sustain the tempo in view of cashflow and technical challenges remain to be seen.

 

 However, Vee was hurt by allegations of under-the-table deals initially suggested then later withdrawn by Vodacom to enable an “amicable” post pull-out settlement with Vee. "The decision to withdraw from Nigeria is a blow to our expansion plans, but there was a breach of trust and I decided we could not expose the company any further,” Vodacom CEO Alan Knott-Craig told FT. At issue was the payment by Vee Networks on March 23, 2004 – eight days before the agreement was signed - of brokerage fees totalling about USD$3m to three companies, Oceanic Securities, Bromley Asset Management and Empee Ventures.

 

 Vee Networks, on its part, claims that the real issue at stake was Vodacom’s desire for “absolute control of the company and its finances”. According to Emeka Oparah, Vee’s Corporate Affairs Manager, “There have been no payments we have made without due process. It is vital to note that the Vodacom chief did state that their due diligence did not show any evidence of bribery and/or corruption”.

 

 Vee Networks however loses much more from Vodacom’s exit than can be imagined. The business has not been able to retain the participation of international network operators or core investors. First was the bitter exit of Econet International. Now it is the “amicable” exodus of Vodacom.

 

 The risk issues in engaging Vee by any new international investor are momentous indeed. Can the business do without fresh international capital? Can the funds required to move the business forward be located domestically? Will the long-drawn out shareholder quibble ever come to an end? Would Mr Swart be allowed to turn-around the enterprise?

Mr. Fola Odufuwa [ fola.odufuwa@eshekelsnigeria.com ] who contributed the above is Executive Director of eShekels Ltd, Lagos.

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