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Editions 151
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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
]
CYBERSCHUULNEWS 160
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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