Telecommunication Technology: Issues and Trends In West Africa

The increasing takeover of calling and Short Message Service by over-the-top players, or apps, such as   WhatsApp   and   Skype , is eating deep into voice revenue of telecommunications companies in Nigeria by as much as 50 per cent,   The PUNCH has learnt. A report from brokerage Credit Suisse on Wednesday stated that the threat to traditional voice and messaging business of telcos in the country from communications apps, offering free calls and messaging using the Internet, was fast rising. “Proliferation of over-the-top content services such as   Skype   and   WhatsApp , among others, could trigger whopping 30 to 50 per cent revenue hit on Nigerian telecoms companies’ voice services in the coming months. “Telco messaging revenues have already taken a 30 per cent hit, thanks to OTT players,” the Credit Suisse report stated. This development, our correspondent gathered from employees at Etisalat, was forcing it and other major telecoms firms to “indirectly raise data ra

Many of us do mistake communication with talking or writing, either email or some other means, but the two are not the same. Everyone ought to know how to communicate. It is far more important when you find yourself in leadership, because the actual job of a leader 98% of the time is to communicate. Therefore learning this art will define your success or failure. In the Nigerian context, we have not seen leaders who have this mastery of communication in recent time. We have had a lot of speaking and writing , but lacking in the art of communication. In the last government, we had too much talking without communication; lots of grammar but little defining moments. I mean the AHAA moments. Since this is not a lecture, let me get down to business: Communication need have characteristics of specificity and must create visuals enabling the one you are communicating with to relate with what you are saying clearly, precisely and pictorially as well. Your communication must be

The 3 cardinal problems upon which this government rode to power are: 1. Insecurity 2. Unemployment 3. Corruption Clearly, these 3 problems define our present existence in Nigeria. Needless to say that the President is on course in two arms namely: Insecurity and corruption. However the second and the most important aspect , unemployment, is receiving no noticeable attention. The problem however, is, without giving this sector its due and mandatory attention; the other two will relapse again and again. Those of us who are acute follower of PMB will like to see coordinated and concise program and activity in the economic front without much delay. While the formation of a cabinet may wait, the economy does not wait. It is a real time phenomenon, seconds, minute’s counts. A hungry man will need food because his stomach will flog him second by second even if you are asking him to be patient. My suggestions There is a need to put together without delay a formidable economic t