Telecommunication Technology: Issues and Trends In West Africa

The 4G is the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is used broadly to include several type of broadband wireless access communication not only cellular telephone system.4G is an IP-based heterogeneous network. One of the terms used to describe 4G is “MAGIC”, M-Mobile Multimedia A-Anytime anywhere G-Global mobility Support I-Integrated wireless solution and C-Customized personal service While most of us are used to getting high speed Internet connections at home, the office or even the local cafe, once we are on the road those high speeds have to stay behind. With 4G the promise is that you can get real mobile broadband to go. In this piece I am going to tell you all about the technology and its benefits. But first, some background: 4G is the short name for fourth-generation wireless, the stage of mobile communications that will enable things like IP-based voice, data, gaming services and high quality streamed multimedia on portable devices with cable mode...

Published on: 9th Feb 2016 by CN Etisalat Nigeria has launched legal action to block rival network MTN from using 800Mhz spectrum that it gained access to when it bought the CDMA network operator, Visafone. Etisalat Nigeria said that it was worried that MTN would gain increased dominance of the local market if its use of the radio spectrum was not blocked. Etisalat said in a statement: "The use of the 800MHz spectrum to deploy broadband services ahead of its competitors, particularly those who, prior to MTNs purchase of Visafone, held similar spectrum bands as MTN, will further entrench MTN's dominance in the Nigerian telecommunications sector." The company added that it has asked the telecoms regulator to review its approval of MTN's original acquisition of Visafone last month. If ETISALATNG succeeds, it will put in jeopardy the recent deal between MTN and VISAFONE. It is doubtful how successful they can be giving the sloppy pace of the regulator who ...

Having only just surpassed the 100 million mark, India has set its sights on manufacturing 500 million mobile phones per year. The telecom secretary, JS Deepak said that the milestone could be reached in as little as two years. "The time has come when we will reach 500 million maybe in two years," Deepak said at a seminar on telecom and broadcasting. "Today, with its talent base and incentive policy, India is becoming a global hub for manufacturing of phones and especially low-end phones," he added. The government has tax and duty incentives that promote manufacturing of mobile phones locally for the domestic market. What are the targets for Nigeria? None!!!

The Fed Reserve bank in US has just raised the interest rate in US. The implications are mixed. On one hand, it is a sign of recovery of the US economy with unemployment rate as low as 5% as at today. The Fed reserved had largely archived   at this working with the US government and had injected as much as over 4T dollars into the US market since Obama came to power through a series of quantitative easing (Printing dollars LOL!) What is of real interest is that the US economy is on a sound footing on recovery. You can’t contemplate telling Nigerian government to print Niara anyway. The clear message however is simple, if you have rising unemployment, you cannot afford to deflate the economy. You can’t squeeze what is already squeezed. What are really the implications for Nigeria? 1.        Foreign investors will pull back their resources and move back to the US economy. Business is all about “Where will my money be safe profitably?” Thes...