Telecom
5 Common Backup Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Are you confident that your valuable data is protected from unexpected disasters or cyber threats? Consider this: 1 in 10 computers fall victim to viruses, and a staggering 113 phones are stolen every minute every day[1].
With data loss being a sudden and potentially irretrievable nightmare, ensuring reliable backups is non-negotiable. March 31st, celebrated as World Backup Day, is a poignant reminder of this essential task. Let’s delve into the common backup mistakes people make and how to steer clear of those.
1. Skipping regular backups:
The most common mistake is forgetting to back up data regularly. Whether personal files or crucial business documents, not establishing a consistent backup routine leaves you vulnerable to data loss.
Unexpected system crashes or malware attacks can happen anytime, making your precious data inaccessible or permanently lost. But you can help avoid such a situation by setting up automatic backups.
A device can get damaged or stolen, putting your backups at risk, so depending entirely on one storage medium is playing a dangerous game with your data’s safety.
Instead, diversify your backup storage solutions with a combination of external HDDs, NAS, and cloud storage.
Portable HDDs like those from WD like Western Digital’s My Passport offer up to 5TB for simple, cost-effective backups. For smartphones, 2-in-1 flash drives such as SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go USB Type-C and SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe are convenient options.
These drives, compatible with USB Type-C devices, automatically back up photos, videos, and more. Just plug and play for seamless data transfer across devices.
If you need a device to store huge amounts of data, then the desktop drive called My Book from WD is just the product for you, with up to 22TB of storage capacity.
3. Forgetting version control:
Overlooking version control during backups is another blunder. Not keeping multiple versions of files increases the chance of saving corrupted or wrong data over previous versions.
Without a proper versioning system, fixing mistakes or retrieving older versions can become a challenge. To prevent forgetting version control, establish a system that tracks changes to your files over time.
This ensures that you can always revert to earlier versions if needed, helping protect against accidental data loss or corruption.
Regularly maintaining this system will help you stay organized and prepared for any unforeseen issues.
Additionally, it’s crucial to verify the version you’re backing up to ensure it’s the correct one.
This simple step can help prevent accidental overwriting of important data with potentially corrupted or incorrect versions.
Double-checking ensures that you’re safeguarding the most up-to-date and accurate information, minimizing the risk of errors during backups.
Many people overlook off-site backup solutions, assuming local backups are foolproof. However, relying solely on local backups makes you vulnerable to site-specific disasters like fires or theft.
Using off-site backups means keeping copies of your data in different places so that if something bad happens in one area, your data stays safe.
As an alternative, you could use cloud storage. Cloud backup devices are popular for remote data storage accessible via the internet. Various online cloud services offer features like file synchronization, sharing, and encryption for secure data storage.
5. Underestimating encryption:
Not prioritizing encryption in backups can be a costly mistake. Storing unencrypted backups makes your sensitive data vulnerable to unauthorized access or breaches.
Implementing strong encryption ensures even if your backups fall into the wrong hands, the data remains protected.
However, it is equally important to remember not to opt for out-of-the-box encryption solutions, as they might make it difficult for you to retrieve the backed-up information later.
My Passport HDD and My Book from WD come equipped with built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection that helps keep content secure.
Additionally, maintaining proper key management practices is essential to ensure smooth decryption and access to your data when needed.
This World Backup Day, Western Digital urges you to back up your data safely, and at the same time, prepare for the unexpected by having a contingency plan in place for device mishaps like crashes, theft, or damage.
Worrying about losing data isn’t something you have to lose sleep over if you have an active data backup strategy.
A common rule of thumb for keeping important data from disappearing forever is the 3-2-1 Rule. It dictates that you should:
3. Have THREE copies of your data. One is a primary backup and two are copies.
2. Save copies of your backups on TWO different types of media or devices.
1. ONE backup copy should be kept offsite in case of disaster.
Determine where and how you’ll store backup files and identify support contacts for swift assistance.
These proactive measures ensure quick data recovery and safeguard your cherished memories for the long haul.
Telecommunication companies have threatened to withdraw their Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD), services from banks over what they called misinformation.
MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile- the telcos disclosed that the banks’ notice to their customers on the new billing system and airtime deductions for USSD services was misleading.
Also, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) also denied that the directive was from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
USSD is done via shortcodes on mobile phones and allows bank customers to make transactions in places with limited or no internet service.
Recall that banks earlier this week claimed that NCC has directed them to begin charging them from their airtime rather than from customers’ accounts.
The notice from the banks read in part: “In line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), please be informed that effective June 3, 2025, charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account.
“Going forward, these charges will be deducted directly from your mobile airtime balance in accordance with the NCC’s End-User Billing (EUB) model.
“Under this new billing structure, each USSD session will attract a charge of ?6.98 per 120 seconds, which will be billed by your mobile network operator.
“You will receive a consent prompt at the start of each session, and airtime will only be deducted upon your confirmation and availability of the bank to fulfil this service.
“If you do not wish to continue using USSD banking under this new model, you may choose to discontinue use of the USSD channel.”
Reacting, ALTON, umbrella body of telecom operators in Nigeria, said the banks’ notice is a gross misinformation deliberately hatched to suit their selfish interests.
Hence they threatened to withdraw network support to the banks’ USSD services.
Engr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON told Vanguard: ” I don’t understand why the banks are twisting agreements and distorting information just to favour their selfish interests. In the first place, the information wasn’t a directive from the NCC but a joint regulatory agreement between the NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN witnessed by the telcos and the banks. The agreement was that if the banks finally cleared all USSD debts owed to the telcos by June 2, 2025, they are free to migrate to the end-user billing method, so long as the model of migration is transparent and agreed upon by the telcos.
“The reason for that clause was because the telcos insisted that the process of migration is such that will not allow a customer to be billed twice; in other words, that a subscriber would not have his airtime deducted and also have his or her money deducted for same services from his or her bank account.
” As we speak, some of the banks have cleared their debts, but the majority are yet to do so. So, even if all the modalities of migrating to end-user billing have been perfectly carried out, the implementation cannot even begin because the banks are yet to clear the USSD debt owed to the telcos.
“Our position now is that if that is the way the banks want to treat the agreement, we may withdraw support for their USSD services. It is not a must-have. They can do without it. But, they should clear the debts as agreed,” he added.
MTN Nigeria has announced plans to embark on a massive capital expenditure (CAPEX) drive in 2025, committing nearly N900 billion to significantly enhance network service quality across Nigeria.
Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria,
The substantial investment, more than double the combined CAPEX of approximately N440 billion spent in 2023 and 2024, underscored MTN’s aggressive strategy to address persistent service quality issues and meet growing customer and regulatory expectations.
Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria, detailed this unprecedented financial commitment during a recent interview on Arise TV, emphasizing that improving service quality is the company’s paramount message for the year.
He highlighted a clear understanding and expectation from both the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and security agencies for improved network quality.
A primary focus of this increased CAPEX will be on putting additional capacity in a city like Lagos, particularly in Abuja, where you have a lot of buildings coming up, you need additional sites because there are coverage issues.
Beyond these critical urban centers, the investment aims to bolster network resilience and ensure power stability for its infrastructure nationwide.
This includes proactively addressing site outages by ensuring timely payment for operational necessities such as diesel for generators, a persistent challenge in the Nigerian operating environment.
Toriola outlined a comprehensive upgrade process, which involves placing orders formally, opening letters of credit, and then the equipment gets shipped in and installed.
He added that MTN will be acquiring new sites and laying fiber to the base station to create better stability” where necessary.
While the immediate CAPEX is geared towards improving existing service quality and capacity, this investment aligns with MTN’s broader goals of enhancing financial inclusion in underserved rural areas, suggesting a long-term vision for network expansion and service improvement that extends beyond metropolitan areas.
Subscribers can anticipate tangible improvements in service quality, with a significant improvement in quality of service expected by the end of the second quarter or early in the third quarter of 2025, according to Toriola.
“This year is all going to be about capital expenditure on an aggressive basis to fix quality of service issues (and) meet both the regulators’ and the public’s expectations,” he affirmed, reiterating MTN’s steadfast focus on customer experience through substantial capital investment.
Telecom regulators and industry leaders from across the Middle East and Africa gathered in Cairo last week to chart a data-driven future for the region.
In a region where digital transformation is accelerating at unprecedented speed, connectivity intelligence firm, Ookla and Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) joined forces to organise the Telecommunications Regulatory Summit
Themed ‘Harnessing Data and Technology for Superior QoS’, the summit focused on how data, particularly crowdsourced insights, can transform regulatory strategies across the region.
The summit attracted stakeholders from over 30 countries, including delegates from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and World Broadband Association (WBBA), who engaged in high-level discussions on optimising network performance and accelerating digital inclusion.
Karim Yaici, lead industry analyst for the Middle East and Africa at Ookla, said the event set the tone for the growing value of data-driven decision-making.
“Access to and the use of crowdsourced data contribute to making more informed decisions, fostering transparency and ensuring that citizens in the MEA region benefit from high-quality, accessible and affordable connectivity,” he said.
The experts underlined that crowdsourced data is becoming a critical complement to traditional regulatory methods.
They agreed that it helps identify service gaps, prioritise infrastructure investments, and drive innovation.
With broadband speeds now closely tied to GDP growth and productivity, accurate performance data is seen as key to socio-economic advancement.
Dr. Hossam Abdel-Mawla, vice-president of technical affairs and quality of service at NTRA, stressed that the summit was pivotal in fostering regional collaboration.
“By actively sharing best practices and exploring innovative data-driven strategies, we are shaping a future where telecom regulations ensure digital inclusion and economic growth across the region,” he said.
In a key session, Ahmed Nabawy, director of client services at Ookla, presented findings on 5G performance in Egypt and Tunisia.
He demonstrated how Ookla’s unified data platform, powered by AI, enables operators to analyse 5G-capable device density and prioritise high-impact rollout areas.
The summit also explored the shift from conventional network quality metrics to more user-centric Quality of Experience models. These advanced analytics tools promise to enhance transparency, improve accountability, and ultimately deliver better connectivity experiences for all.
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