Bitflux Communications Rolls Out Commercial Service

Bitflux Communications has announced its readiness to commence commercial service provisioning Last Mile Wholesale Access (“LMWA”) which is designed to provide cost effective local loop circuits to partners that deliver high-speed Internet services to their customers and Retail Access Network, designed to provide high-speed Internet services to customers to cater to their Lifestyle preferences.

According to a statement made available to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek service will be provided using the company’s 30MHz of 2.3GHz spectrum on its LTE advance platform.

It added that services will be available nationwide with focus to put to rest the unnecessary use of unlicensed spectrum to deliver last mile access services.

“The concept of Wholesale Wireless Access License was adopted by the Nigerian Communication Commission (“NCC”) as a long term sustainable solution to the availability of broadband services and a key component toward achieving the Nigerian National Broadband Strategy. In line with laid down procedure for license issuance, in 2014, NCC announced guidelines and conducted the auction of 30MHz in the 2.3GHz spectrum band.

“Pursuant to our participation in the 2.3GHz spectrum auction, Bitflux Communications Limited (“Bitflux”) won the 30MHz of spectrum on offer, and was issued a Wholesale Wireless Access Service License (“WWASL”). The first and only one of its kind in Nigeria,” the statement noted.

The license empowers Bitflux to construct, maintain, operate and use a Network consisting of a Mobile Communication System, a Fixed Wireless Access Telecommunications System, or a combination of any of these systems deployed for the purpose of providing point to point or switched/unswitched point to multipoint Communications for the conveyance of voice, data, video or any kind of message.

Given the unique and novel nature of the wholesale license in Nigeria, and desire to provide user experience that is unique to the environment, Bitflux engaged the services of KPMG  locally, and two International Telecoms Consulting firms (India-based Fairwave Convergence International Pvt Ltd, and Dubai-based QTM International Ltd) with specialisation in the subject  to undertake the following assignments : Market review and appraisal to determine need and the suitability of WWAS as a solution to the broadband penetration problem; design strategy for market segmentation and penetration; design product offerings and Service packages for identified market segments and set service standard benchmarks

The outcome of the strategy process with our consulting partners resulted in two groupings of Service: