Broadband Affordability, Ubiquity Resonate @ BR-Africa, Openmedia Forum

Telecommunications experts have highlighted the importance of using sustainable, affordable models and technology to foster broadband access in the country, stressing that content creation and enhanced demand are key indices towards the drive.

These and other issues took centre stage at an international forum organized by Openmedia Communications Limited and Atlantic Telecoms and Media under the umbrella of Broadband Right Africa.

The experts urged collaborative approach to ICT development and welcomed relations among the 36 States and 774 local governments and aimed at fast tracking policies for increased broadband access and affordability.

Mrs. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, said, although factors like funding, taxation, access and low awareness among some States Governments in the country are key inhibiting factors to broadband rollout, however, the Federal Government, through the National Broadband Policy (NBP) stamped its commitment to remove the bottlenecks.

 She re-emphasized that advocacy has become imperative in the process.

Johnson said that the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked between Lagos State Government and the industry to cut the cost of Right of Way (RoW) from N5,000 to N500 was achievable through engagement and advocacy, expressing confidence that other States will follow the trend.

“The challenges that have prevented us to achieve certain targets in terms of broadband affordability are real. But, we are not relenting. We have scaled the first phase by documenting a National Broadband Policy which is even ahead of ITU’s target of 2015.

“Part of the process is educating State Governments on the need to reduce costs on the part of the investors and operators. At a time, we had meeting with Commissioners from the 36 States and that led to the MoU between the industry and the Lagos State Government. We have targets and they are work in progress.

“We have Universal Service Provider (USP) fund of about $10b. Although, that is not enough to subsidize the infrastructural deployment in the rural areas, because statistically, about 70% of our population still live in the rural areas and they are the people we want to ensure are captured. Through that process, we can ameliorate the challenges faced by operators. For instance, Prof. Nwana (Sama) postulates that operators who set up 50% of their base stations at certain areas make 10% revenue, while reverse is the case when such infrastructure are erected in the other areas”.

She added that the recent 2.3GHZ spectrum allocation was part of the processes to unleashing robust infrastructure to drive broadband availability and affordability; hopefully with a successful digital broadcasting migration, more spectrums shall be made available. 

Earlier, Professor Sama Nwana, chief executive officer, Atlantic Telecoms & Media, lauded the NBP as a critical step to addressing the challenges, but not without stressing that the second target of achieving affordability for 5% average monthly income earners is tricky.

He urged the industry to adopt the best model that guarantees quality service and return on investment, citing study that shows different models enable operators recoup 50% revenue from circa 10% telecom sites, while 50% revenue are made by some from 30% sites and 10% others from 50% sites.

Nwana advocated for Nigeria and Africa in general to build on models of infrastructure sharing, among others while 3G, 4G and LTE infrastructures should be pursued vigorously.

On his part, Engineer Ernest Ndukwe, chairman, Openmedia Group and president of Broadband Right Africa, said that the Broadband Right Africa (BR-Africa) was borne out of the drive to make broadband truly ubiquitous and affordable.
                                      

“If all State Governors in Nigeria, for instance, become Broadband Rights Advocates, Nigeria would become a broadband enabled environment in a couple of years.

“That would be ‘free’ for the rest of Africa, if the leaders become committed advocates like Paul Kigame of Rwanda,” he said.

For Nigeria, with an estimated broadband penetration of only about 6% in 2012, Federal and State Governments initiated targeted actions to improve the accessibility and affordability of high speed broadband for both urban and rural Nigeria.

In September 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated a 12-man Presidential Committee to craft a National Broadband Strategy and Roadmap to drive accelerated increase in broadband penetration in Nigeria.

The Committee's report was submitted on the 30th of May 2013 and was promptly approved by Mr President and subsequently launched by the Hon Minister of Communications Technology in June 2013.

A National Broadband Council for the 5-year plan was inaugurated on the 16th of July, 2013 and mandated to provide periodic progress reports on the evaluation of the plan, facilitate the coordination and collaboration of the various stakeholders during plan implementation, and ensure that relevant agencies and institutions are actively engaged and monitoring the progress of the plan and highlighting adjustment areas if any.