Challenges of Broadband Revolution

The growth in telecommunications sector of the country is expected to move from growth level to development where service providers are to consolidate on improved quality of service. Presently, over 80 percent of telephone and internet access in the country are through mobile communications facilitated by satellite and microwave technology. It has been observed by telecom experts that quality of service delivered by operators using the above mentioned technology is affected by atmospheric condition making the technology not suitable for reliable service delivery compared to optic fiber also known as terrestrial infrastructures.
A fibre optic cable is made from a glass or plastic core that carries light surrounded by glass cladding that (due to its lower refractive index) reflects “escaping” light back into the core, resulting in the light being guided along the fibre.
The greatest improvement in access to telephones has had positive impact in virtually all facets of life, including political, social and economic activities, thus resulting in an exponential growth in the subscriber lines due to the widespread of networks across the country.
Quite a number of global technology corporations are extending their operations to Nigeria with a multiplier effect on the economy and trade between Nigeria and other countries of the world and in particular the West African sub region. The result of this is more competitive market environment and high potential for wired line network service providers.
However, it is encouraging to note that despite the current rapid development of telecommunications in Nigeria, there is still a great opportunity for further development as Nigeria being the most populous country in Africa, has an estimated addressable telecommunications market of 120 million subscriber lines, and in view of her landscape, the country remains major market for long distance network operators due to increasing demand for multi service, such as voice, data, broadband internet service, rural telephony access and unified service which provides prospect for wired line service providers.
Some telecom analysts have argued that due to the mobile nature of Nigerians, and as the demand for mobile services continues to grow, that there will be no room for wired line operators. Experience has shown that in order for predominantly mobile operators to improve on their quality of service they must invest in fibre optic backbone, and in order for them to capture multi service segment of the market, they must invest in last mile terrestrial copper infrastructure: there are two ways around this, one is to begin massive investment in this regard, or to invest and or acquire small and medium sized wired line local loop operators.
As the telecommunications industry evolves, it provides increasing opportunity for wired line networks, as operators are challenged to ensure that every city, towns, villages, hamlets, rivers and creeks in Nigeria are covered with multi services: voice, data, video and broadband internet.
Particularly in the new license regime, holders are allowed to provide more than one service under the same license.
The hindrance
The absence of terrestrial infrastructure in the telecommunications industry is being felt in all service deliveries especially as the industry witnessed an unprecedented capacity with the landing of two undersea cable Glo 1 and MainOne. For instance, in direct-to-home satellite television broadcasting it is a common occurrence for service to be disrupted each time it rains. More so, the hope of offering a broadband internet service cannot be realized without a fibre optic infrastructure. Its absence is responsible for narrow band service rendered in the sector.
From multiple taxes to right of way and to harassment, the operators reeled lengthy list of impediments to their road to making broadband ubiquitous and affordable.
Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (Alton), the umbrella body of operators in the telecom space, said that granting multiple operational licenses to operators to provide metro and national fibre infrastructure does not guarantee investment in that regard but implementation of  well articulated policies that will encourage operators to invest their money.
Adebayo said Government must go beyond granting of licenses to eliminating those barriers and ensuring security of their investments.
The Alton boss explained that broadband services are anchored on availability of bandwidth, and that with excess capacity of it at Nigeria’s shore, investment needed to be encouraged to distribute this capacity to various geographical areas of the country for broadband revolution to be experienced as is the case with voice service.
He added that licensed operators are yet to invest in provision of infrastructure because of clumsy process of securing ‘right of way’ from various government agencies.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that ‘right of way’ is a legal instrument allowing operators to deploy infrastructure on federal or state roads with a fee.
With the multiplication of this legal instrument by various local government area authorities’ operators find it difficult to deploy services.
With this comes non-availability of fibre backhaul infrastructure required to distribute bandwidth from Lagos where the submarine cable landed to other parts of the country resulting in high cost of bandwidth and poor quality.
Mohammed Rudman, managing director, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, said that availability of distributive channels of internet and making it accessible to ISPs is essential for the country to witness a broadband revolution.
“Without moving internet capacity from Lagos to other parts of the country, we may witness a lopsided broadband revolution, only in Lagos and its environs,” he said.