Telecom
ITU Experts Explore ways Forward in Dynamic Spectrum Usage

Key industry players, regulators, operators, manufacturers and research institutions gathered in Geneva at an ITU Workshop on White Spaces and Cognitive Radio Systems (CRS).
‘White Spaces’ refer to radiofrequencies which may be used at given times and locations without causing harmful interference to, or claiming protection from, incumbent radio services.
CRS refer to a radio system capable of obtaining knowledge on its environment and dynamically adjusting its operational parameters accordingly in order to operate without causing harmful interference.
ITU provides a unique forum for collaborative discussions on the technical, operational, economical and regulatory aspects of spectrum management between all stakeholders
.
Discussions during the workshop centred on international and national regulations and best practices for the use of White Spaces by cognitive radio systems.
The ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2012 (WRC-12) concluded that the current international regulatory framework can accommodate cognitive radio systems, without being changed.
The development of these systems, such as TV white spaces, is therefore in essence in the hands of national regulators in each country. Regulators will depend on best practices, which are currently being studied by ITU Radiocommunication Study Groups 1, 5 and 6. ITU fully supports the use of spectrum through sharing arrangements with existing services to promote more efficient use of spectrum while protecting other services, hence providing long-term assurance for investments in radiocommunication systems.
ITU-R Study Group 1 (responsible for Spectrum Management studies) is expected to provide a Report on best practices in Spectrum management for cognitive radio systems by mid-2014.
Discussions in the Workshop highlighted the need for these best practices to address the coordination of geo-location databases in border areas; the co-existence between licensed and unlicensed uses in the same spectrum; equipment type approval and market surveillance; and the means of monitoring and resolving cases of harmful interference that may arise from unlicensed uses of spectrum into licensed ones.
“The global management of spectrum, in an impartial manner, remains one of the critical functions of ITU,” said Hamadoun I. Touré, ITU secretary-general.
“ITU Member States have entrusted us with this mandate which will become even more significant as we prepare for an exponential growth in data and connected devices. ITU will continue to work with all members and stakeholders to ensure an equitable and effective management of this precious global resource.”
Several workshops on this issue will be organized by ITU to promote collaborative and open discussions in the coming months.
“This workshop and future discussions on this issue in ITU will help in achieving a better understanding of what is to be expected for cognitive systems, such as those using TV white spaces and assist ITU in studying and promoting best practices in this regard and enable cognitive radio systems to develop in a sustainable way, in harmony with other systems using the same spectrum,” said Mr François Rancy, director of ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau.
“ITU continues its unique role through dialogue between industry players and member administrations to create an enabling environment for telecommunications broadband access through more efficient spectrum usage,” said Mr Sergey Pastukh, chairman, ITU-R Study Group 1.
Telecom
Telcos Threaten to Disconnect Banks over Misinformation on New USSD Charges

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.
Telecom
MTN Nigeria Plans N900Bn in Service Upgrade

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
Telecom Regulators in Africa Chart New Course for a Data-driven Future

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.
- E-Business3 days ago
NIMC Plans to Register 95 Percent Nigerians by December
- News3 days ago
JAMB Waxes Worriedly over Rising Digital Exam Fraud
- Telecom3 days ago
9mobile Nigeria Inks Agreement to Roam with MTN
- Telecom3 days ago
IHS Nigeria Moves to Enhance G4S Secure Solutions Site Patrols and Increase Operational Efficiency with Patrol Vehicles
- E-Business2 days ago
AXIAN Telecom Invests in Jumia Post-MTN Era
- Telecom3 days ago
Banks, Telcos to Start Deducting USSD Charges from Airtime Today
- E-Financial2 days ago
UBA Compiles with NCC, to Deduct USSD from Customers’ Accounts
- E-Financial3 days ago
Fitch Upgrades Fidelity Bank’s National Rating to ‘A+(nga)’, Affirms Long-Term IDR at ‘B’