Telecom
Microsoft Lumia 550: What’s In The Box

Microsoft Lumia 550, to start with, comes in a much smaller box than others more expensive in the range.
Actually, Microsoft’s Windows Phone has been pointed at the low-end of the smartphone market since the Lumia 520 was revealed to have sold 25 million units shortly after its debut.
Recall, in 2014, Nokia attempted to capitalize on this by releasing a successor to the Lumia 520, the 530. Now, what do you get in the box?
Thumbs Up For Lumia 550: with this device, Microsoft retains its history in the Lumia “world”, especially the pocket-friendly mobile devices it’s known for. Simply say, Lumia 550 would be a nice low-end Windows Phone.
Thumbs Down: As if Microsoft does not remember that this is a very competitive market, in Lumia, the 5 MP wide angle lens of the 535 and 540 is gone; the 8 MP camera of the 540, no way; the bigger battery is not there. Even though there is a LTE to gain in the 550, but that is a benefit of the Snapdragon 210 rather than a design feature; Microsoft should listen.
The Review: The Box
The pack is in a relatively nice looking box that contains the Lumia 550, a battery, a micro-USB charger and the manuals.
Please, there are no headphones or USB cables present, implying a bare essentials box for a bare essentials phone for a bare essentials user.
Design
The Lumia 550 principally, shares design cues with the Lumia 640. In other words, the flat sides, removable shell at the back complete with a painted on Microsoft logo and the buttons at the side are all there. The white (dull) coloured device I have is cool, but I think Microsoft’s colourers should up their game. To retain Nigerians as fans of the Lumia shell design, Microsoft should further study the market. Nigerians like shinning colours.
Still on design, Lumia 550 ships with a 4.7-inch display unlike the 540 or 535 with 5 inches. Depending on how you feel about size, this would either be a boon or a demerit for you. In terms of usability with either one hand or two, users looking for compact devices will be quite pleased with this one.
Display
With the 4.7 inch paired with a 720 p HD scree, the device’s display quality is worth experiencing. It is bright, colors are accurate, and the small size of the screen ensures that everything remains crisp as long as you don’t whip out the magnifying glass.
It is also a plus to the device that supports Glance Screen.
Cameras
The Lumia 550 comes with a 5 MP rear camera and a 2MP one for Skype and selfies. No no no! Why the step down from the 540 which featured an 8-megapixel camera with BSI and a 5 MP wide angle lens that was specifically touted as being for Skype? Has Microsoft forgotten that the hardware is a very important means to project the software and cloud solutions. How do I Skype with Lumia 550?
While using the rear snapper on OK pictures, it is somewhat slow to focus and no frills on this camera means that you are pretty much limited to taking bad-average images in good light with some bright spots here and there.
Performance And Battery Life
Windows 10 Mobile still runs smoothly on the Lumia 550.
Although, snapdragon 210 in the 550 is not one for speed, the revised processor brings goodies like Bluetooth 4.1 and LTE to the low end. Smile Communications needs to partner with Microsoft on this in bring it’s VoLTE to users. It will be very compatible.
The battery life on this device is par for the course, it lasted almost a whole day of medium use (messaging, Reddit, Twitter), only being charged at nighttime. For the price, one shouldn’t have complaints.
Software
As with all the newer Windows Phones manufactured and shipped since the launch of Windows 10, the 550 comes with Microsoft’s Windows 10 Mobile. Yeah, the OS is highly welcomed by many for its great ideas and unique features like Hello and Continuum, but none of those matter to users of the 550.
They are open to be the basic Windows 10 Mobile.
Unfortunately, the device it isn’t totally free of glitches and odd behavior. “For starters, the first set-up experience of Windows 10 Mobile is horribly broken. The instant you start up the phone and get done with all your accounts and configuration, it starts updating almost every single app on the OS, from the store all the way down to the phone app. While that is going on, it also begins to download and install an OS update in the background”.
An average Nigeria, without iota of idea on what’s going on may rush to return the phone to the seller or to Otigba for repairs, hence we are usually in a hurry! There ought to be a signage such as “Getting Your Device Started” until all the apps and things have finished preparing themselves.
Pricing
Depending on shop, online or offline, Lumia 550 sales between N25,000 to N27,000. *Consider the dollar/naira impasse as you approach the counter to buy. It’s not Microsoft’s making now.
Verdict
Essentially, aside from those few issues mentioned above, the Lumia 550 works as well as can be with Windows 10 Mobile. The Lumia 550 is really a nice low-end Windows Phone. But, this Lumia 550 is part of a series of devices made by Microsoft and cannot be judged in a manner that overlooks its history. The tech giant, seemingly, discarded all the good ideas of the Lumia 540 and 535 and reverts back to cutting costs so Microsoft can give these devices away to people who will hate them. Owing to its position in the market, Microsoft should be targeting “everyman” phone. They have made a name, but let it transform the device out there.
Telecom
9mobile Nigeria Inks Agreement to Roam with MTN

9mobile, Nigerian operator, has reportedly gained approval for roaming on the MTN Nigeria network in a deal that some commentators suggest could improve its position in the market and, more specifically, tempt back lost subscribers.
After finally gaining regulatory approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), 9mobile plans to launch national roaming services on the MTN network from this month.
Under the agreement, 9mobile subscribers will gain access to MTN’s infrastructure for calls, texts and data in areas where 9mobile’s coverage is weak or unavailable.
For 9mobile, the deal offers a cost-effective way to expand coverage without the heavy investment required for nationwide infrastructure.
According to ITWeb Africa, the decision comes nearly five years after initial discussions – much longer than expected due, the Techloy news service said, to regulatory bottlenecks, shifting market conditions, and unclear execution timelines.
It may, however, prove pivotal for 9mobile, whose market share has dwindled to 1.72% in April 2025, down from 6.6% in 2020 when the proposal was first submitted. Indeed, in 2015 the company once known as Etisalat Nigeria had over 23 million subscribers and a 15.7% market share.
Of course, there’s also something in this for MTN. In exchange for network access, MTN gains utilisation rights to 9mobile’s underused spectrum in the 900MHz, 1800MHz, and 2100MHz bands – key frequencies for expanding coverage and improving data capacity.
For MTN, which serves over 84 million subscribers, this additional spectrum could reduce congestion and improve service quality.
The company has also had financial difficulties in the Nigerian market due to the naira’s substantial depreciation; this deal could support better service provision at a reduced cost.
That said, MTN Nigeria’s results for the first quarter to March 31 2025 were apparently much improved, and the company recently announced a massive capital expenditure drive for 2025 of some NGN900 billion (US$568.5 million) as it seeks to significantly enhance network service quality in major cities like Lagos and Abuja and extend improvements to other areas.
Telecom
Banks, Telcos to Start Deducting USSD Charges from Airtime Today

Banks and telecom companies will begin deducting USSD banking charges directly from customers’ airtime instead of their bank accounts beginning from today, June 3.
USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, is a communications protocol used by GSM cellular telephones to interact with a mobile network operator’s computers.
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) announced this change in an e-mail message to customers, following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Key details:
Each USSD session will cost ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, charged by your mobile network.
You will be asked to approve the charge before it’s deducted from your airtime.
If you prefer, you can use other banking channels like ATMs, mobile apps, or internet banking.
This change is part of a move to end the long-standing debt dispute between banks and telecoms over unpaid USSD fees.
As of late 2024, banks owed telecom companies ₦160 billion. For example, MTN was owed ₦42 billion by Nigerian banks.
By shifting USSD fees to customers’ airtime, the telcos aim to recover these debts and avoid future issues.
Telecom
IHS Nigeria Moves to Enhance G4S Secure Solutions Site Patrols and Increase Operational Efficiency with Patrol Vehicles

IHS Nigeria, a subsidiary of IHS Holding Limited and one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared telecommunications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has formally commissioned 65 Response, Patrol, and Escort (RPE) vehicles to G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, its long-standing security partner.
The commissioning ceremony which held in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, underscores IHS Nigeria’s commitment to operational excellence, safety, and strategic partnerships.
The fully equipped vehicles, customized with radio systems, public address systems, medical kits, ladders, and amber lights, are expected to significantly enhance G4S’s patrol capabilities and enable proactive risk mitigation across IHS Nigeria’s infrastructure footprint in the country.
Speaking at the event, Jubril Saba, Vice President, Operations at IHS Nigeria, remarked: “IHS Nigeria is delighted to formally hand over these Response, Patrol and Escort (RPE) vehicles to our valued security partner, G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited. As a company, we recognize that the success of our operations lies not only in our technology and infrastructure but also in the strength of the partnerships we build and sustain.
G4S has been an essential partner in protecting our sites, supporting our teams, and ensuring operational continuity across the country. This initiative is more than just a commissioning of vehicles; it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to the safety of our people and assets, our drive for operational excellence, and our belief in strong partnerships.
We understand that securing our infrastructure and communities is critical to sustaining high-quality services nationwide, and we are confident this fleet will enhance G4S’s capacity to support us.”
Also speaking at the event, Jonas Ahl, Managing Director of G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, expressed his appreciation for the partnership:
“We are proud to receive these 65 custom-built patrol vehicles from IHS Nigeria. Each unit is fully outfitted to meet the specific security needs of our operations, equipped with communication systems, emergency response tools, and visibility-enhancing features. These vehicles will not only improve our response times and field presence but also enable us to reduce risk and deter criminal activity more effectively.
I would like to thank the IHS team for their excellent collaboration throughout this project. We are proud to serve IHS and remain committed to protecting the assets that power connectivity across Nigeria.”
This strategic gesture reinforces IHS Nigeria’s position as a socially responsible and security-conscious industry leader, while highlighting the value of operational synergy with trusted partners like G4S.
The deployment of these vehicles marks another milestone in IHS’s mission to secure its infrastructure and deliver uninterrupted service to millions of users across the country.
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