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Microsoft Lumia 550: What’s In The Box

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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.


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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Mafab Gets 0724 Number Series, Launches Mcom 5G Brand

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Mafab Communications, operating under the brand Mcom, has officially activated its mobile service infrastructure and commenced offering telecommunications services — including voice, data, and SMS — with new number range, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can report.

Mafab Gets 0724 Number Series, Launches Mcom 5G Brand

Dr. Musbahu Bashir, founder Mafab, owners of Mcom

Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has also confirmed the entry of Mcom which listed 0724 as officially assigned to Mafab.

An insider at Mafab told this reporter that “ We are Nigeria’s first 5G standalone network provider, revolutionizing the telecommunications landscape.  We are driven by a vision to foster a world where possibilities know no bounds with the power of technology”

Recall that the original 5G licence was awarded to Mafab in 2021, with an expectation that rollout would have fully commence by August 2022.

MTN Nigeria, the other winner of the license adhered to this timeline and deployed its 5G across major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.

Mafab on the other hand, requested and was granted an extension of time, which it have finally taken advantage of by the recent launch.

Mafab Communications is owned by Dr. Musbahu Bashir, who is also the founder and chairman of the company.

He is the individual behind the Mcom 5G brand and has been instrumental in launching the company’s 5G services.


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NCC to Name, Shame Telecom Infrastructure Vandals

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Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has vowed to intensify its collaboration with security agencies to arrest and prosecute individuals vandalising the country’s Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

NCC to Name, Shame Telecom Infrastructure Vandals

Auwal Abdullahi, head of Quality of Service at the NCC, said this during a media engagement held in Abuja.

The move comes on the heels of the recent signing of the “Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024” by President Bola Tinubu.

The Order is aimed at protecting essential digital and communication systems from cyberattacks, vandalism, and related disruptions.

Speaking on the development, Abdullahi said: “The Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Act has provisions for prosecution, and the operationalisation of CNII falls under the purview of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). Anyone found liable for damaging or disrupting CNII will be prosecuted going forward. We are working with relevant agencies like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to tackle these problems and prosecute offenders.”

He recounted that some telecom operators recorded significant financial losses two years ago, largely due to exchange rate pressures and infrastructure vandalism.

“About two years ago, we noticed a situation where some of our key telecom operators were recording massive losses. Despite increasing revenues, they were struggling with heavy forex-related obligations that ate into their revenues. This led to poor quality of service,” he said.

According to him, the recent tariff adjustments have placed the industry back on a path to profitability and renewed investment.

“As a result, they are able to reinvest in their networks, which will lead to better quality of service and experience. We expect investments in the industry to increase significantly this year, more than what was seen in the last two years. The Nigerian telecoms industry has great promise, evident in its revenue growth and service delivery, despite the recent challenges,” he added

Also speaking at the event, Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman and CEO of the NCC,  reassured stakeholders that the Commission remains committed to driving improvements in network quality across the country.

Represented by Mrs. Nnena Ukoha, acting head of Public Affairs, Maida challenged journalists to act on the knowledge shared at the forum.

“This is not for you alone. You now have this information, do not just sit on it. For instance, you were given figures on fiber cuts and thefts affecting NCC. Who is responsible for those infrastructures? The NSCDC. Ask them: ‘Of all these incidents, what are you doing about them? How many people have been prosecuted?’ Every state has legal departments. Go and ask them: ‘What are you doing to protect critical infrastructure?’ he queried.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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USSD: 13 Banks Clear Debts – ALTON

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Association of Licensed Telecommunications Companies in Nigeria (ALTON) has revealed that 13 commercial banks have fully settled their outstanding Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) service debts to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

USSD: 13 Banks Clear Debts - ALTON

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON

The remaining three banks are nearing completion of their payments, having cleared over 95% of their respective debts, according to Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON.

This resolution paves the way for a new billing system for USSD banking transactions.

Going forward, charges for these services will be debited directly from customers’ airtime accounts.

The update on debt settlements and the upcoming billing model were discussed , during the ‘ASK the Exec’ online meeting anchored by MTN.

Participants included Lynda Saint-Nwafor, chief enterprise business officer at MTN and  Adebayo.

According to the ALTON Chairman, there has been substantial progress in resolving the long-standing debt issue.

“As of January, the outstanding debt from banks to MNOs for USSD services was N180 billion. Of the 17 banks with pre-API outstanding payments (excluding Heritage Bank, which is insolvent), 13 have fully settled their debts, and the remaining three are in the final stages of installment payments, with over 95% of the debt cleared”, he explained to journalists present at the call.

The clearance of historical debt is crucial as the industry moves to a new operational model.

“Banks with outstanding debts will not be excluded from the new system; they can either migrate to end-user billing once their debts are cleared or choose to remain on the old corporate billing model, provided they settle their outstanding obligations”, Adebayo pointed out.

Since 2021, collaborative efforts between the telecommunications and banking industries, supported by their regulators, have aimed to standardize charges for USSD banking transactions, resulting in a unified fee of N6.98 per transaction.

Saint-Nwafor, explained the upcoming change: “The most significant change is the transition to end-user billing, where customers will now be billed for USSD transactions directly from their airtime accounts instead of their bank accounts. This means deductions will no longer occur from bank balances but from airtime balances held with MNOs.”

Previously, banks directly debited customers’ bank accounts, a system that presented challenges regarding transparency and control.

To address this, an Application Programming Interface (API) was developed, granting banks full control over their USSD channels. For instance, a bank like GTBank with the USSD code *737# can now ensure a customer’s number is accepted by the bank before a transaction proceeds, after which the bank applies the N6.98 charge.

MNOs like MTN simply facilitate the connection, earning their N6.98 fee for providing the channel.

To ensure a smooth transition and consistent experience, a standardized process for end-user billing has been implemented across all operators and banks: Consent Message: Customers dialing a bank’s USSD code will receive a clear consent message informing them of the N6.98 deduction from their airtime and requesting acceptance.

Aggregator Communication: Upon acceptance, the MNO will contact a USSD aggregator to confirm the bank’s availability, preventing billing for unfulfilled services. Transaction and Billing: Once the bank confirms readiness, the MNO connects the customer and bills the airtime account.

All MNOs have also unified their messaging to customers, providing consistent communication on service levels and transaction outcomes, clarifying if a transaction failed due to issues on the bank’s end or the telco’s side.

Crucially, telco service purchases (airtime and data) from banks are zero-rated when customers use direct strings (e.g., dialing *737*10000# for N10,000 airtime instead of the generic *737#).

This informs both the MNO and the bank of the specific intent, making these transactions free.

Customers are strongly encouraged to use these direct strings to avoid charges, and extensive communication campaigns are planned. Any instance of double deduction (from both airtime and bank accounts) should be reported to the customer’s bank.

Adebayo addressed several key questions, reassuring the public about the implications for consumers and businesses.

He noted that for consumers, the shift to end-user billing has a zero net effect on cost, as they were already paying the N6.98 fee, albeit from their bank accounts.

Transparency and accountability are enhanced through standardized consent messages, inter-industry agreements, and MNOs’ commitment to provide monthly performance statistics to regulators.

“If a transaction fails due to MNO network issues, the customer will not be billed, or any deduction will be reversed. However, if the failure originates from the bank’s end (e.g., insufficient bank balance, bank system downtime), the customer will still be billed, with the reason for failure communicated”, ALTON Chairman explained.

The concern about USSD usage limiting access for those in unbanked areas or without airtime was also addressed.

“The N6.98 charge is considerably lower than alternative transport costs to physical banking points. Furthermore, customers can purchase airtime from their bank accounts at zero cost using direct strings, even if they have no airtime, as long as they have funds in their bank account. USSD is seen as a convenience channel, with all stakeholders contributing to the cost of providing financial services”, Adebayo stated.


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