NCC Proposes New Model to Accelerate Broadband

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has proposed the setting up and licensing of infrastructure companies (InfraCos) to accelerate the deployment of broadband in the country under the National Broadband Network (NBN) Deployment plan.

The proposed a new broadband structure that will consist of InfraCos providing intercity fibre and others providing metro fibre, while geographically-focused InfraCos will provide wholesale bandwidth services on “a non-discriminatory, open access, price regulated basis.

According to a notice on NCC’s website “The objective of this initiative is to stimulate a new national broadband network that is not only more widespread but also faster and more secure than what is available today, thereby stimulating other sectors of the economy and leading to higher economic spinoffs for Nigeria. In addition, it will offer efficient connectivity as well as ultra high-speed broadband services that is available, affordable and sustainable”

The document, titled “Open Access Next Generation Fibre Optics Broadband Network Industry Consultation Paper November 2013,”  they  will also be required to focus on the “deployment of metropolitan fibre and provide transmission services, available at access points (Fibre to the Node or Neighborhood – FTTN) to access seekers, leverage existing inter-city fibre to deploy their services, and purchase/lease transmission or long haul fibre capacity from other providers, where available, for the purpose of interconnection.”

NCC added that “the proposed structure allows existing players to operate on the basis of business-as-usual, with the option of transferring/leasing their inter-city and existing metropolitan fibre infrastructure to the InfraCos.”