NCC to Review 18 Major Telecom Licenses

At least 18major telecom licenses granted by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are due for renewal, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations can now reveal.
The licenses made up of Private Network Link (local exchange operators and fixed telephony operators) and Unified Access Service operators have ran or will run out of their first life span this year.
Private Network Link operators have life span of 10 years and employ cables, radio communications, or satellite for the provision of telecommunications services within Nigeria.
A unified license on the other hand gives an operator the freedom to offer mobile, fixed and any other telecommunications service to its subscribers.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that the licenses were granted by the NCC under section 32 of Nigerian Communications Act 2003 for tenure of 10 years and it is up to the Commission subject to condition 20 of schedule 1 of the license to renew it.
Among the PNL (local exchange operators) licenses that have ran out of life are: Digital Telecoms (Nigeria) limited, Lagos,  Thorst Limited, Port Harcourt and Simpack Telecom Limited, Lagos, all licensed on November 1, 1998 and have expired on October 31, 2008.
This year, the following licenses will expire: PGE Telecoms and Data Services, Port Harcourt: February 1, 1999 to January 31, 2009, Gazin Nigeria Limited, Abuja and Tilwot Engineering Company limited, Kaduna, both licensed March 1, 1999 to February 28, 2008.
Others are Sure Connections Limited, Lagos, Bemlynk Nigeria Limited, Kaduna and African Telecommunications Network Limited all licensed May 1, 1999 to April 30, 2009.
The license of Lascoms West Africa Limited, Lagos will expire in May 31, 2009 having being licensed in June 1, 1999.
Some licenses that will be expiring in the fixed category of the PNL include: Oreil Nigeria limited which expires in January 31, 2009 having being licensed in February 1, 1999, VGC Communications Company Limited, Lagos licensed March 1, 1999 and expiring February 28, 2009, ZoomMobile formerly Reliance Telecommunications limited, May 1, 1999 to April 30, 2009 and First Tone limited formerly Forbes Telecom Nigeria, June 1, 1999 to May 31, 2009.
Only two Unified Access Service license are due for review this year and they are Sure Connections limited, Lagos and Bemlynk Nigeria Limited, Kaduna, both licensed May 1, 1999 and expire in April 30, 2009.