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Spectranet Looks to Deepen Fixed Broadband Penetration in Nigeria – Awasthi

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Ajay Awasthi is the chief executive officer of Spectranet Nigeria. He spoke on the efforts of the Internet Service Provider in deepening broadband penetration in Nigeria.

As a major player in Nigeria’s Fixed Broadband segment, through your fiber optic based Fixed Broadband service offering, how will you describe the pace of Nigeria’s broadband penetration and its impact on digital infrastructure?

Fixed Broadband penetration in Nigeria is at abysmally low levels currently at about 0.1%. This pales in comparison to overall broadband ( including mobile broadband) penetration which, as per the latest figures by NCC, is at 42.27 %.

Just to put these figures in the right perspective, the worldwide Fixed Broadband penetration in 2021(as per Statista) is 16.7% with Europe leading the table with 34.7% penetration.

Fixed Broadband services have the capability to deliver extremely cost effective, high quality and high-speed access to internet. It can play a significant role in overall development of world class digital infrastructure in the country.

It’s quite clear that there is a lot of ground to be covered to increase Fixed Broadband penetration to even half of the worldwide penetration level. Being the foremost ISP in Nigeria, Spectranet is keen to lead the effort to increase the FBB penetration to the next levels within the next 2-3 years.

Spectranet as a pioneer in launching 4G LTE services in Nigeria. What was the trigger for launching Fiber based Fixed Broadband services?  

Culturally, we are an extremely data analytics and insight driven company with a deep sense of commitment towards proactively serving the needs of customers. Be it being the first to recognize the changing trends in data consumption and offering relevant products or anticipating and eliminating the causes of their pain points.

Post COVID, we have been keenly observing the key shifts in usage behaviour of our customers. A post COVID data user wants high speed internet access with low latency, high level of consistency with 99.99% up time.

All this at extremely affordable prices to watch movies on OTT platforms, play games or use video conferencing! We understood that these fast- evolving trends can be effectively addressed with a superior price-value proposition, through Fixed Broadband technologies.

This is what triggered our entry into Fixed Broadband and we are extremely pleased with the response we have been getting in the market in the cities of Lagos and Abuja. We will soon be entering into other markets too.

How is Spectranet going to differentiate its Fixed Broadband services once the 5G services are rolled out in Nigeria.

The telecom regulator NCC has done a commendable job by auctioning 5G Spectrum way ahead of many other countries. As per report the 5G services should get launched in the next 2-3 months times, though in a limited manner.

For a comprehensive 5 G launch, in order to realize the full benefits like high speed data, low latency, IOT, it’s critical to have an omnipresent network interconnected through a robust optic fiber network- connecting various towers and then for backhauling of the data to the network core and further.

All this infrastructure is at a miniscule level at this point of time and would certainly take a couple of years to be fully on-ground.

Having said that, Fixed Broadband and 5G technologies by no means are competing technologies. These will actually complement each other. Advanced technologies in fixed Broadband like XGS-PON are capable of delivering upstream and downstream speeds of10Gbps,way above 5 G speeds and at low latency levels.

Both the technologies will co-exist, serving different needs of the customers while on the move or working inside an office/home.

Fixed Broadband roll out is generally known to be slow paced due to associated challenges on account of securing right-of-way, trenching work and laying of cables. How is Spectranet managing rollout of FBB services? .

At Spectranet, we fully well understand the on-ground challenges and have been addressing these by deploying multiple technologies – HomeFibre ( FTTx) and FibreOnAir ( WTTx).

The latter is used in dense areas and helps in expediting roll outs of FBB. By this dual technology approach, we are able to deliver high quality internet services at a rapid pace.

What are your greatest challenges in offering FTTx services and how best could the challenges be addressed?

Nigeria has made rapid strides in mobile broadband penetration, with the regulator NCC playing a key role in proactively driving this through relevant policy interventions. However, the story is completely different in Fixed Broadband space.

This industry is completely bogged down by the lack of unified and robust policy framework for granting right-of-way (ROW) and charges the operator needs to pay for laying optic fiber cables.

Different states have different approaches to these which effectively thwart quicker rollouts. Further Non-availability of affordable/ reliable metro and national optic fiber networks also poses a key constraint on offering high quality Fixed Broadband services.

Given the criticality of FBB in delivering high quality and affordable services to the homes, SMEs/MSMEs, a unified, nationwide policy can help unleash the potential of this sector.

Over the last 3-4 years after MNOs launched their 4G services, we have witnessed intense Data price wars and a significant reduction in Data prices. How is Spectranet defending itself?

 This will need a bit of explaining to set the context right. In Nigeria the regulator has fixed a floor price for Voice calls and the operators cannot charge less than the floor price.

This wise move by the regulator has ensured that no operator indulges in predatory pricing hurting the profitability of the industry which is so critical to the creation of a digital economy.

Strikingly, there is no floor price yet fixed for Data prices and that is leading to an imbalance in the industry, favouring the bigger players. While the MNOs are using their floor price protected voice revenues to cross subsidize and slash data prices, ISPs like us are forced to drop prices to unsustainable levels in order to defend themselves.

Let’s be clear that ISPs are defending the indefensible if the regulator doesn’t intervene immediately and set a floor price for data to curb predatory pricing.

Isn’t a price war good from the customers’ view point?

I have said this earlier also and my views remain consistent.

War of any kind is destructive by nature. A price war is no exception. It is a short- sighted ploy to gain market share. In the near term, it may be touted as a “customer friendly “move but over a period of time a price war results in significant destruction of value for the industry, forcing the players to degrade quality of services.

A price war is not sustainable in the longer term and a lose-lose proposition for both the operators and the customers. The hapless customers finally end up at the receiving end and are made to suffer through poor quality of services.

At Spectranet, we stay committed to provide high-quality, high-speed broadband to our customers. We believe in delivering a superior customer experience through better understanding of their needs and through differentiated tariff plans backed by excellent customer service.

Spectranet is known for its superior customer service. What is your approach to customer service?

At Spectranet, we deeply acknowledge the fact that customer service is not just limited to putting up a call center but goes much beyond and that CS can be a powerful source of differentiation in the market place.

Customer service to us is not a reactive action but an organization wide mindset which gets embedded into all aspects of the business.

Secondly, we constantly remind ourselves that Customer Churn is just one bad experience away. We call such bad experiences “customer pain points” and assiduously work on getting down to the causative factors and addressing these.

Proactive customer service (anticipating customers’ needs and pain points) is like a religion at Spectranet. The focus always is on eliminating these pain points or bad experiences by staying ahead of the causative factors.

Another critical factor is the design of Customer Service Delivery (CSD) organization and the hierarchical distance from the front-end Customer Service Executive to the CEO.

At Spectranet we have managed to keep just two layers between CSE and CEO and that helps significantly in staying tuned to customers’ requirements in a proactive manner.

Telecom operators are itching to increase the cost of voice call, SMS and data services by 40 per cent. Are Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like Spectranet also thinking of a price hike in the cost of internet services?

Across all the industries the cost of doing business has seen a significant increase over the past few quarters. The cost of running the towers being a significant cost, the recent hike in the price of diesel has further exerted pressure on the bottom line.

As an industry, telecom has held the prices virtually constant over the last few years. In order to continue providing high quality services to our customers and continue to create direct and indirect employment to thousands of people, it’s imperative that survival of the industry is ensured through a price hike mitigating the impact of ballooning costs.

Nigeria has witnessed the landing of several submarine broadband cables in Lagos, with more still coming. How will these help Spectranet to offer better internet services to its customers?

It’s an extremely happy development, to say the least. Some of these companies are not only coming with landing station for their under-sea cables but also data centers.

Combination of these will help reduce costs of transiting traffic to the rest of the world but also bring in qualitative improvement by reducing latency.

We are hoping that more such players will also enter to provide intra-national lease line connectivity which still a major point of concern in terms of reliability and high costs. Just to substantiate, the cost of carrying data traffic from Abuja to Lagos is more than 3X the cost of carrying it from Lagos to USA!

what safety measures have Spectranet put in place to ensure security from Cyber attacks?

With more and more digitalization happening, the vulnerability to cyber attacks has increased for sure. Cyber Security threats caused by DDoS, Malware, Emotet etc. are quite common these days.

As an operator we take cyber security very seriously and have deployed sophisticated equipment to thwart and neutralize these threats. There are multiple layers of cyber security comprising latest generation of Firewalls and Intrusion Prevention systems which effectively neutralize such threats.


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Airtel’s AI Spam Alert Flags 9.6m Spam Attempts

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Airtel Nigeria, telecom service provider, has announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service issued over 9.6 million spam alerts between March 13 and May 20, 2025.

Airtel’s AI Spam Alert Flags 9.6m Spam Attempts

As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from unwanted and potentially fraudulent communications, Airtel designed the AI Spam Alert service to analyze traffic patterns and detect anomalies.

In the period since launch the AI pinpointed a total of 9,667,008 SMS as potential spam messages in the two months after its launch.

Of these, the system identified 528,080 on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) and 9,138,928 off-net (from other networks) numbers as suspected spam messages, demonstrating the scale of the threat and Airtel’s advanced processing capability.

Airtel Nigeria is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa.

Commenting on this development, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO, Airtel Nigeria, restated Airtel`s commitment to protecting its customers.

“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network.

“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data. As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” Mr. Balsingh said.

The Spam Alert Service is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into its core offerings to deliver smarter and safer experiences for its customers across the country.

Recall that the Spam Alert Service was launched on March 13, 2025. A groundbreaking and free solution from Airtel, it notifies users in real-time of suspected spam SMS messages by analyzing over 250 parameters.

The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is available to all Airtel subscribers on smartphones and feature phones.

 

 


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Vitel Wireless Completes Interconnectivity with all Major Telcos in Nigeria

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Vitel Wireless Limited, pioneer mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Nigeria has made another history by announcing the successful completion of interconnectivity with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria.

Vitel Wireless Completes Interconnectivity with all Major Telcos in Nigeria

Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless

Recall that Vitel Wireless, became the  first Mobile Virtual Network Operator  to receive a dedicated number series (0712) from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

This breakthrough enables Vitel Wireless subscribers to make and receive calls with users on MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), and 9mobile Nigeria.

It also marks the first time an MVNO in the country has successfully interconnected with all the major MNOs, setting a new precedent for Nigeria’s telecom sector.

Following the NCC’s licensing of 46 MVNOs, Vitel Wireless continues to lead the way in establishing a dynamic MVNO sector in Nigeria—Africa’s largest market and most populous nation.

The company has already achieved several historic firsts: the first MVNO issued a numbering plan and national and international routing codes, the first to launch a location awareness network in Africa, and the first to unveil a strategic nationwide rollout plan.

“We are gathering momentum for our big launch,” said Kenneth Emeka Nwabueze, chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless.

“We are proud to be showing what’s possible for MVNOs, while also creating a path for others to follow. By leveraging our years of experience in Nigeria’s telecom industry, we are opening up new possibilities where there used to be none.”

Interconnectivity was achieved through a combination of direct fiber connections with some MNOs and indirect routing via third-party providers.

This milestone was the result of a collaborative effort involving engineers from Vitel Wireless, Wireless Technology Labs (WTL), and Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria (ICN), working closely with engineers from MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile.

“We wish to thank the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission, for their timely interventions and guidance, which were instrumental in achieving this interconnectivity and bringing the formal launch of the Vitel Wireless nationwide network one step closer to reality,” said Nwabueze.

The company entered a nationwide pilot phase in May 2025, with plans for a full rollout in July 2025, aiming to deliver next-generation mobile services to millions across Nigeria.

 

 


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Layer3 Wins Big at African Beacon of ICT Awards 2025

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L-r: David Ita, Head, Strategy & Business Development, Layer3; Morenike Ayeni, Head, Procurement, Layer3; Ike Nnamani, CEO, Digital Realty Nigeria at the 16th edition of Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership awards held in Lagos over the weekend.
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Layer3, One of Nigeria’s foremost ICT solutions providers, has once again solidified its place as a trailblazer in Africa’s technology landscape, emerging as the Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year and Leadership Award in Cloud Services at the prestigious African Beacon of ICT Leadership and Awards held on May 24, 2025, at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.

This year’s event brought together leading tech innovators, policymakers, and thought leaders to recognize organizations making extraordinary contributions to Africa’s digital transformation.

Among the many luminaries in attendance, Layer3 stood out for its 19+ years of consistent innovation, technical excellence, and client-centered service delivery.

Speaking at the event, the organizers praised Layer3’s pioneering work in delivering robust enterprise solutions across sectors, as well as its bold leadership in advancing cloud infrastructure and services across Nigeria and beyond.

“These awards are more than recognitions, they are a reminder of the fulfilment to our mission to deliver peace of mind to our customers,” said David Ita, the Head of Strategy and Business Development of Layer3.

 “They speak to the impact we’ve made and the promise we hold for the future of the cloud and enterprise technology business in Africa. We dedicate this honor to our clients, partners, and the hardworking Layer3 team who continue to redefine excellence every day.”

Since its founding, Layer3 has championed a future-forward approach to ICT services offering cutting-edge solutions in enterprise networking, cybersecurity, broadband, cloud computing, managed services, and IT advisory. The company’s Layer3Cloud platform and managed service offerings continue to power the digital ambitions of Nigeria’s leading businesses.

These accolades underscore Layer3’s unwavering commitment to driving transformation and supporting digital economies through smart, secure, and scalable technology.

 


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