Starcomms Stirs Internet Revolution with iZAP

Starcomms, one of Nigeria’s largest telecommunications operators is already shaking the telecommunications market with its high-speed wireless internet and the company is excited about it.

With the increasing shift from voice-centric services to multimedia-oriented like video, data, fax services, Starcomms, toke a bold step into the future with its 3G EVDO Mobile Broadband internet service as "iZAP", a superfast internet service, into the Nigerian market.

Mr. Maher Qubain, CEO Starcomms, said that it is ‘’a super highway broadband internet service that enable subscribers a world of limitless possibilities on Starcomms network. With this new service, subscribers on the leading "triple-play" network can enjoy easy and quick access to streaming video, movies, online music, and read live updates of business news and sports.

Starcomms currently offers 3G EVDO Rev0 Mobile Broadband internet service in 3 key cities of Nigeria – Lagos, Port Harcourt and Federal Capital Territory Abuja, that offers speed upto 2.4 mbps. In addition, we currently offer the RevA version of 3G EVDO Mobile Broadband internet service in Abuja, first to have launched in West Africa, that offers speed upto 3.1 mbps. The service is planned for roll out in other cities as well.

The service, Qubain said ‘is a specialized solution specifically tailored to solve Internet connection troubles. It is based on Starcomms’ superior 3G EVDO technology which allows for massive download and attachment of unusually large files.’’

Apart from effectiveness and affordability, Qubain stressed that this foray by the company will further empower Nigerians to become drivers of their own destinies with the enormous opportunities that the service can offer entrepreneurs, professionals, students, cybercafe operators as well as multinational companies, among others.

To compliment the speed this service is offering, the Starcomms CEO said there are several stylish access devices on tender including Izap MDC (Mobile Data card), Izap USB Modem and Izap Smart Phones.

While the service is currently available to subscribers in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, Qubain said plans are in top gear to hook up more cities across the country, adding that the cutting edge is the robust technology on which the service operates: the 3G EVDO technology, pioneered by the company.

In February 2006, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, then minister of Communications, had launched Starcomms’ high-speed Mobile Broadband Data Access Service (EV-DO), a 3G technology solution. It was Nigeria’s first 1xEV-DO-based mobile broadband deployment and one of West Africa’s first CDMA2000 1xEV-DO networks leveraging Huawei’s latest third generation CDMA2000 1xEV-DO platform.

At the launch Qubain had declared, "When we introduced the Third Generation (3G) technology, it was based on the realization that the Nigerian subscriber has become quite sophisticated and deserved to be provided world class services using the best technology".

Essentially, Enhanced Voice Data Only or Evolution Data Only or Evolution Data Optimized, often abbreviated as EVDO, EV-DO, EvDO, 1xEV-DO or 1xEvDO, provides fast wireless broadband (3G) Internet service directly to access devices such as computers, mobile phones, data cards and cellular routers

It is CDMA’s (Code Division Multiple Access) response to the need for high-speed broadband services capable of delivering very high speeds. Starcomms first deployed EVDO services in Lagos and Port Harcourt, and later Abuja through the mobile data cards for laptop users and USB modems for desktop users.

With iZAP, Starcomms’ business subscribers can quickly upload large data files and emails with attachments while "on-the-go" and instantly and securely access the Internet and their proprietary intranets wherever they are.

The CDMA technology consistently provides better capacity for voice and data communications than other commercial mobile technologies, allowing more subscribers to connect at any given time, and it is the common platform on which 3G technologies are built.

The world is demanding more from wireless communication technologies than ever before as more people around the world are subscribing to wireless communications. Third-Generation wireless data services and applications – such as wireless email, web, digital picture taking/sending, assisted-GPS position location applications, video and audio streaming and TV broadcasting – and wireless networks are doing much more than they did just a few years ago.

EV-DO deployed by Starcomms in 2006 is a part of the International Telecommunication Union, ITU, approved 3G standards technologies. EVDO delivers growing demand for high-speed broadband data services.

CDMA 1X is the fastest growing wireless technology and it will continue to grow at a faster pace than any other technology. Currently, there are just a little over 45 million subscribers to the CDMA 1X the latest version of the technology all over the world bringing global use of all ranges of CDMA to a little over 353 million.

Remarkably, this foray by the company will further empower Nigerians to communicate more effectively and affordably as the technology base of the 3G CDMA offers greater clarity than is currently prevalent.

Commercially launched in 1999, Starcomms has invested heavily over the years to improve the quality of its products. Its deployment of the world class CDMA technology in 2002 exponentially established the company as the largest CDMA 3G Mobile network in Nigeria in terms of coverage, subscriber base, network quality and customer service delivery.

CDMA has been traditionally faster than GSM, though both technologies continue to rapidly leapfrog along this path. Both boast "3G" standards, or 3rd generation technologies.

To Qubain, "Starcomms is poised to continuously be at the forefront of Nigeria’s telecommunications market."