Uncertainties Hang over Dangote 3G License

Alheri Engineering Limited, wholly owned subsidiary of the Dangote Group licensed to provide both carrier and 3G Wireless services within Nigeria is yet to obtain numbering plan from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) casting doubts on its promised roll out of services this December.
Telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating telephone number ranges to telecommunications networks for example the 0809 for Etisalat, 0803 for MTN or 0805 for Globacom.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek however gathered that the company promoted by Aliko Dangote, easily Africa’s richest man is working quietly to roll out services that will take the country by storm.
Alheri is reportedly studying an entry model that will give it strong footprints into the already crowded Nigeria telecommunications market.
Dangote’s company along with MTN, Globacom and Zain Alheri r won a 3G carrier license allowing their at launch to terminate commercial third generation wireless services .
Each of the telecommunications companies coughed out for $150 million for the licences.
3G otherwise, the third generation technology, is an enabler of mobile communications, ushering in many benefits such as roaming capability, broad bandwidth and high speed communication upwards of 2Mbps.
MTN, Globacom and Zain have all commenced their 3G services prompting NCC to threaten the big stick on the company.
Piqued by the seeming inactivity by Alheri, NCC threatened to wield the big stick including possible regulatory query into the company’s dormant 2GH frequency spectrum supporting 3G services.
NCC said that the 2GHz spectrum is a valuable spectrum that could not be left idle.
In a swift response, Alheri said it was fine-tuning the network in readiness for launch in December in this year.
Quick checks at Alheri showed that some key appointment have been made to stir the company through the launch of its initial service.
Experts however warned to Alheri to be cautious with commercial 3G because of its relative unpopularity in Nigeria.
Even general packet radio service (GPRS), a non-voice service which provides the transmission of IP packets over existing cellular networks has not really caught on
It is also doubtful if most Nigerians would like watch TV on their phones.