Nigeria dedicates 2007 to broadband development

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has declared that this year, 2007, would be focused on broadband development in the country.

Chief Executive, NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, made this declaration while chatting with newsmen on the commission’s projections for this year in Lagos.

“This year would be dedicated to broadband in this country,” he asserted.

He noted that technology infrastructure in the country has improved in the over five years of venturing into the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM).

Dr. Ndukwe pointed out that NCC began the year with the selling of two spectrums to the Mubadala Development Company (MDC) and is currently working out the final stages for the auctioning of Third Generation (3G) licenses.

“Now, we’re moving fast on to 3G licenses,” he said.

Dr. Ndukwe also revealed that NCC is set to inaugurate the first governing board for the Nigerian Internet Exchange Point (IXNP) for the country, even as its members would be drawn mainly from the private sector.

According to him, the government through NCC want the private sector to drive the initiative.
Equally, he said, the initiative is driven by Nigeria’s President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, stressing that the federal government decision to set aside was inspired by the outcome of the World Summit on the Information Society held in Tunisia in November 2005.

Meanwhile, chairman, Presidential Committee on IXNP, Mr. Ndukwe Kalu has said that the exchange has entered the final sign-off stage.

According to him, the visit of the NCC officials to the sites of exchange in Ikeja-Lagos, recently confirms this fact.He said the step was the best way forward in making sure that the exchange is commissioned as soon as possible, expressing optimism that they have seen the equipment and they are satisfied.

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