Okonyia applauds Glo on Beacon of ICT awards

•Wins in 3 categories

Chairman, CommunicationsWeek Media, Mr. Bob Okonyia, has applauded the Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom for its emergence in three categories, at the 2010 Beacon of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) awards, which held in Lagos, recently, reports CHARLES OKOH.

ITRealms Online recalls that Globacom was named the Best GSM Company of the Year, Telecom Operator of the Year and Gateway Provider of the Year.

Okonyia who presides over the organizers of the award and publishers of CommunicationsWeek, said Globacom emerged tops in these categories in an online poll conducted from November last year to March 15, 2010, in which over 215,000 respondents participated.

He explained that voters chose Glo Mobile as the GSM Company of the Year because of its revolutionary role in the industry, noting that the company had continued to ensure that Nigerians benefitted from technological advances by pioneering such innovative products as Blackberry.

For the Telecom Operator of the Year Award, Okonyia noted that Globacom had made great progress in realizing its vision of becoming the biggest and best telecom network in Africa with its success in Benin Republic, imminent rollout in Ghana and winning of a license in Cote d’Ivoire.

Additionally, he said that Globacom had distinguished itself by giving back to society through its life-changing promotions and sponsorships. He also observed that the launch of Glo Broad Access last year was a landmark achievement for Globacom.

In voting Globacom Gateway Provider of the Year, respondents took into account the emergence of Glo Gateway as a major player in international voice and data carrier services as well as the landing last year of Glo 1 international submarine cable in Lagos and Accra.

Glo, he pointed out, is the first company in the world to embark upon such a project single-handedly, noting that the cable would ensure availability of bandwidth at very affordable price in West Africa.

As said by him, the Beacon of ICT Awards was instituted to reward the vision and enterprise of individuals and companies that have contributed to the growth of the ICT industry.

Equally, he said, CommunicationsWeek’s objectives for the awards were to evaluate and recognize standards of excellence in the country’s quest for growth and development in the use of ICT, stressing that it would encourage public and private institutions to use ICT for development in general and improve citizens services in particular, to motivate other stakeholders in effective utilization of ICT for citizens services and to ensure that professionals are provided a benchmark for recognition and validating outstanding contributions.

Among those who attended the event were the immediate past Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa, and former Communications Minister, Air Vice Marshal Canice Umenwaniri (rtd), who won the Father of Modern Nigeria Telecom, the ICT Man of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award, respectively.

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