MainOne Cable goes commercial June 30

•Nigeria to host WTDC in 2018

One of the Nigeria’s submarine cable provider, MainOne Cables, has declared that come June 30, its services would go commercial across the country, just as the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has expressed optimism on the sectoral growth and interest to host the International Telecommunication Union (ITU’s) World Telecommunication Development Conference in 2018 (WTDC-18).

Giving this indication in Lagos, Tuesday at the second edition of the West African Information and Communications Technology Congress (WAFICT), the chief executive officer of Main One Cables, Ms Funke Opeke represented by the Manager Sales, Ms Bolanle Ogundogba, said the submarine cable provider is ready for commercial launch on June 30.

“MainOne would be ready by 30th of June, 2010,” she declared, stressing that they offer a wholesale of full circuit services, which starts with STM-1, which contains about 63 E1 lines.

E1 has been described as a physical layer protocol for leased line transmissions, which carries thirty-two (32) 64 kbps channels at 2.048 Mbps each.

Opeke who spoke on operator’s perspective, said that by starting with STM 1 and landing cables in Lagos and Accra through the Telephone House London, the best is expected from the network.

According to her, for a long term purchase, it is expected to cost between $500 and $600 at about four STM-1, noting that there are further discounts at higher levels.
She said that there is plan for onward connectivity at wholesale prices from global supplies.

Disclosing that by next year, 2011, MainOne has projection to establish an international gateway for Internet Protocol (IP).

“So, we think of doubling existing capacity on day one and less than 5 per cent of the available capacity deployed with room to grow,” she said.

Maintaining that the landing stations in Lagos and Accra-Ghana have been completed and are ready for business.

In a related development, the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has expressed optimism on the sectoral growth, noting though some achievements have been made, expressing interest to host the 2018 edition of ITU’s World Telecommunication Development Conference, WTDC-18.

ATCON president, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu gave this hope in a goodwill message delivered at WAFICT, stressing that the next level of corporation in the West Africa’s ICT industry is cross-border synergies.

“So, as far as positivity goes, there is hardly a better time to be here as we ride on the crest of a wave geared towards moving our industry to the next level,” he said.

The Nigerian market by all indication, he said, is not a blank canvass, hence it is necessary, to address certain structural and infrastructural problems that might give the illusion or may be presented as if there is a saturated market on hand already.

Nevertheless, he said, the advantages of cross-border trade especially for the medium and long term future gives cause for optimism, “but only if, in the short term, we lay down plans and our modus operandi.”

ATCON, he said, is quite confident that given what the WAFICT organizers have recorded in terms of its reach and potential effect, in the context of their set objectives, “it is our view that with a well managed collaboration with other proven local initiatives, we should now be in a position to escalate our intentions to the International Telecommunications Union, (ITU), that under its auspices, Nigeria wishes to host a world class Telecommunications Expo.

“We must galvanize support as well as call on our officials in the Ministry of Information and Communications to begin to make necessary representation at the global level that we are ready to host the 2018 edition of ITU’s World Telecommunication Development Conference, WTDC-18,” Omo-Ettu said.

Assuring that ATCON’s immediate focus for the future is to continue to be a driving force of inspiration amongst all players as they attempt to meet the aspirations of the industry, pointing out that it is time to manage both volume and content of the traffic to ensure the best returns from investment.

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