By Olabisi Olaleye
The federal government has offered to license more wireless broadband 5.4Ghz spectrum band before the end of the year.
This was disclosed recently in Abuja by the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Proffessor Umar Garba Danbatta.
According to him, the licensing would further open the country to more available opportunities, investment and empowerment of the citizenry.
The EVC explained that there is currently an increase in the country’s mobile broadband penetration, which has reached 20.95 per cent, and that Nigeria ranks second to South Africa with a milestone of 47.44 per cent.
“We have opened the process for the allocation of frequencies in the 70/80 Ghz band(E-band),and approval has been given for the deployment of 4G Long Term Evolution(LTE) Technology,” he said.
Danbatta recalled that in the recent issuance of 2.6Mhz wireless broadband spectrum,MTN Nigeria emerged winner of six slots out of 14 made available by NCC.
Danbatta noted that a good regulatory framework is one of the key ingredients for successful implementation of a programme like broadband penetration.
“We have been able to articulate a regulatory framework that will enable startegic and systematic licensing and deployment of broadband infrastructure across the country,” he explained.
He further disclosed that a broadband implementation monitoring committee has been established within the commission to give proper assessment on regular basis of broadband infrastructure deployment.
“These steps are critical success factors, which we have identified and primed for the various broadband initiatives”.