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Battle for Supremacy Among CDMA Operators

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The introduction of Unified Access License by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in 2006 after the expiration of exclusivity right given to Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) operators was what Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators needed to stamp their feat in the telecommunications industry.

Before then, they were operating under limited mobile access license which restricted them from operating mobile service in unified manner. They as a result concentrated on offering fixed wireless and mobile service within the state they secured license to operate. More so, if any operator wishes to operate in another state outside its primary state of operation such operator would be required to apply for a license to operate in such location. This made it expensive to operate even as they were not required to offer roaming service like GSM operators.

As a result of these, CDMA operators were mere local operators who concentrated their service in Lagos and Abuja commercially viable cities. They were struggling for subscribers with GSM operators that offered more effective service basically, because a GSM subscriber can take his or her phone outside Lagos and it works in as much as such network has coverage the location, but mobile service rendered by CDMA could not offer this service, thereby giving them advantage over CDMA service.

Prior to the introduction of unified licensing regime which allows individual service provider to offer multiple services such as mobile telephony, fixed telephony, internet broadband and long distance services, there were over ten operators in this space. They include Starcomms, Reltel now Zoom Mobile, Intercellular, Multi-Links, Independent Telephony Network (ITN), Cellcom, Bourdex, Rainbownet, Prestel MTS first, among others.

Under the current dispensation, CDMA operators that want to play in the big wing are required to operate nationally, though there is choice of playing local but most see it as economically viable to play local which has led to some of the going for national unified access license which is the prerequisite.

Playing at this level entitles having foot print in almost every town in the country to be able to garner enough subscriber base which is the basis for profitability. To do this, they required strong financial base which most of these operators does not have.

This situation changed the landscape of operation in CDMA space as they had to change their operational module to be part of the moving train in the industry and has ignited a contest for supremacy among operators that has what it takes to play as a national operator. This saw Starcomms selling some of its equity to Actis to raise money to expand its network, since then it has secured foreign loans in this regard making it to claim the biggest in the space.

The company has already invested some US$600 million since it launched its network in 2002.

It has as well set itself a target of reaching 2.5 million subscribers by the end of this year, rising to 5 million by the end of next year and a ten fold jump to 50 million by 2011.

The company was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) few weeks back and raised around US$60 million. "We have always wanted two sectors of the economy, they are the oil and telecommunications sectors, represented in our market, said Binus Yaroe, the NSE’s general manager of listing and quotations and a representative of the director general. The stock market floatation raised funding for the company, while also allowing two investors, Actis and ECP to reduce their holdings.

Other operators did not seat to watch their competitors claim subscribers in a business they are also part of and equally have opportunity of playing big; this may have informed Reltel now Zoom Mobile is another contender for leadership in the CDMA space to embark on restructuring and repositioning. Before it changed its now to reflect the desire of its new investors from within the country, the company was the only privately owned telecommunications company that was playing in the big wings.

Zoom Mobile has raised N25.9 billion (US$223 million) from investors through private placement. The company says that the rebranding is to reposition the company as a national mobile services provider, taking full advantage of its Universal Access Service license.

The operator currently covers 62 cities and 350 villages and has a capacity for five million subscribers. The network recently passed the 1.5 million subscriber mark.

A foremost operator Multi-Links deal with Telkom of South Africa that saw the later acquiring 75% share of Multi-links at the cost of $280 million or N35.56 billion is the operator needed to launch itself in contention for leadership. Before now, the company was sluggish in its approach to expansion in spite of its position as one of the oldest PTOs.

Multi-Links-Telkom, the offspring of this acquisition, has set aside $1billion (about N127 billion) to fund an aggressive five-year expansion programme. This would enable it cover about 80 per cent of the country, thereby raising the bar of competition in the wireless/fixed line segment of the telecoms sector where seven other operators are also battling for market share and leadership in this post-unified access license,

Visafone the youngest by name in this CDMA sector of the telecommunications industry emerged from nowhere and is putting up an impressive performance in this contest for number one position among CDMA operators.

The company which is brainchild of Jim Ovia, a banker and industrialist has brought his managerial competence which he use in making Zenith bank one of the strongest banks in the post consolidation era to bear in Visafone.

Though, the name is new but the network has been operational in some cities for over a decade. This was as a result of the company’s acquisition of Bourdex Telecom that secure operational license to deliver services to some eastern parts of the country. It also bought Cellcom and Independent Telephone Network, all these were merged in one network, Visafone.

No sooner than the company rolled out service that about 13 banks gave their support with a syndicated facility of $200m in support of the new mobile phone company,

The emergence of Visafone has also brought new zest to the CDMA market space, especially with its introduction of open market selling strategy. This strategy which was first used by Starcomms in 2007 to drive its market penetration has now been deployed effectively by Visafone to the admiration of the purchasing customers.

Mr. Thomas explained that the operator’s strategy allows Visafone to act as a springboard for the country’s economic growth and development. And to achieve this, he pointed out that the telco would assist in fast tracking that growth and development through the provision of cutting edge communications infrastructure as well as seamless and efficient services that will ensure excellent customer service, unequalled clarity, the widest coverage and seamless connectivity.

According to Ninan Thomas, managing director, Visafone, the company promises an exciting bouquet of superior services that include the very best of Voice, High Speed Data 3G (EVDO) internet and other innovative Value Added Services (VAS) to individual subscribers while also providing unparallelled business solutions to large corporate as well as the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the country.

Prestel another unified access license operator, has its footprint strong in Niger Delta region and has not done much to show that it wants to play in the big circle so it is classified as underdog in this battle for supremacy.

Another underdog in this race that was first in the CDMA space is Intercellular. Since the company secured unified license it looks as if thing started working against the company. It has made several attempt at securing technical partner which didn’t work out until last year when Sudanese operator Sudatel bought into the company but is yet to operate the network raising doubt on the ability of the Arab operator to muster the required financial muscle to play in the big players circle.

Minor players includes MTSfirst wireless, Rainbownet among others are yet to register their names in the space as national operators.

According to figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) the total installed capacity for CDMA mobile stood at 3,170,000 million by end of April 2008 and another 5,670,377 for fixed wireless & wired operators. Introduction of Universal Access Operations Licence by the NCC also means that the CDMA operators now have a broader base to accessing market options.

The NCC figures, however, make contrasting reading with the CDMA operators’ claim of their subscriber base. Whereas, new market inroads mean their operations now appear to be expanding very rapidly with three of them – Starcomms, Zoom Mobile and Multi-Links Telkoms already claiming subscriber base in excess of one million each. A fourth operator, Visafone, which is fast gaining grounds and exciting customers with fresh innovations also claims to be close to the one million mark.

Mr Wakili Shehu, a telecommunications consultant said that the technology also provides the capacity for quicker transmission of data and Internet, unlike the GSM which has limited capacity. But he warned that the use of the CDMA technology in the country was also fraught with challenges, such as limited coverage of cities and towns, unlike the GSM.

As operators in the CDMA space are racing for leadership with claims and counter claims of one having higher subscriber base than the other, they should make sure that effort are made to increase capacity in order not to experience the problem of poor quality of service that bedeviled GSM operators that made NCC to slam them with the ban on plans to deliberately increase their subscriber base.


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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V-Malaysia 2025: QNET Strengthens Global Network with Landmark 5-Day Event

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QNET, leading global wellness and lifestyle direct-selling company, has successfully concluded V-Malaysia 2025, its flagship annual convention, at the Penang SPICE Convention Centre in Malaysia. Held from 21–25 June, the five-day event drew over 8,000 participants from more than 30 countries, including Nigeria, reinforcing the company’s global reach and strong foothold in the African market.

For over a decade, QNET has chosen Penang as the destination for this transformative event, which blends business networking, entrepreneurial development, and immersive personal growth experiences.

The 2025 edition underscores the continued collaboration between QNET, its event partner V Global Management (The V), Tourism Malaysia, the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), and its state-level affiliate, Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB).

In Nigeria, QNET has steadily gained recognition as a key player in the direct selling and wellness space, empowering thousands of Nigerians with entrepreneurial opportunities, health-conscious products, and financial education.

Through its innovative business model, QNET has fostered a growing community of independent distributors across states like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. Events such as V-Malaysia provide distributors a platform to connect with the global QNET network, learn from top leaders, and gain exposure to cutting-edge tools and products that can be leveraged in their local businesses.

V-Malaysia has evolved into a premier platform for business networking, entrepreneurial development, and cross-cultural collaboration. The synergy between QNET and The V — an internationally recognised organisation specialising in large-scale training and events has been pivotal in building the convention’s global draw.

YB Wong Hon Wai, Penang State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACH), emphasised the regional impact of V-Malaysia: “Penang’s vibrant tourism and business events ecosystem continues to attract top-tier events like QNET’s V-Malaysia.

In 2024 alone, Penang recorded an estimated RM1.29 billion in economic impact from such events – a testament to their significance. QNET’s long-term commitment brings not only economic value but also strengthens Penang’s global reputation.”

Trevor Kuna, Chief Marketing Officer of QNET, added: “For QNET, Penang is more than just a venue; it’s a home for inspiration, collaboration, and transformation.

“Our strong base in Nigeria and across Africa makes this event especially meaningful, as we bring together entrepreneurs from across the continent to share ideas and build cross-border relationships that accelerate personal and economic growth.”

The Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), a government agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and parent body of PCEB, plays a pivotal role in Malaysia’s business events ecosystem. In 2023 alone, MyCEB facilitated 248 business events, brought in over 180,700 international delegates, and generated about RM 2.8 billion in economic impact.

For V-Malaysia 2025, MyCEB’s expertise in destination marketing, strategic facilitation, and coordination between federal and state levels (through PCEB) has been instrumental in elevating Penang’s standing as a premier MICE hub.

Complementing this effort is Tourism Malaysia, whose targeted incentives and logistical backing helped deliver V-Malaysia 2025 as a high-impact global event. Their support underscores the government’s broader commitment to positioning Malaysia as a top-tier host for international conferences and high-impact corporate events.

As part of the event’s activities, QNET also unveiled new wellness innovations, including Harmoniq, a bio-signaling patch designed to enhance energy and well-being, and QWIK, a line of oral health and nutrition strips — products set to expand into markets like Nigeria in the coming year.

V-Malaysia 2025 is not just a celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship; it is a dynamic platform that exemplifies how global vision and local action, especially across Africa, can reshape the future of direct selling. For more information about V-Malaysia 2025, please visit QNET’s official website.


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Instagram Safety Tools Every Parent Should Know About

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In today’s digital world, teens are using social media to connect with their friends, learn and explore their interests.

Instagram has developed a variety of tools to give parents peace of mind, support safer interactions, and empower teens to make thoughtful decisions online. Whether you’re new to the platform or want to stay informed, here are essential safety tools every parent should know about:

Teen Accounts: Teen Accounts were designed to support parents better and give them peace of mind that their teens have the right protections in place. Teen Accounts have built-in protections that limit who can contact them and the content they see. By default, teen accounts are set to private and teens under 16 can only change this default setting with help from a parent or guardian.

Supervision tools (parental controls): As part of Teen Accounts, Instagram offers supervision features that allow parents to stay involved in their teen’s experience on the app. With this feature, parents can monitor how much time their teen spends on Instagram, view who they follow and who follows them, receive updates when their teen reports accounts or content, and set daily time limits or scheduled breaks to help manage usage.

Daily time limit: The daily time limit feature is also part of Teen Accounts. It allows parents and teens to set limits on app usage, encouraging healthier and more mindful engagement over time.

Block, restrict and report feature: Teen Accounts include tools that allow teens to block or restrict people they don’t want to interact with and report harmful content or behavior. Restricted users won’t be able to see when your teen is online or if they’ve read messages.

Sensitive content control: This safety feature, also available through Teen Accounts, lets users filter out potentially upsetting or mature content in Explore and other surfaces. content across Explore and other surfaces.

Educational Family Center: Instagram’s Family Center is an educational hub that provides articles and guidance to help parents have meaningful conversations with their teens about their online experiences and how to make time spent online a positive experience. The hub focuses on providing parents with practical tools from online safety experts, organisations and academics on everything from bullying to cybersecurity.

Take time to explore these features with your teen and use them as a starting point for open, ongoing conversations about their online life. When parents and teens navigate these digital spaces together, everyone wins.


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Free WiFi Meets Mega Entertainment at the Grand Opening of Solution Fun City

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In a bold move to blend digital empowerment with fun and entertainment, the Anambra State ICT Agency, in partnership with the Geeks and Founders Alliance for Soludo (GEFAS), announces the availability of free WiFi at the Anambra Mega Fest/Grand Opening of Solution Fun City.

Powered by Pine Heights Systems (PHSWEB), this initiative reinforces the state government’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and bringing connectivity directly to the people.

Set to hold on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 1 PM, the grand opening of Solution Fun City will light up Awka with a mix of tech-forward innovation and high-energy entertainment, all under the distinguished hosting of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR.

Attendees are in for a tech-enhanced experience featuring music, dance, comedy, games, and electrifying performances from Flavour, Umu Obiligbo, JeriQ, Jennifer Eliogu, Ugoccie, Apete, Ojadili, Ogbuefi I Go Tuk, Onye Obodo, Prince Neche, and many more.

“Technology is one of the greatest equalizers of our time.

Through digital access, we are not only empowering citizens, we are deepening civic participation and driving progress,” said Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency and Convener of GEFAS.

The event signals a new chapter in Anambra’s smart governance journey, where technology, inclusivity, and community celebration come together in one dynamic space.

To connect to the Free WiFi: turn your phone’s WiFi, select Soludo Solution WiFi and follow the prompts on the landing page

For details, call: 0201 410 1240

Follow the conversation: @gefasoludo across all social media platforms.


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