Access to “always on” and “fast Internet service” generally referred to as broadband may continue to elude Nigerians because of a number of factors including power challenges and harsh operating environment, according to Mohammed Rudman, managing director, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).
Rudman also waxed worriedly and lamented that despite the avalanche of undersea cable systems, each with landing points on the shores of Nigeria; broadband revolution is yet to be widespread.
According to him, broadband is now become a basic need and an index of development like access to electricity and telephones.
Investigations showed that one of the major obstacles to telecommunications service delivery in the country is absence of last mile infrastructure required to deliver services to consumers of these services at their respective homes and offices.
Last mile infrastructure is that transmission infrastructure telecommunications operators used to deliver services to potential subscribers at their domains.
Basically, infrastructure required in this regard includes optic fibre and microwave.
But, Rudman wondered why Nigeria is finding it difficult to provide broadband services when larger countries like India and China have been able to extend reliable internet services beyond their major cities.
With investments in undersea cable infrastructure in Nigeria in excess of $3 billion, most of the capacities brought into the country have remained in the Lagos region because of the challenges of distribution.
Rudman also decried the harsh operating environment which has forced operators to compromise network rollout and said that the situation has forced operators to site a single cell site at a location that requires three cell sites.
“Each cell site has a limited capacity of subscribers it can contain in a particular location, but in Nigeria, you need to buy land, go through legal processes for approval, and build mast with generators as well as security, just for you to run a cell site. These operators are doing business and instead of them to put three cell sites they will put one in order for them to recoup their investment.” He added
He noted that in some other countries, operators don’t go through rigorous process before building masts which are mostly built on existing building as against land.
Rudman enjoined Nigerians protect telecommunications infrastructure just like the way equipment of Power Holding Company of Nigeria are protected.
This is coming against the backdrop of over 7Tb/s of undersea internet capacity lying idle while subscribers are yet to experience broadband service.