Telecom
ITU Statistics Confirm ICT Revolution of Past 15 Years
New figures released by ITU indicate that over the past 15 years, information and communication technologies (ICTs) have grown in an unprecedented way, providing huge opportunities for social and economic development.
The new figures track ICT progress and show gaps in connectivity since the year 2000, when world leaders established the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Today, there are more than 7 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide, up from 738 million in 2000. Globally, 3.2 billion people are using the Internet, of which two billion live in developing countries.
“These new figures not only show the rapid technological progress made to date, but also help us identify those being left behind in the fast-evolving digital economy, as well as the areas where ICT investment is needed most,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, at the press conference to launch the report today at the 2015 WSIS Forum in Geneva.
“ICTs will play an even more significant role in the post-2015 era and in achieving future Sustainable Development Goals as the world moves faster and faster towards a digital society,” said Mr Brahima Sanou, the Director of the ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau.
“Our mission is to connect everyone and to create a truly inclusive information society, for which we need comparable and high-quality data and statistics to measure progress.”
Internet user penetration increased seven-fold since 2000
Between 2000 and 2015, Internet penetration has increased almost seven-fold from 6.5 to 43 per cent of the global population.
The proportion of households with Internet access at home advanced from 18 per cent in 2005 to 46 per cent in 2015.
ITU figures also indicate that four billion people in the developing world remain offline. Off the nearly one billion people living in the Least Developing Countries (LDCs), 851 million do not use the Internet.
3G mobile-broadband coverage rapidly extending
Mobile broadband is the most dynamic market segment, with mobile-broadband penetration globally reaching 47 per cent in 2015, a value that increased 12-fold since 2007. In 2015, 69 per cent of the global population will be covered by 3G mobile broadband, up from 45 per cent in 2011.
There is also a rapid extension of 3G mobile broadband into rural areas, and ITU estimates that 29 per cent of the 3.4 billion people worldwide living in rural areas will be covered by 3G mobile broadband by the end of 2015.
Among the four billion people living in urban areas, 89 per cent will have access to 3G mobile broadband.
Fixed-broadband uptake growing at a slower pace
Fixed-broadband uptake is growing at a slower pace with a seven per cent annual increase over the past three years.
While the prices of fixed-broadband services dropped sharply between 2008 and 2011 in developing countries, they have been stagnating since then and even increased slightly in LDCs.
Broadband now affordable in many countries
The figures indicate that broadband is now affordable in 111 countries, with the cost of a basic (fixed or mobile) broadband plan corresponding to less than five per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, thus meeting the target set by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development.
The global average cost of a basic fixed-broadband plan, as measured in PPP$ (or purchasing power parity $), is 1.7 times higher than the average cost of a comparable mobile-broadband plan.
Telecom
SHELT System Integration Launches “SHELT SI” in Nigeria
SHELT, a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its new business unit in Nigeria, SHELT System Integration (SHELT SI).
With a solid reputation built over six years of serving the nation’s financial, telecom, and government sectors, SHELT is now expanding its offerings to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation. The new business unit will operate under Cyber Immune Limited, a SHELT subsidiary in Nigeria.
SHELT SI emerges as a vital addition to SHELT’s portfolio, providing customers in Nigeria with trusted and unbiased expertise to design and implement cutting-edge, resilient, secure, and scalable solutions.
SHELT SI will forge strategic partnerships with global leaders to provide Networking and Cloud Management Solutions, Security Solutions, Collaboration Solutions, Managed services, Communication services, and IT Professional services while attracting top talent in Nigeria.
When asked about this milestone in SHELT’s growth, Mr. Youssef Abillama, Managing Partner of SHELT Global Limited, said: “We have full confidence in Nigeria and its commitment to digitization. SHELT is well positioned to be the technology partner of choice and trusted advisor to our customers in every step of their digitization journey.”
Mr. Walid Bou Abssi, Country Manager of SHELT Cyber Immune Limited, commented: “I am immensely proud of the launch of SHELT SI in Nigeria. This expansion underscores our dedication to empowering the nation’s digital evolution.
With SHELT SI, we are committed to providing unparalleled service to our clients, offering an unmatched value proposition driving innovation and resilience in Nigeria’s cybersecurity and network infrastructure space.”
Telecom
NCC Advises Subscribers to Opt for Strong Passwords to Beat Hackers
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has advised telecommunications subscribers to opt for strong passwords to prevent unauthorized access to their mobile devices.
In a recent update on its official Facebook page, the NCC focused on how cyber-attacks could be prevented, emphasizing the importance of creating strong passwords to safeguard online accounts
The Commission urged subscribers to ensure that they have a password to log in securely.
The NCC wrote on its official Facebook page, “Protect your online accounts (such as banks and digital media) by using strong and complex passwords.”
It believes that by opting for strong passwords, individuals could defend themselves against cyber attacks.
Telecom
Starlink Users in SA to be Cut Off April 30
Starlink users in South Africa are facing a major setback as the satellite internet service provider has issued a warning that their services will be terminated by the end of the month.
In an email sent to many South African users, Starlink stated that their internet access will cease on April 30 due to violation of its terms and conditions.
The email emphasized that using Starlink kits outside of designated areas, as indicated on the Starlink Availability Map, is against their terms. Consequently, users will only be able to access their Starlink account for updates after the termination.
Starlink, a company owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, operates a fleet of low earth orbit satellites that offer high-speed internet globally. Despite its potential to revolutionize connectivity, Starlink has been unable to obtain a license to operate in South Africa from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) requirements mandate that any applicant must have 30% ownership from historically disadvantaged groups to be considered for a license.
However, many in South Africa resorted to creative methods to access Starlink services, including purchasing roaming packages from countries where Starlink is licensed.
However, ICASA. clarified in a government gazette last November that using Starlink in this manner is illegal.
Additionally, Starlink itself stated in the recent email to users that the ‘Mobile – Regional’ plans are meant for temporary travel and transit, not permanent use in a location. Continuous use of these plans outside the country where service was ordered will result in service restriction.
Starlink advised those interested in making its services available in their region to contact local authorities.
- News3 days ago
EFCC Discovers Fraudulent COVID Funds, World Bank Loan in Poverty Ministry
- News2 days ago
Bankers, Officials Colluding to Re-loot Recovered Abacha’s Fund- EFCC
- News3 days ago
NAFDAC Alerts Nigerians to EU Ban on Dex Soap
- News3 days ago
History as Nigeria Launches Mew 5-in-1 Meningitis Vaccine
- News2 days ago
FITC to Redefine HR with AI, Digitisation for Organisational Sustainability
- Telecom2 days ago
Layer3 Achieves Recertification for ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27017:2015, PCI-DSS and Nigeria Data Protection Compliance
- E-Business3 days ago
New National ID Card to Be Issued Via Banks- NIMC
- E-Financial2 days ago
MasterCard, Onafriq Partner to Bring New Payments Suite to Africa