Telecom
Skyroam Simo Partners Smile Telecom to Provide Improved Mobile Data Services
Smile Telecoms, a Pan-African 4GLTE telecommunications group with operations in Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has formally entered into a partnership with Skyroam Simo, the world’s leading mobile Platform as a Service (PaaS) company providing global data access services. This is a great partnership that will enable more Africa mobile users to seamlessly connect to the best 4GLTE mobile network with improved coverage, faster speed, and more flexible plans.
Explaining what informed the partnership, Ahmad Farroukh, Smile’s Group CEO, stated that Smile is a leading 4GLTE carrier in Africa and we are always open to new and innovative technologies to bring continued value add and benefits to our users. Our partnership with Skyroam SIMO will leverage its leading position in global virtual sim platform and together bring the best service and value to our pan-African users.”
Indeed, SIMO App emerges at the right time to bring access and affordability to mobile data for millions of Africans struggling today with expensive Internet prices that keep them out of the market entirely. Skyroam SIMO and its unique Virtual-eSIM™ technology can deliver seamless 4G data connection to any user automatically switch to the best 4G network nearby, ensuring the best reliability and speed.
In addition to creating a new way to access data for consumers, Skyroam SIMO helps carriers to develop their market at nearly “zero” cost by improving the efficiency of acquiring new customers, to ease the hassle of traditional sales channels, and to drive more value by improving the relationship with their customers. This partnership between Smile and SIMO will enable more Smile users to leverage Skyroam’s platform of over 135 countries and 200 mobile networks with best coverage and speed, is a big leap forward amongst Africa operators.
Jing Liu, Founder and CEO of Skyroam, disclosed that “Skyroam Simo will work with Smile Telecom, a great partner who continue to believe to bring value to its users as a long term strategy, together we will meet the needs of more people in Africa and bring explosive growth in mobile data usage. We will continue to innovate together with leading partners around the world to meet the demands of users where mobile data is becoming a must-have that impact our daily lives.”
The partnership also gives International customers from various countries in the world who use Skyroam devices the opportunity to roam on Smile 4GLTE network in all countries of Smile presence.
While most mobile phone brands in the market are trying to solve this core problem through complicated dual SIM dual Standby technology, Skyroam SIMO was developed on the belief that the best solution is through simplicity and strong partnerships. SIMO have invested in long-term R&D with leading manufacturer of mobile chips company MediaTek, to have the patented Virtual-eSIM™ technology embedded in all MediaTek 4G chips used by manufacturers.
Telecom
Telcos Record N27Bn Loss from Damaged Fibre Cables
Repairs and revenue losses from damaged cables are estimated to have cost Nigeria’s telecom industry almost N27bn ($23m) in 2023, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg.
MTN Nigeria, the biggest wireless operator in Africa’s most-populous nation, and Airtel Africa Plc bore the brunt of the costs, the documents show.
MTN suffered more than 6,000 cuts on its fiber cable last year, the documents show.
On Feb. 28, a cut in its network in three different locations by a road construction firm, an oil serving company, and someone burning rubbish in a manhole meant customers faced more than five hours of data and voice outages.
The operator relocated 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) of vulnerable fiber cables between 2022 and 2023, at a cost of more than N11bn —enough to build 870 kilometers of new fiber lines in areas without coverage.
Broadband fibre optic cables form the backbone of modern communication infrastructure, enabling the high-speed data transmission that underpins a wide range of personal, business, and societal activities.
On several occasions, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the industry regulator, has acknowledged this challenge and expressed willingness to work on measures to address it.
These measures include stricter regulations to deter vandalism and improved collaboration between telcos and government agencies responsible for construction activities.
According to the NCC, the telecom sector will make up more than a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product by the end of 2027, up from 13.5 per cent in the third quarter of last year.
Telecom
NCAIR Relaunch: Pantami, Tijani Fight for Credit
Isa Pantami, former minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has voiced his discontent over the relaunch of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) by Bosun Tijani, his successor.
Tijani announced the revitalization of NCAIR, highlighting enhancements in its capacity and partnerships with global tech firm Cisco.
However, Pantami took to social media to assert that NCAIR was already established during his tenure in November 2020, dubbing it “the first of its kind in Africa” and emphasizing its effectiveness in training numerous Nigerians.
Tijani responded by detailing the new initiatives accompanying the relaunch, including increased computing infrastructure, dedicated research labs, and remote connectivity for AI hubs across the country. He also unveiled outcomes from the Ministry’s National AI Workshop, such as the country’s first Multilingual Large Language Model and partnerships aimed at accelerating AI development projects of national significance.
The exchange between Pantami and Tijani underscores ongoing efforts to advance AI research and application in Nigeria while navigating questions of continuity and leadership transition within the Ministry.
Telecom
ABoICT Lecture 2024 to Focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) In A Digital Economy
This year’s Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership lecture will focus on the role of artificial intelligence in a digital economy with the theme: “Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Good, The Complex and The Anticipated”.
The lecture which will herald Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Awards hold on May 25, 2024 at Four Points by Sheraton.
The sixteenth edition of the award ceremony according Ken Nwogbo, editor-in-chief of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek the organizers of the event, “is a special edition to recognize and celebrate organizations and individuals in the ICT industry that have been distinguished in delivery innovative services in the sector.
“Most of these organizations and individuals have consistently being voted by our readers as leaders in their areas of operations and we have decided to reward them in this especial edition”.
He added that, AI is considered to have the potential to instigate a fourth industrial revolution,1 and is dramatically changing people’s patterns of interaction and economic activities.
“The traditional factors of production and physical capital and labour may no longer promote substantial economic growth. It is generally believed that AI will be one of the most important factors determining future economic growth.
“However, unlike traditional machines, which replaced the use of human and animal labor for simple manual work and heavy or dangerous activities, AI-related inputs may change the type of human work in a comprehensive way.
“In contrast to previous industrial revolutions, AI does not simply involve the invention of a new machine or technology. Instead, AI has similarities to the accumulation of human capital, as it can learn and accumulate knowledge by itself,” he said.
The Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished Lecture is designed to explore efforts to put Nigeria on the global Information and Communications Technologies map.
The lecture series however is reserved for distinguished achievers in the ICT sector.
Past lecturers included Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, then executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa, former Director-General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC); Dr. Jean Luc Fort, CEO at OR System France and a specialist in Counterparty Risk; and Professor Chris Nwagboso, Chairman, Knowledge Factory International, United Kingdom.
Others are: Uche Orji, managing director/chief executive officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Biodu Omoniyi, Managing Director/CEO, VDT Communications; Ayotunde Coker, Managing Director, Rack Centre Limited; Peter Adedayo Arogundade, managing director and chief executive officer, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited; Dr. Adewale Obadare, chief visionary officer, Digital Encode and John Obaro, CEO and founder of Systemspecs; Prof. Isa Pantanmi, minister of Communications and Digital Economy; among others.
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