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Smile Unveils Affordable Roaming Bundles

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Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, Leading data and broadband Services Company has unveiled Smile Konnect a revolutionary device that enables local and international data roaming services at an affordable and cheaper rate.

 

Mr Godfrey Efeurhobo, Managing Director, Smile Communications, speaking at the unveiling, said that their aim is to provide a devise that will enable its customers enjoy seamless services where ever they go.

 

He stated that they have always set the tone for the expansion of the broadband frontier, stressing that this is why they believe in quality, speed and reliability.

 

According to him “the company has always looked for innovative ways of improving the customers’ experience.

 

‘We want to bring seamless services to our customers with smile konnect.

 

“With this device you don’t need to search for WiFi while you are outside Nigeria.”

 

Giving insight on how the device works, Mr Abdul Hafeez, Chief Marketing Officer, Smile Communications, said that research has shown that over two million Nigerians travel out of the country every year and that they spend heavily on roaming.

 

He stated that an average Nigerian spend as much as $55.55 a day on roaming alone, noting that smile konnect is the answer to cost effective roaming for their prospective customers.

 

According to him, “Smile Konnect data roaming device and plan would reduce cost of roaming for Nigerians traveling abroad.

 

“They usually spend about $55 dollars for a one gigabyte data plan while abroad but with this device they would now have to spend just $8.3 dollars for one gigabyte per day.

 

“They can equally spend $19.44 for one gigabyte which would be valid for seven days or two gigabytes which goes for $33.34 is valid for 14 days, while a 30 days plan for five gigabytes cost only $55.55”.

 

Hafeez said the device allows you to recharge and manage through different payment channels like Paypal and smile konnect App.

 

“The payment would go through our international partner in Hong Kong who has an arrangement with Paypal; when you call our agents they would help you with the arrangements”, he said.

 

He added that Smile Konnect can now be used in 85 countries including United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirate, South Africa, China, among others.

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Engr Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) decried the rough operating environment its members go through every day in the country.

 

He however commended smile communications for their persistence in the industry, noting that it takes a lot of work to remain afloat in a difficult business terrain like ours.

 

According to him,it takes extra diligence and hard work for any operator to overcome the Nigerian environment and come out with novel technological services such as Smile Konnect.

 

He said “when ALTON started there were 32 companies on its membership but the harsh operating environment has led to the closure of half the companies leaving only 16 to weather the environment as access to operating  fund is difficult.

 

Adebayo calls on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to come out with the result of their study on data flop plan so that Nigerians would know the minimum –acceptable rate for data usage in Nigeria.

 

He also call on the need for the country to come out with  a clear 5G plan, as 5G is already here and also a plan to help operators such as Smile sustain and grow their business by removing obstacles to ease of doing business in the telecom sector such as multiple taxation and making right of way easier.

 

He berated the Categorization of telecom operators into tier 1, tier 11 and tier 111, noting that it does not make any sense as all operate under the same economic environment and face the same operating challenges.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

Telecom

FG Plans EO to Criminalise Fiber Cable Damage Costing Telcos Billions

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Nigeria will criminalize the destruction of broadband fiber cables following repeated complaints by MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and other telecommunications companies that they are losing billions of naira, according to people familiar with the matter.

FG Plans EO to Criminalise Fiber Cable Damage Costing Telcos Billions

Federal ministry of works, which supervises federal road constructors, is finalizing the regulation that will be signed as an executive order by President Bola Tinubu, said the people, asking not to be identified as they weren’t authorized to comment.

While there are presently laws against vandalism, the authorities are aiming to regulate construction firms more closely.

The order will enforce stiff penalties on offenders, said the people, declining to provide more details or say when it will be signed.

“Telecom assets are critical backbone that supports the economy across sectors,” said Temitope Ajayi, a senior presidential aide, who noted that the Association of Telecommunications Companies (ATCON) has been demanding the classification for years.

New rules will provide “further assurance that the Nigerian government will protect their investments against vandals and criminal elements.”

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimates that the sector will make up more than a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product by the end of 2027, up from 13.5% in the third quarter of last year.

The move will help alleviate pressure on the telecoms sector, which is facing increased operating costs and sales pressures from a sharp depreciation in the currency and a threefold increase in energy prices.

Repairs and revenue losses from damaged cables is estimated to have cost the sector almost 27 billion naira ($23 million) last year alone, documents seen by Bloomberg show.

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 on 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 11 billion naira – enough to build 870 kilometers of new fiber lines to areas without coverage.

A presidential order on the matter would be welcomed, said Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria.

“When it comes to communication infrastructure, they are destroyed at will, so we are eagerly awaiting the president’s order,” he said. “It would be a great boost to the industry, and it will also encourage investment.”

 

 


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Telegram Eyes 1Bn Users amidst Political Pressures

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Telegram, the messaging giant founded by Pavel Durov and headquartered in Dubai, anticipates hitting a remarkable milestone of one billion active monthly users within the next year.

Durov’s departure from Russia in 2014, prompted by governmental pressures to stifle opposition communities on his VK social media platform, underscores Telegram’s commitment to neutrality despite geopolitical challenges.

With 900 million active users currently, Telegram stands as a beacon of free speech in the digital realm, particularly influential in former Soviet Union republics and pivotal during conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine standoff.

Durov’s staunch advocacy for freedom of expression and opposition to censorship by tech giants like Apple and Google reinforces Telegram’s status as a neutral platform.

Opting for the UAE as its base, Durov cites its neutrality and openness as conducive to Telegram’s ethos, serving both opposition groups and governments alike while maintaining impartiality.

In Durov’s vision, the pursuit of freedom eclipses material gain, shaping Telegram’s trajectory as a bastion of digital liberation.

 

 


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NITDA, NIMC Announce Collaboration To Strengthen Digital Economy

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To further strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have announced a collaboration on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to enhance and create synergy between digital identity, payment ecosystem, and secure & seemless data exchange capabilities for Nigeria.

During the meeting between the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and Director General of NIMC, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, with some management staff of both organisations, they discussed various initiatives, which include building DPI stacks for a secured and seamless data exchange and forming partnerships to transform the national identity system.

This collaboration also aims to harness the potential of the innovative ecosystem and emphasise the use of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to drive digital transformation in Nigeria.

To ensure a smooth implementation, a 12-man committee was set up. This committee will play a crucial role in kickstarting and harmonising the initiatives. It is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report within the next 4 weeks


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