Telecom

Technological Changes and Telecom Access Issues

Published

14 years ago

February 8, 2010

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One major challenge in telecommunications development in countries especially, those referred to as third world is providing telecommunications access to semi urban cities as well as rural areas.
To most operators in these countries, providing access to people living in those areas is not always a priority, basically because they are not commercially viable. Operators of telecommunications services are in the business to make profit and therefore could not afford to spend investors’ money on projects that does not have return on investment such as providing services to rural underserved areas.
In most developing economies, efforts at increasing access to people living in rural but underserved areas are pioneered by government through its agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating the sector. What the authorities does is to grant operators incentives that motivate them to expand their operations to those commercially none viable areas.
Over the years, telecommunications sector like any other sector in the economy are witnessing technological changes each time there is a new technology operators invest money in upgrading its equipment to the new technology.
Unfortunately, most of the new technologies instead of assisting operators in their effort to increase access to less developed areas through making the cost of providing services to such areas cheaper, concentrate more on service efficiency and network capacity to deliver several services.
More so, as these happens it increase cost of acquisition of hardware equipment required to access such service. For instance, when Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators upgraded their network from 2.5 Generation to third generation which allows subscribers to use voice, data and video simultaneously, the cost of handset that makes this possible were nowhere near average Nigerian.
Overview of technological changes
Although, Nigeria started late in the business of telecommunications, it has witness some technological upgrade by operators in the industry, all geared towards improvement of service delivery but none that seek to address access concerns to rural areas as well as making such service within the reach of a common man.
The first set of GSM operators that launched services after the industry was liberalized in 2001 used second generation technology to deliver services. Second generation 2G cellular telecom networks were commercially launched on the GSM standard in Finland in 1991. Three primary benefits of 2G networks over their predecessors were that phone conversations were digitally encrypted, 2G systems were significantly more efficient on the spectrum allowing for far greater mobile phone penetration levels; and 2G introduced data services for mobile, starting with SMS text messages.
After 2G was launched, the previous mobile telephone systems were retrospectively dubbed 1G. While radio signals on 1G networks are analog, and on 2G networks are digital, both systems use digital signaling to connect the radio towers (which listen to the handsets) to the rest of the telephone system.
According experts, digital systems were embraced by consumers for several reasons, which included, the lower powered radio signals require less battery power, so phones last much longer between charges, and batteries can be smaller.
The digital voice encoding allowed digital error checking which could increase sound quality by increasing dynamic range and lowering the noise floor.
The lower power emissions helped address health concerns. Going all-digital allowed for the introduction of digital data services, such as SMS and email. With analog systems it was possible to have two or more "cloned" handsets that had the same phone number.
A key digital advantage not often mentioned is that digital cellular calls are much harder to eavesdrop on by use of radio scanners. While the security algorithms used have proved not to be as secure as initially advertised, 2G phones are immensely more private than 1G phones, which have no protection against eavesdropping.
However, its shortcoming includes in less populous areas, the weaker digital signal may not be sufficient to reach a cell tower. This tends to be a particular problem on 2G systems deployed on higher frequencies, but is mostly not a problem on 2G systems deployed on lower frequencies. National regulations differ greatly among countries which dictate where 2G can be deployed.
Analog has a smooth decay curve, digital a jagged steppy one. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Under good conditions, digital will sound better. Under slightly worse conditions, analog will experience static, while digital has occasional dropouts. As conditions worsen, though, digital will start to completely fail, by dropping calls or being unintelligible, while analog slowly gets worse, generally holding a call longer and allowing at least a few words to get through.
While digital calls tend to be free of static and background noise, the lossy compression used by the codecs takes a toll; the range of sound that they convey is reduced. You’ll hear less of the tonality of someone’s voice talking on a digital cellphone, but you will hear it more clearly.
2.5G is a stepping stone between 2G and 3G cellular wireless technologies. The term "second and a half generation" is used to describe 2G-systems that have implemented a packet switched domain in addition to the circuit switched domain. It does not necessarily provide faster services because bundling of timeslots is used for circuit switched data services (HSCSD) as well.
International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000), better known as 3G or 3rd Generation, is a family of standards for mobile telecommunications defined by the International Telecommunication Union, which includes GSM EDGE, UMTS, and CDMA2000 as well as Dect and WiMax. Services include wide-area wireless voice telephone, video calls, and wireless data, all in a mobile environment. Compared to 2G and 2.5G services, 3G allows simultaneous use of speech and data services and higher data rates (up to 14.0 Mbit/s on the downlink and 5.8 Mbit/s on the uplink with HSPA+). Thus, 3G networks enable network operators to offer users a wider range of more advanced services while achieving greater network capacity through improved spectral efficiency.
4G refers to the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is a successor to 3G and 2G standards, with the aim to provide a wide range of data rates up to ultra-broadband (gigabit-speed) Internet access to mobile as well as stationary users. Although 4G is a broad term that has had several different and more vague definitions, this article uses 4G to refer to IMT Advanced (International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced), as defined by ITU-R.
A 4G cellular system must have target peak data rates of up to approximately 100 Mbit/s for high mobility such as mobile access and up to approximately 1 Gbit/s for low mobility such as nomadic/local wireless access, according to the ITU requirements. Scalable bandwidths up to at least 40 MHz should be provided. A 4G system is expected to provide a comprehensive and secure all-IP based solution where facilities such as IP telephony, ultra-broadband Internet access, gaming services and HDTV streamed multimedia may be provided to users.
LTE Advanced (Long-term-evolution Advanced) is a candidate for IMT-Advanced standard, formally submitted by the 3GPP organization to ITU-T in the fall 2009, and expected to be released in 2011. The target of 3GPP LTE Advanced is to reach and surpass the ITU requirements. LTE Advanced should be compatible with first release LTE equipment, and should share frequency bands with first release LTE.
The Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005) mobile wireless broadband access (MWBA) standard is sometimes branded 4G, and offers peak data rates of 128 Mbit/s downlink and 56 Mbit/s uplink over 20 MHz wide channels. The IEEE 802.16m evolution of 802.16e is under development, with the objective to fulfill the IMT-Advanced criteria of 1000 Mbit/s for stationary reception and 100 Mbit/s for mobile reception.
UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband) was the brand name for a discontinued 4G project within the 3GPP2 standardization group to improve the CDMA2000 mobile phone standard for next generation applications and requirements.
Engr. Bayo Banjo, general manager, Disc Communications, said that technological advancement in telecommunications are products of research carried out by especially equipment vendors, and that these vendors invest in research and development with the idea of making profits from the sale of products of such research.
He added that the guiding principle is demand of the product which often time has a global outlook and such would not want to invest in product whose demand is low. He explained that why technological advancements in telecommunications industry are not looking at a way of making equipments for network roll out that will be cheaper and may not require some basic infrastructure is because such equipment vendors are using their home countries which has such infrastructure as basis for producing any product.
He regretted the situation in the country where 60 per cent of telecommunications activities are centred around cities like Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt because government has failed in its effort to provide adequate infrastructure such as electric to the citizens there by forcing operators to concentrate in the cities where residents can provide generators to use their telecommunications equipment required to enjoy telecommunications services.
He noted that presently, telecommunications equipments for network roll out are getting cheaper as a result of economic meltdown and emergence of Asian vendors such as Huawei.

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Telecom

Experts @ WATISE 2024 Exploit how Emerging Trends will Shape Telecoms Infrastructure, Proffers Solutions on Challenges

Published

7 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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Telecommunications experts across West Africa have exposed trending innovations relying on telecoms infrastructure harping on the strategies that are crucial for the sustainability of telecommunications infrastructure to fast-track the regions digital economy.

Speaking at the second edition of the West Africa Telecoms Infrastructure Summit and Exhibtion (WATISE), with the theme: ‘Shaping the future of the telecoms infrastructure industry: Trends and Insights for a Digital Economy’ and organized by TechnologyMirror, an online telecoms news and information platform, held in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, the experts x-ray critical issues that relates the survival of the telecoms industry using the Nigerian market as a reference point.

Leading the conversation, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, in his keynote address which was on the theme of WATISE 2.0, noted that the journey towards a digital economy has a future that is paved with immense possibilities and profound challenges noting that “how we navigate this path will determine the role Nigeria plays in the global digital landscape.”

Maida who was represented by the Head of Next Generation Technology and Standard at the NCC, Engr Victor Adoga, described telecommunications infrastructure as the backbone of the digital economy, facilitating seamless connectivity and supporting a range of services from basic voice calls to high-speed internet and cloud computing.

He stated that the rapid growth of the digital economy demands robust, scalable, and secure telecommunications infrastructure disclosing that there are several key trends that are poised to shape the future of telecom infrastructure.

According to Maida, the rollout of 5G networks is a transformative trend in telecoms infrastructure saying that 5G promises significantly higher speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity, facilitating new applications such as IoT (Internet of Things), autonomous vehicles, smart cities and advanced augmented reality.

He listed other emerging trends affecting the deployment of telecoms infrastructure across the region as Internet of Things, Fiber Optic Expansion, Data Localisation and Security, Regulatory Frameworks, Cybersecurity and Energy Efficiency and Sustainability.

He however suggested that the telecoms operators must take consider strategic actions to stay in business saying that collaboration which is partnerships between government, industry, and academia can drive innovation and development.

He added that Innovative Financing Models, Investment in Human Capital, Focus on Sustainability, Integration with AI and Machine Learning and Developing Smart Infrastructure noting also as crucial investing in rural telecom infrastructure and making digital literacy a key component of our educational programs.

Still speaking on the theme of WATISE 2.0. Chief Executive Officer of WTES Projects Limited, Mr Chidi Ajuzie who joined virtually from Ethiopia said there is deluge of connectivity from submarine cable landings linking Nigeria to Europe and rest of the world.

According to him, while there is no centrally managed national transmission backbone, licensed Operators have, over the years, built transmission networks to meet their own needs, often duplicated on most routes.

He disclosed that the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) has carried out a detailed study to characterize basic telephony and ICT gaps in the country, identifying 97 clusters with varying population densities and a cumulative population of about 27.91 million that suffer from significant connectivity services gaps. Digital broadband gap is even more, estimated at over 100 million population.

Ajuzie stated that to reap the benefits of broadband, there is need to close the clear gaps existing in the metro middle- and last-mile segments of the connectivity value chain. New Connectivity will be required to bridge the gaps and meet the National Broadband targets.

In fireside chat on ‘Enhancing Rural Connectivity: Strategies for Expanding Telecom Infrastructure’, Tinuade Oguntuyi, Head Network and Solutions, at Information and Communications Services Limited (ICSL) said that that rural areas need better network services for proper communication and development.

Oguntuyi, who anchored the fireside chat urged the government to support network service providers to reach more rural places as they are also full of great potentials for the growth of the nation.

Also speaking, Ahmad Tijani, a local content ICT advocate commended Federal Government projects to connect the rural dwellers and harped on the need to carry the local government leaders along.

Tijani who represented Dr. Adebunmi Adeola Akinbo, National Secretary ICTLOCA, cited the challenge of data gathering which can be sorted by the local government, calling on the grassroots to add value to the nation growth.

In his welcome address, the Convener of WATISE, Isaiah Erhiawarien said that the second edition was a step towards ensuring a reliable telecoms infrastructure for the region, and thanked the Nigerian Communications Commission, Open Access Data Nigeria Limited, Digital Realty, ICSL, HyperSpace Limited and OneData Limited for believing in the dream of the organisers.

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Telecom

WATISE 2.0: Experts Explore How Emerging Trends Shape Telecoms Infrastructure, Proffer Solutions On Challenges

Published

7 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Ugo Onwuaso

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L-R: Ahmad Tijani, Local Content Advocate, Nigerian Computer Society, Convener, WATISE, Isaiah Erhiawarien Tinuade Oguntuyi, Head Network and Solutions, ICSL, Representative of the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Engr Victor Adoga, at the West Africa Telecoms Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition held on Friday April 26, 2024.

Oguntuyi, who anchored the fireside chat urged the government to support network service providers to reach more rural places as they are also full of great potentials for the growth of the nation.

Also speaking, Ahmad Tijani, a local content ICT advocate commended Federal Government projects to connect the rural dwellers and harped on the need to carry the local government leaders along.

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Telecom

US Newspapers Sue OpenAI, Microsoft Over AI Chatbots

Published

1 day ago

May 2, 2024

Ugo Onwuaso

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Eight US newspapers sued OpenAI and Microsoft in a New York federal court Tuesday for violating their copyright to train the technology behind the ChatGPT and Copilot chatbots.

The newspapers, which include The New York Daily News and The Chicago Tribune, are owned by Alden Global Capital, a Florida-based hedge fund that created the second-largest US newspaper group behind USA Today owner Gannett when it bought the Tribune publishing chain in 2021.

“This lawsuit arises from defendants purloining millions of the publishers’ copyrighted articles without permission and without payment to fuel the commercialization of their generative artificial intelligence products, including ChatGPT and (Microsoft’s) Copilot,” according to the filing.

“As this lawsuit will demonstrate, defendants must both obtain the publishers’ consent to use their content and pay fair value for such use,” the filing said.

OpenAI and its Microsoft backer were also accused of offering up verbatim excerpts of full articles as well as attributing misleading or inaccurate reporting to the publications in certain requests.

Other newspapers involved in the suit were The Orlando Sentinel, The Sun Sentinel of Florida, The San Jose Mercury News, The Denver Post, The Orange County Register and The St. Paul Pioneer Press.

In a statement, OpenAI did not refer to the accusations specifically but said “we take great care in our products and design process to support news organizations.”

OpenAI pointed to the “constructive partnerships and conversations with many news organizations around the world to explore opportunities, discuss any concerns, and provide solutions.”

This referred to the news outlets that have entered partnerships with the Microsoft-backed startup instead of going to court.

They include The Associated Press, Financial Times, Germany’s Axel Springer, French daily Le Monde and Spanish conglomerate Prisa Media.

The suit on Tuesday closely resembles a case filed by The New York Times in December, in which OpenAI is also accused of stealing content to train its powerful AI.

In that case, OpenAI strongly pushed back, arguing the use of publicly available data including news articles for general training purposes is fair use.

OpenAI also accused the Times of violating ChatGPT’s user guidelines to generate the content that suited its case.

Microsoft declined to comment on the suit.

AFP

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