Over 50 telecom operators in Nigeria and other Commonwealth countries around the world are expected to benefit from new capacity-building programmes this year, by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO).
The London-based organisation which specialises in capacity development research and specialist knowledge-transfer for the telecoms industry will approve, in March 2009, on funding a range of workshops aimed at fixed and mobile operators in the emerging markets especially those within the Commonwealth.
Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), explained that they are in the process of developing programmes in areas of green technologies for rural access and connectivity, spectrum management and harmonization, competition policy and market development to ensure greater penetration of basic services such as voice and data services in emerging markets in Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Caribbean were millions are yet to have access to a regular telephone service or the Internet", announced
Programmes will focus in areas such as IP networks, interconnection, fibre networks, MPLS, IPv6, VoIP, WiMax, NGN and network security.
Telecom governments and regulatory bodies are also expected to benefit from programmes aimed at supporting policies and regulatory frameworks to help maintain growth in this sector.
"The growth registered and the introduction and success of unexpected applications over the last 5 years in the developing world is a testimony to the unpredictability and yet, the phenomenal potential of this industry for accelerating economic development. Reaching out to the unconnected will be easier with more government policy foresight and more adequate regulatory capacity for the industry", Spio-Garbrah added.
Last year, over 40 organisations have benefited from specialist assistance in technology, with programmes focused on subjects such as NGN, 3G, FMC, VoIP and mobile IP. Regulatory programmes the same year included licensing, interconnection, numbering and LRIC.