Government policy will drive broadband access
The new Head of Public Affairs of the Nigerian Communications
Commission (NCC), Tony Ojobo tells MARTIN EKPEKE, IT EDGE NEWS in
Lagos that the commission is keen to get the right framework to
drive broadband services and that the commission will penalize
operators who fail to meet the parameters for service quality.
The impact of broadband is still not felt, especially in rural
areas despite the landing of submarine cables in Nigeria. What is
NCC plan to ensure broadband is deployed in rural areas?
NCC is in the process of appointing consultants who will work with
the Commission and the industry to come up with strategies that will
make this happen. My Chief Executive, Dr. Juwah has spoken
extensively on several occasions on this to give assurance that
broadband will get to every part of this country. Of course, you are
aware that the Commission approach has always been the open access
model to expand the reach of communication. But the full strategy or
programme that NCC is adopting will come out when the consultants
have finished with their survey and finished with their assignments
and then forward their report to us. We are also aware that there
was a broadband summit that was organized by ATCON sometime ago,
that report is also with us at the commission. So, we are looking at
all of the recommendations that came from that summit. Our approach
is to look at what all the consultants working with the industry
including those to be hired by the commission will come up with to
build a comprehensive master plan. We also know that people have
been calling for a broadband policy, that policy is very important
because the policy gives direction. Of course, you know that the
government has to come up with a policy; we are just implementers of
policy. So, it’s also important, and we are aware the Honorable
Minister of Communications Technology in her media briefing sometime
in Lagos articulated on a broadband issue and policy. Those are all
of the things that need to be in place before we can finally say
that, ‘this is the road map, this is our strategy and this is what
we intend to do.’
What is the meeting point between the CBN as a financial
regulator and NCC as telecom regulator in the cashless economy that
CBN is encouraging through mobile money?
You know before CBN came up with that statement, NCC has been part
of a committee that has been working on that issue of cashless
society. So, we have made our input into all of that. But of course,
if you have to use the mobile phone as a platform, we have the
service providers as operators under our purview as regulator and
that is where the meeting point is. We are the regulators of the
telecom service providers who operate the mobile phone services that
make up the platform for the delivery of that mobile money service.
How well we regulate that part of the industry that concerns the
mobile platform important, and those others aspects of regulations
that have to do with money are within the purview of the CBN. For
us, our responsibility is that our service providers, the networks
who have the platforms for the delivery of this service, and are
under our regulatory framework must satisfy the minimum conditions
necessary to deliver the service. The meeting point is that the CBN
regulates the banks or institutions, behind the transfer of money
because money has to be transferred maybe from the bank to another
location or from one individual to another, that is movement of
money or any payment instrument whether a transfer of credit from
one individual to another. On the other hand, the NCC regulates the
operator of the platforms used in the transfer processes. The NCC
has been part of the committee working on this, right from the
beginning and our input has been made into the final document that
is coming out.
Quality of service still remains a headache in the telecom space
in Nigeria. What truly can the telecom regulator do to enhance
quality services?
There are number of things that are in the front burner. Of course
the issue of number portability you know is there. And we at the NCC,
we have reviewed number portability and when it takes off, it is
going to put extra burden on service providers that their customers
don’t port from their network to other networks. So, they will have
the responsibility of making sure that their network is in shape.
Also, the commission has issued an ultimatum in that direction to
all operators expecting that certain parameter must be met by
service providers to ensure service quality. The NCC would ensure
compliance to these parameters. I think that also has sent the right
signals to the networks to make sure that they improve on the
quality of their services. Service quality is a priority of the
commission and it intends to ensure that the parameters are fully
complied with.
NCC has built an image of a very transparent and credible
institution. As its new spokesman, what are the plans to sustain
this image?
Well, that is why we have had this meeting today, we are soliciting
the cooperation of the media to try to understand us, and we also
try to understand them. To ensure the clarification of information
before this goes to the public domain because it is vital that what
the public get is truthful and accurate. We are soliciting the
cooperation of the media and building on the existing relationship
to properly educate and inform the people. We have talked on issue
of capacity building for journalists who have to know the right
terminologies even in this information age, so they can report
appropriately the way they are suppose to report. So, those are some
of the things we are also looking at, building capacity even for the
ICT journalists and we believe that those kinds of things will
ensure a mutual and beneficial relationship between us and the
media. We are going to cooperate, my chief executive, Dr. Juwah is
really open to this kind of interaction and that is why we are here.
