The Nigerian Internet Group, NIG, has charged the Nigerian Communications Commission to consider allocation of frequency spectrum on a zonal basis with a view to deepening internet penetration in the country. President, NIG, Mr. Bayo Banjo, canvassed this position during an interaction held with the media in Lagos recently. Spectrum is the licensable electro-magnetic signal in the air through which telecoms companies transmit services to their consumers.
According to him, "If we really want to ensure we have ubiquitous broadband internet access in this country, the time has come for the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission, to begin to allocate spectrum based on a regional or zonal basis based on need and the vision to expand services to the whole country." Banjo noted that the current situation is such that spectrum were allocated on national basis and the holders of the spectrum licences is constraint to roll out service on national basis, leading to under-utilisation of such spectrum.
"For instance, a spectrum like 2.3GH is fully allocated and I don't see it in Sokoto, Kano, Maiduguri and other such remote areas. So, we need to begin allocation of spectrum based on regional basis. "Currently, everything is concentrated in Lagos and the Federal capital.
If you give somebody a national licence and the person taking it cannot deploy services nationally, it cannot be easily withdrawn. We need to allocate it on regional basis, so that people who want to play on regional level in their little way can do so and provide internet services to their people there," he said.
