The Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) has hailed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for leveraging the 3.5 GHz band for the 5G network in Nigeria.
According to NIEEE in a statement signed by its outgoing National Chairman, Engr. Kings Adeyemi, the 3.5 GHz band is the best choice to balance capacity and network coverage, which in turn encourages operators to commit investment in 5G infrastructure.
“NCC’s decision to leverage 3.5 GHz band allays the fear of 5G services interfering with the aircraft operations as currently exercised in some countries as the 3.5 GHz band has sufficiently safeguarded civil aircraft altimeters, which usually operate between 4.2 – 4.4 GHz range,” Adeyemi explained in the statement.
The engineering body also noted it has been technically proven that wider channels lower network density which ripples into lowering the cost of 5G services to consumers.
“From an expert’s perspective, the choice of two (2) slots of 100 MHz (TDD) bandwidth each on 3.5 GHz band (precisely 3GPP Band 78) is a highly laudable choice to launch a 5G network. Such wide channel bandwidth is required to deliver the multi-Gbps data speed required of a 5G network,” it added.
NIEEE also gives the leadership of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), especially the Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Umar Danbatta and the entire management staff a pat on the back for setting the pace of 5G deployment in Africa.
“Major requirements for 5G journey include spectrum availability, investor-friendly regulatory policy and stakeholders’ awareness. Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) engaged relevant stakeholders ahead of the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) approval of the Development of a Policy for Deployment of 5G in Nigeria,” he stressed.
