By Martin Ekpeke
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given the assurance that Nigeria will meet and even surpass the 30 per cent target of broadband penetration target by 2018, given its commitment to the facilitation of broadband penetration, enshrined in its its 8-Point Agenda, unveiled three years ago.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta gave the assurance in his remark at the ongoing 27TH Afrinic Meeting (AFRINIC-27), with the themed “Taking the African Internet to the Next Level through Policy, Collaboration and Education” in Lagos.
“The NCC recognizes its prime responsibility in the actualization of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan, and have set machineries in place that will enable the country to meet and even surpass the 30 per cent target of broadband penetration in by 2018,” Danbatta, who was represented by Alhassan Haru, NCC’s Director of New Media and Information Security said.
He noted that the commission’s effort is geared toward the realization that broadband access, which presently stands at 21.8 percent, is key to any national development agenda.
To meet and surpass the target, he disclosed that the Commission has earmarked for commercial broadband deployment two slots in the 700MHz band and the 800MHz band, also known as the Digital Dividend 1 has been re-planned and licensed for 4GLong Term Evolution(LTE) deployment.
Other efforts that will open up the telecom industry fro growth and investment, according to him are the 900MHz E-GSM band, which has been licensed for 4G LTE deployment; the 70/80GHz band (E-Band), which has been opened to facilitate Broadband deployment; the 2.3 GHz band was licensed for 4G LTE Deployment.
The commission has also allowed part of the 1800MHz band to be re-farmed by some Mobile Operators for 4GLTE deployments.