adminABUJA. — Stakeholders in the telecommunications sector have called for international regulators to assign more spectrum to Africa.
Several technology stakeholders urged the African Telecommunications Union to make that call to the World Radio-communication Conference.
The call was made at the ongoing Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Forum in Abuja. “The internet is fast becoming fundamental element of business mindset and as such the ATU should urge WRC to assign more spectrum to Africa,” said deputy managing director of Huawei Technology Nigeria, Mr Osita Iweze.
Mr Iweze added that development of ICT infrastructure was key to business transformation. He said with mobile broadband fast developing, governments should plan spectrum in advance.
“With digital life era coming, government should take action to support IPV6 in national ICT strategies,” said Iweze.
Speaking at the same CTO forum, the executive director of Alliance for Affordable Internet, Ms Sonia Jorge, said her organisation was interested in advocating for affordable internet rates.
She said in order to achieve the task, developing a new model in which such access could provided was an important move. In his welcoming address, the executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Mr Eugene Juwah, said the Nigerian government had adopted broadband as a platform to leverage and improve on the gains already made in the telecommunications sector.
He said President Goodluck Jonathan recently approved the National Broadband Development Plan 2013-2018 report produced by the Presidential Broadband Committee. The report projected an 80 percent penetration rate in its roadmap for broadband development in Nigeria.
Several technology heads, among them the chief information officers, chief operating officers, chief executive officers and marketing directors are attending the conference.
The CTO forum ends on Friday. — CAJ News.
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