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As NCC plans price cap Mobile phone operators on Tuesday agreed to commence steps to reduce the price short message service across their networks considering the potential of increased SMS use to reduce network congestion and in line with practice elsewhere. Operators expressed this position at a consultative forum held on Tuesday in Lagos by the Nigerian Communications Commission on reduction of SMS tariffs. The NCC had argued that current SMS tariff in Nigeria was too high against the backdrop of the fact that SMS utilises an almost insignificant network resource. According to the Executive Vice-Chairman, NCC, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, operators were not doing their networks good by keeping prices of SMS high as increased use of SMS could help reduce the congestion on networks and improve services generally. He added that complaints about current tariff were increasing. He said, “As you well know, SMS serves as alternative platform of communications to voice to the teeming consumers in Nige

Nigeria’s locally owned pay television platform, Hi-TV, has recorded over 100,000 subscriber base, the company said in a statement on Monday. The station, owned by Entertainment Highway Limited, commenced operations on February 1, 2007 with a pledge to provide qualitative, informative and entertaining content to Nigerians at affordable rates. with a further promise to give customers value for money through compelling content and technical quality The Chief Operating Officer of HiTV, Mr. Olumide Amore, was quoted as saying that an unprecedented patronage has propelled the subscriber base from 25,000 in August last year to 47,000 in December, over 70,000 in February 2008 and 122,000 at the end of July 2008. Amore said having overcome initial start-up challenges as freezing of satellite signals and late kick off of live matches, the platform was poised to offer subscribers quality services having invested heavily in equipment and infrastructure, as well as the recruitment of tested hands.

By Jonah Iboma Mobile phone operators on Tuesday agreed to commence steps to reduce the price of short message service across their networks. This is considering the potential of increased use of SMS in reducing network congestion in line with the practice elsewhere. The operators came up with this position at a consultative forum held on Tuesday in Lagos, by the Nigerian Communications Commission on reduction of SMS tariffs. The NCC had argued that the current SMS tariff in Nigeria was too high against the backdrop of the fact that SMS utilises an almost insignificant network resource. According to the Executive Vice-Chairman, NCC, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, the operators are not doing their networks any good by keeping prices of SMS high as increased use of SMS could help reduce the congestion on the networks and improve services generally. He added that complaints about current tariff were increasing. He said, “As you well know, SMS serves as alternative platform of communications to voice

Seek biometric authentication for e-commerce Jonah Iboma The Nigerian Computer Society has asked the Federal Government to license more telecommunication operators to offer third generation mobile services in the country. According to the body, issuing more licences was important as 3G services offered the country a window for increased job creation. The President of NCS, Prof. Charles Uwadia, who stated this on Wednesday during a media conference on its recently-concluded national convention, noted that 3G technology offered a very quick means of fast-tracking internet access and improving businesses in Nigeria. He said, “3G mobile communications services provide a window of opportunities for job creation in Nigeria. The Federal Government is thus urged through the Nigerian Communications Commission to grant additional licenses to increase the diffusion and deployment of GSM and Internet access in Nigeria.” Currently Nigeria has issued four 3G licences to namely; Glo Mobile, MTN Niger