Tuesday, March 1, 2016

nigerian-communications-commission_ncc
| Leave a comment
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has resuscitated the process for the licencing of the 2.6GHz spectrum band auction to telecommunications service providers in Nigeria for full broadband service delivery to telecommunication subscribers.
A statement issued on NCC website and signed by the Professor Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman/chief executive officer, NCC said “The NCC, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, hereby informs parties interested in participating in the Auction of Frequency Spectrum Licences in the 2.6 GHz band that the process of the Auction has resumed.
“Further details will be published in due course in print and electronic media, as well as on the Commission’s website; www.ncc.gov.ng. Interested participants are advised to be on a watch out” he said. It is expected that will issue an Information Memorandum (IM) on the Commission’s website.
Danbatta had during his first world press conference in Lagos said, he had setup a committee that was working on retuning the Commission’s spectrum licencing process in  order to kick-start a fresh process devoid of rancour for awards of spectrum licences such as 2.6GH, 70MHz, etc.
The 2.6GHz spectrum has been influenced by the need to open up the space for the delivery of present and future generations of broadband services to subscribers in consonance with the Nigerian National Broadband Plan of 2013-2018. The IM is expected to provide information on the Nigerian telecommunications market, details of the spectrum to be made available, pre-qualification process, the auction process and indicative timetable among others.
Last year, NCC suspended the process under the Dr. Eugene Juwah-led NCC. According to the then Information Memorandum, NCC adopted for the licensing of 2×70 Megahertz (MHz) paired spectrum available in the 2.6GHz band.
The spectrum will be offered on technology neutral basis. NCC is following the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) recommendation, which sets aside spectrum in the 2.6GHz band for the provision of Advanced Wireless Broadband Services (AWS). The reserved price was pegged at $16 million for a lot of 2×5 MHz, which brings the total 14 lot on offer to $224 million.
At the end of the auction, each winning licencee will be issued a National Spectrum licence for 10 years and will also qualify for a Unified Access Service Licence (UASL). The IM states that NCC will issue each winner a ten year National Spectrum licence on a state by state basis and the Federal Capital Territory.

No comments:

Post a Comment