Page 156 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

the increase, and it is my sincere hope that each of believes that without consumers becoming aware of
the service providers will demonstrate clearly to their cybercrime trends and making efforts to ensure the
esteemed customers, measures that they have put in safe use of connected devices, cyber criminals would
place on their various networks, as well as the role they continue to make cyberspace unsafe. ”Since we started
think their customers should play toward safeguarding organizing these events some years back, we have
them from the effects of cybercrime,” she added. treated different thematic topics, which have produced
Onwuegbuchalam, who was represented by her deputy, key resolutions that have been communicated to
Alhaji Ismaila Adedigba, said the Commission was service providers for implementation. “Indeed, this has
committed to using various outreach programmes to helped to guarantee improved services and value for
embark on a series of awareness campaigns, with a money spent on telecoms services for Consumers and
view to keeping consumers well informed on the risks as such telecoms consumers have been the ultimate
associated with being in line, enlightening them on the beneficiaries of the event over the years,” she added.
safety measures to be taken once they use connected She, however, enjoined the participants to take full
devices, as simple as feature phones, smartphones and advantage of the occasion to be well informed and
other more sophisticated internet enabled devices. The educated on how they can be protected in cyberspace
Town Hall meeting, with the theme: “Mitigating Effects as telecom consumers.” (September 2, 2019) thisdaylive.com
of Cybercrimes: The Role of Telecom Consumers,”
stated that one of the most effective ways to protect The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has
telecom consumers from the effects of cybercrimes announced it has approved spectrum for the trial of
was through continuous consumer education and 5G mobile services in the country. Without providing
awareness. ”The Commission has embarked on further details, the regulator’s Executive Vice Chairman
various initiatives to increase access to the internet Umar Garba Danbatta revealed the development in
to Nigerians for positive engagements, we are Abuja at the ITU’s ‘First Digital African Week’ event.
nevertheless, conscious of dishonest individuals, who He acknowledged the evolving trends in the ICT
are bent on using the internet for illegal activities.” She ecosystem, giving rise to technologies such as IoT
said consumers remained important stakeholders in applications and smart cities, adding that the NCC
the current cyberspace, where individual and corporate was well positioned to embark on the trial of 5G in the
users of telecom devices often make use of the internet country. (August 31, 2019) telegeography.com
in our connected world, as such, the Commission

The National Communications Authority (Nkom) has while another option suggesting minimum speeds
launched a consultation on plans to make broadband a would be 20Mbps/2Mbps is also being considered.
universal service. In a press release regarding the matter Views from stakeholders and interested parties on
the regulator said that two options had been proposed, the proposed broadband universal service obligation
with the first of those being a proposal to introduce (USO) are being accepted until the 3 December 2019
Norway an obligation for operators to provide broadband at deadline.

speeds of 10Mbps/2Mbps (down/uplink) on request, (September 4, 2019) telegeography.com

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) capability to all cities and municipalities nationwide.
has renewed the Cellular Mobile Telephony System However, with NOW Telecom currently ramping up
(CMTS) license of NOW Corp affiliate NOW Telecom, plans to become the Philippines’ fourth major operator,
allowing it to provide a range of cellular services to a spokesman for the NTC poured cold water on its
Philippines the Filipino public. The concession ‘extends authority plans, suggesting that it believes it can only realistically
provide such services in ‘niche markets’. Following
to install, operate and maintain an effective and
economical telecommunications network, including the license renewal, NOW Telecom president Rodolfo
mobile telecommunications, data and voice telecom P Pantoja said: ‘We have been providing guaranteed
network, trunked radio dispatch communications broadband to enterprises including the government
system, digital trunked radio system, and sector. We reiterate our belief that at present, there
telecommunications operations’. The authority granted is an insufficiency in telecommunications facilities
last week also includes the upgrade of its existing that can effectively address the needs for day-to-day
system to a nationwide wireless communications real-time operations and at the same time provide
network which will provide mobile telephony disaster mitigation during time of emergencies,’
communications and multimedia transmission adding that NOW Telecom is one of only four firms to

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