IT Broadband Council pushes for Smart States, 50% 3G-coverage by 2015

The Broadband Council is pushing for increased 3G coverage to 50% of the Nigerian population by 2015.

This was one of the outcomes of the 4th Broadband Council meeting held in Lagos recently, a statement from Ministry of Communication Technology said at the weekend.

The council highlighted that the broadband plan had been slower than anticipated, though its penetration has gone up from 6 to 6.8% since implementation commenced, according to the statement which was signed Mrs Efem Nkanga Senior Special Assistant to Minister on Media.

She said all members agreed that sustained efforts needed to be maintained to increase the penetration rate in accordance with the five year target of the Broadband Plan as full 3G rollout would lead to increased mobile broadband penetration for all.

To support its push for full 3G rollout across the nation, an Access Gap Analysis of the coverage of the country has been completed by the USPF, she said, adding “the purpose of the Access Gap study by USPF is to ascertain/ determine priority for unserved and underserved areas and direct appropriate investments to these areas”.

The Council, she said, also extensively deliberated on progress made with the Smart States initiative and getting states to reduce or remove Right of Way (ROW) charges and other related fees.

Five states have so far indicated interest in being Smart States. They are Gombe, Bayelsa, Ondo, Anambra and Katsina have so far indicated interest in being Smart States, she revealed, adding “Lagos and Cross Rivers state are already considered well on their way to being Smart City States.”

The Chairman of the Council and Minister of Communication Technology, Dr (Mrs) Omobola Johnson, said that the Smart states drive to engage governors and relevant authorities at the state and federal level to address the issue of multiple taxations will accelerate the roll out of critical infrastructure across Nigeria.

“Lagos had earlier signed an agreement with the Association of Licensed Telecoms Companies (ALTON) to reduce the cost of RoW from 3000 naira to 500 naira per meter, a significant reduction of 85%. The aim of the Smart States initiative is to ensure that effective measures are adopted to remove arbitrary charges and eradicate multiple taxations across the nation,” she said.