Parnassuss:

Can I here someone say 'YAHOO PROMO'.

hercules07:

The problem with MTN's 3.5G is that it is not really adequate, if our internet access is dependent on wireless access, then we need wimax or higher to satisfy the needs, unfortunately, the oyinbo man that is developing these technologies is not moving at a pace that we need, we are bound by technologies that are developed overseas. Frequency spectrum for rollout of these services too is another issue, the frequencies are expensive and not adequate, there is so much you can do with 5MHz of spectrum (if you like multiplex until you die). Peering among operators is another issue, why should my mail go all the way to south africa before it lands in the yahoo mail box of my colleague sitting down the hall (it is assumed we do not have a mail server at work), the government needs to do something about this, internet services will boom with proper peering arrangements.

AjanleKoko:

Most of the Tier 1 carriers have already signed up and bought capacity.
The real problem is with the wholesale pricing from Main One. Who are those talking about last-mile? With all the fiber all over Lagos, Abuja and PH?
The whole of Lagos have been repeatedly dug and re-dug by MTN, 21st Century, and Glo.
We may not have FTTX and last-mile fiber circuits yet, but with all the wireless access around (HSPA, EVDO, WIMAX), you can get decent connections in the major cities already.

I think the cost of funds for the project were probably high already.

AjanleKoko:

Bros,
No vex o, but you dey yarn major dust

The problem with MTN's 3.5G is that it is not really adequate, if our internet access is dependent on wireless access

hercules07:

Bros I no vex, but you suppose correct my dust now instead of just saying so, also please highlight the portion that is dust so that we can look at it together. If we are to put our internet access on wireless, then we have to grow at the rate that wireless technology is growing, meanwhile, cable technology is light years ahead of wireless.

paddy_lo:

Your internet access up to now is dependent on wireless because there has been no submarine cables until now. . .

now the cable is there. . . .

I expect Nigerians to start switching to DSL through a home landline. . which is more stable and cheaper

paddy_lo:

@hercules

why do u keep talking of wireless. . when this is all about cable and i am guessing  DSL. . . .
wireless is not the best for mass broad band rollout imo

paddy_lo:

Its funny u reside in the USA see how things work,but advocate the worst policies for Nigeria

GOVT mandates do not provide better services. . .

[color=#990000]The thing that will drop prices is more competition. . .

The MAIN ONE cable provider will not only sell bandwidth to MTN,but to all other Communication companys in Nigeria,like GLO,ETISALAT,ZAIN and so on

I am guessing that if MTN jacks up its prices,the rest will lower them to steal customers from MTN
Please watch the video i posted above

Its funny that u want a GOVT that failed woefully in NITEL to now dictate to Private companies how much they should charge for their service
Its like u dont see how badly that policy is stunting the growth of Private sector providers of electricity in Nigeria[/color]

The European Commission's today brought into force new limits on roaming mobile data charges, aiming to prevent users from running up large mobile bills while travelling abroad.

The new rules will mean that users will be automatically cut off when their data charges reach to €50 (£41).

The European Commission, frustrated by lack of competition, started regulating roaming prices in 2007. In July 2009, further cuts were approved that will reduce roaming prices in stages until July 2011, when maximum roaming prices will be capped at 35 cents a minute for calls made and 11 cents for calls received.

These rules will remain in place until the end of June 2012, when the commission will reassess its roaming policy.

"I am determined to make the EU's telecoms markets more competitive," Kroes added.

hercules07:

The problem with MTN's 3.5G is that it is not really adequate, if our internet access is dependent on wireless access, then we need wimax or higher to satisfy the needs, unfortunately, the oyinbo man that is developing these technologies is not moving at a pace that we need, we are bound by technologies that are developed overseas. Frequency spectrum for rollout of these services too is another issue, the frequencies are expensive and not adequate, there is so much you can do with 5MHz of spectrum (if you like multiplex until you die). Peering among operators is another issue, why should my mail go all the way to south africa before it lands in the yahoo mail box of my colleague sitting down the hall (it is assumed we do not have a mail server at work), the government needs to do something about this, internet services will boom with proper peering arrangements.

hercules07:

Bros I no vex, but you suppose correct my dust now instead of just saying so, also please highlight the portion that is dust so that we can look at it together.

hercules07:

The problem with MTN's 3.5G is that it is not really adequate, if our internet access is dependent on wireless access, then we need wimax or higher to satisfy the needs, unfortunately, the oyinbo man that is developing these technologies is not moving at a pace that we need, we are bound by technologies that are developed overseas.

AjanleKoko:

Sure. See below


UMTS HSxPA (which MTN, Glo and Zain have currently) - 14.4Mbps downlink, 5.76Mbps uplink. With HSPA+, you get something like 56Mbps downlink and 22Mbps uplink.
That's not bad for consumer Internet access, on a network that still have to support circuit-switched services.  Of course, wireless is not copper or fiber, but . . . come on. The same oyinbo don come up with LTE already.

Imagine lagosians adopting internet access the way they adopted gsm lines, all ths HSPA will get choked one time and you will be lucky if you can get a 56Kbps connection.

paddy_lo:

Telecomms Infrastructure has to be continuosly upgraded even in the USA

ATT,Verizon and co have to keep spending billions every yr to improve service

I suspect it is the same for Nigeria

The upshoot is that telecomms equipment providers like cisco are rolling out new equipment to deal with the problem of data/broadband congestion

New technology will eventually win

AjanleKoko:

Sure. See below


UMTS HSxPA (which MTN, Glo and Zain have currently) - 14.4Mbps downlink, 5.76Mbps uplink. With HSPA+, you get something like 56Mbps downlink and 22Mbps uplink.
That's not bad for consumer Internet access, on a network that still have to support circuit-switched services. Of course, wireless is not copper or fiber, but . . . come on. The same oyinbo don come up with LTE already.

hercules07:

Bros, how many people dey share the 14.4Mbps and the 56Mbps. Imagine lagosians adopting internet access the way they adopted gsm lines, all ths HSPA will get choked one time and you will be lucky if you can get a 56Kbps connection. Frequency spectrum limits what can be achieved on wireless in Nigeria, when iphone users hit networks in the US, the network operators raised alarm about link congestions. The desire for broadband internet access can only be met by having tier1 connection to the internet, wired distribution medium and proper peering arrangement, till then, prices might come down, but not as low as envisaged.