I want to say this here: We Nigerians are responsible for the poor services and the rip-offs we are getting from the GSM operators in this country. We are just too soft on them.

But how can we get them to do as we want? The simple weapon in our hands is called 'number porting'. Do you know you can transfer your line to any network you like and still retain your number? That is what 'number porting' stands for. If your service provider is messing up, you were usually helpless about switching to another network all because your family, friends, business associates and acquaintances already had your number. But, it's no longer so. You can now transfer your number where you want it to be.

These are some of the key points based on which you can judge a particular service provider before you port your number to them:

1. Network coverage and strength

2. Customer service

3. Tariff

But instead, most Nigerians use other less important parameters as bases. For, instance, in my area, the poorest network is MTN especially in terms of network coverage and, may be, customer service while the best in these respects, is Etisalat. But, to my surprise, MTN is the most popular while Etisalat is the least popular. So, recently I had occasion to conduct a little research on this: I saw an MTN subscriber going around to get network signal whereas in my Etisalat, I had full bars everywhere. So, I asked, 'why do you guys like MTN so much in spite of their poor services, and the response I got was 'they do Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' to which I retorted, '...and how many times have YOU won it?' I marvel that someone is helplessly doomed with an annoying network because of something he might never get whereas he is sacrificing daily benefits.

So, since the above points affect you on daily and hourly basis, they should be considered before a promo benefit you may never get to enjoy, after all, every network has got such promos.

Now, I'll like everyone to rate his/her best network below based on the three points above (between 1 and 5) and give brief reviews (or reasons) for your rating. Let me start with my favorite network as a sample:

Favorite Network: Etisalat

1. Network Coverage: 4.5, Wherever I go, Etisalat coverage is full even in remote villages. I would have given them 5 but for about a day and half down time I experienced last week.

Customer service: 5, Each time I call customercare, I don't wait for more than 5 seconds unlike when I was with all the other networks where they would use that as an opportunity to fill my ears with their advert jingles. During the down time I experienced, I was totally satisfied with the speedy response I got. This is one reason I'd say of any service, 'give me a good customer service and everything else you do can be managed'.

Tariff: 3.5, Etisalat tariff (like all the other networks in Nigeria) is high compared to global rates. Indeed, Etisalat seems to be slightly higher than other networks in Nigeria especially in its data charges. But, while this is not quite a problem to me is that, I at least see they are investing much in customer service. I see what the money is used for. I would have given Etisalat just 2 or less here but for their new Easylife 4.0 where after spending N25 in a day at 40k/s, all your calls across the networks drop to 15k/s, that is, N9 per minute.

I believe u r been sponsored by etisalat, if tarrif is high den mi DAT network has failed d masses